Syrian TV: Boats with weapons seized coming from northern Lebanon

Mar 28, 2011, 20:54 GMT

Beirut- Syrian Television reported late Monday that boats loaded with weapons were seized off the coast of Syria and had embarked from the northern Lebanese port city of Tripoli.

The television channel said Syrian officials had suspicions that the boats were coming from Lebanon from followers of the Future Current Movement headed by outgoing Lebanese premier Saad Hariri.

The spokesman of the Future Current Movement, Ahmad al-Hariri, denied such an accusation.

Hariri's followers have always accused Syria of being behind the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, father of the outgoing premier. Damascus has denied any involvement in the Hariri case.

Meanwhile, supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are preparing to hold massive rallies on Tuesday across the country to counter anti-government demonstrations that have spread across Syria since March 15.

'Marches in support of Assad and the country will be held on Tuesday in every province,' state television director Rim Hadad said.

Syrian opposition sources said that all school students were asked to participate in the pro-Assad demonstrations.

Syria's ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, addressing Syrian nationals who were rallying in Beirut in support of Assad, assured the demonstrators that national unity in Syria was intact.

Thousands of pro-Assad Syrians gathered Monday near the Syrian embassy, shouting slogans as they carried portraits of Assad and national flags.

Anti-government protests continued Monday in the southern Syrian city of Daraa despite government pledges to lift the state of emergency in force since the ruling Baath Party took power in 1963.

At least 35 people have been killed since March 15 in a crackdown by security forces against anti-government demonstrations.

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