Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati lashed out on Monday at former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, a day after the official urged the premier to “raise the voice” to stop the deadly clashes in Tripoli or leave his post.

Miqati expressed surprise in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper over Rifi's statements, saying that “Rifi's stance is political.”

Former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi on Sunday called on caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati to “raise the voice” to stop the deadly clashes in Tripoli or leave his post.

“We had previously warned the state's political and security officials over the dangerous situation that might arise from leaving things in Tripoli to the chaos of the weapons that were planted by the Syrian regime and its allies in the city,” Rifi said in a statement.

Former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi accused Hizbullah on Friday of supplying armed gangs in the northern city of Tripoli with arms and money.

"Hizbullah is supporting these armed gangs in Tripoli and providing them with weapons and money,” Rifi said at a press conference he held in Tripoli.

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui on Tuesday hit back at former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, stressing that the ministry abides by the cabinet's decisions regarding the handing over of telecom data to security agencies.

The ministry “used to deliver the data whenever authorized by the cabinet and it withheld the data only when the council of ministers asked it to do so,” said Sehnaoui in a statement issued by his press office.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Monday seven people, three of whom are in custody, in connection with the August bombings of two mosques in the northern city of Tripoli.

The charges include the formation of an armed gang for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities and the bombing of al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques on August 23.

Mufti of Tripoli and the North Malek al-Shaar, former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and a Mustaqbal Movement delegation agreed on Sunday that the blame for the Tripoli blasts “falls only on those who staged them,” after at least one resident of the mainly Alawite Jabal Mohsen was arrested on charges of involvement in the attacks that targeted two Sunni mosques in the city.

“We will never discriminate between a citizen and another based on religious and sectarian belonging, and I clearly tell my brothers the Alawites … that we appreciate them and that they are a part of this city's social fabric,” Shaar said after meeting with a Mustaqbal delegation led by ex-MP Mustafa Alloush.

A suspect held over his links to the twin bombings in the northern city of Tripoli in August confessed that he planned the attack with a Syrian Intelligence officer, revealing that the car used in the al-Salam mosque attack was purchased from a Syrian national from al-Qusayr, reported An Nahar daily on Thursday.

Suspect Sheikh Ahmed al-Gharib confessed to planning the attacks with Syrian Intelligence – Palestine branch in Damascus Captain Mohammed Ali and advised him to assassinate Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi who preaches at the Salam mosque, added the daily.

Primary investigations with the suspects, who are accused of carrying out the twin blasts that rocked the northern city of Tripoli, showed that they are in direct contact with the chief of Syrian National Security Bureau, Ali Mamlouk, media reports said on Friday.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper, the General Syrian Intelligence Bureau informed Sheikh Hashem Minkara and Sheikh Ahmed al-Gharib that explosive-laden cars will be moved to Tripoli from the Syrian port city of Tartus.

The main suspect in the twin bombing that rocked Tripoli last week was planning to target prominent figures in the northern city, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Monday.

According to information obtained by the daily, a police informer, identified as Moustapha H., contacted Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau claiming that he has important information over a Sheikh from Tripoli who is planning to target al-Mustaqbal MP Khaled al-Daher, former ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr tasked on Sunday the Army Intelligence and ISF Intelligence Bureau with investigating the bombings in the northern city of Tripoli.

They will be responsible for carrying out the preliminary investigations, gathering evidence, and sweeping the scene of the blast sites.