Military Tribunal Judge Imad al-Zein kicked off on Wednesday investigations with detained members of the al-Meqdad clan members.

He interrogated and then issued arrest warrants five of the suspects.

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday the anti-Islam film that mocks the Prophet Mohammed, saying its broadcast is aimed at placing Muslims in a “violent” confrontation with the West.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “The real confrontation should not be directed against western people or governments, but with a handful of saboteurs seeking to tarnish the image of the Arab Spring and the promising future of the people of the region.”

Israel's army on Wednesday staged a surprise drill on the country's northern border, the military said, amid tensions over Iran's nuclear drive and the fate of Syria's chemical weapons.

The one-day exercise was ordered by army chief Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, a military statement said, "in order to examine the competence and preparedness of several units in the army, led by (the) artillery corps."

The Internal Security Forces and army resumed on Wednesday the destruction of cannabis fields in the town of Deir al-Ahmar in Baalbek as residents held a sit-in in protest.

The National News Agency said that the residents held a sit-in at the entrance of the town denouncing the ongoing operations.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani denied on Wednesday that his country banned granting visas to Lebanese Shiites over Hizbullah's stances from the revolt against Syrian president Bashar Assad.

“Our ties with Hizbullah are not bad, however, we have different points of view regarding the developments in Syria,” Sheikh Hamad said in remarks to the Kuwaiti al-Rai daily.

The eastern city of Zahle is set to hold on Thursday a general strike to protest the unknown fate of Fouad Daoud, who was kidnapped last week by unknown assailants.

A meeting held on Tuesday at the Bishopric of Our Lady of Deliverance in Zahle called for the general strike and for a sit-in near the city's Grand Serail.

Unknown assailants opened fire from their machineguns on a KFC restaurant in Nabatiyeh at dawn Wednesday, causing material damage, media reports said.

The drive-by shooting took place at 3:30 am, they said.

President Michel Suleiman is adamant to propose his vision on the country's defense strategy during a national dialogue session scheduled to be held at Baabda Palace on Thursday, Environment Minister Nazem al-Khoury, who is close to the head of state, said.

However, al-Khoury told al-Liwaa newspaper published on Wednesday that the discussion of the strategy depends on the presence of all members of the all-party talks.

A judicial authority will prevent on Wednesday security agencies from obtaining the telecom data after it extended the deadline until the end of Pope Benedict XVl's three-day visit to Lebanon.

Sources in the authority told As Safir newspaper that giving the complete telecom data to security forces to track crimes violates the constitution and it can't resume.

The joint parliamentary committees convened on Wednesday to tackle the government-approved electoral law.

Media reports said however that the session was later suspended over a lack of quorum when opposition MPs withdrew from the meeting.