Grenade is thrown in Christian area of Beirut

Dec 11, 2007, 19:38 GMT

Beirut - An unidentified assailant late Tuesday threw a sonic grenade in a Christian neighbourhood at the outskirts of Beirut's mainly Shiite southern suburbs, a Lebanese security source said.

According to a police report, the grenade - thrown near a school in Ain Rumanah area - caused panic, but no casualties or damage.

It happened a few hours after further postponement of a parliament session to elect the army chief as Lebanon's president - the eighth such postponement amid fears a vote could be delayed until March.

Lebanon has been without a president since incumbent Emile Lahoud ended his term on November 23, in the worst domestic crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.

The ruling coalition and the opposition have agreed to give the post to army chief General Michel Suleiman, but are bickering over how to amend the constitution to allow his election, and over the shape of a new cabinet.

Security officials fear that if the political deadlock remains in the country, this could lead to security breaches which may ignite a war similar to the 1975-1990 civil war.