OIC chief condemns terrorist bombing South Beirut

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Amin Madani condemned on Friday the recent terrorist bombing in the southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut, which killed and wounded many Lebanese civilians. In a statement, OIC chief also extended his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes the wounded speedy recovery. Madani warned against the mounting violence in Lebanon and the repercussions of involving the country in the events taking place in Syria. He invited all parties involved in Lebanon to establish dialogue, underscoring their commonalities, and called for accelerating the formation of a government that would place Lebanon's national interests and its independent historical identity above all considerations. The Secretary General reaffirmed OIC's readiness to put at use all its potential to this end, the statement concluded. Last night, a car bomb killed at least four people in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a grim start to the new year as escalating tension between Sunnis and Shiites threatens to propel Lebanon into full-blown sectarian conflict.