Lebanon war veteran oils gun, fears new conflict

BEIRUT, Dec 14: Abu Ahmed has cleaned and oiled the Kalashnikov rifle he last used in Lebanon's civil war, readying himself in case he has to fight again.

A Sunni Muslim militiaman in the 1975-1990 conflict, he says he is ready to fight Shi'ite Muslims loyal to Hezbollah -- a group which he believes wants to take over the country.

''I'd only ever used weapons in the civil war when I was young and unaware. I got my gun out again because danger is approaching,'' said the 50-year-old, a passionate supporter of Sunni leader Saad al-Hariri.

''It was put away in a nylon case. I cleaned it with diesel.

I have about 500 rounds.'' Hariri and his allies are at loggerheads with the Hezbollah-led opposition over its demand for veto power in the cabinet. It is Lebanon's worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

The conflict is political but many ordinary Lebanese have been drawn into the rival camps. ''The streets here are boiling,'' Abu Ahmed said.

In his car, he keeps photos of Hariri's assassinated father, Rafik. Hariri supporters blame Syria, an ally of Hezbollah, for the killing of the former premier in February 2005.

Damascus denies involvement but Hariri supporters say Hezbollah wants to defend Syria by derailing plans for an international tribunal to try his suspected killers.

The issue is at the heart of tensions between the rival Lebanese groups, whose supporters have clashed in the last two weeks. A Shi'ite opposition supporter was shot dead in Abu Ahmed's Sunni Beirut district while returning from an anti-government protest.

There is also tension between Christians from the rival camps.

The opposition blamed the shooting on militias it said were controlled by the authorities. Hariri and the government have repeatedly denied arming any militia.

Abu Ahmed said many people in his district were carrying guns or seeking to arm themselves, but not as part of an organised force.

''This is a personal initiative,'' he said. ''There are people looking to buy weapons and not finding them.'' Dealers say demand has pushed up gun prices recently.

''One of my relatives has a gun. He took it out. He said; 'Abu Ahmed, I'm going to get it ready because I'm scared in case they come into the area. The situation is very tense,''' he said.

Hezbollah has a strong militia but says that its weapons are only for fighting Israel, not other Lebanese. The group and its allies say they want to share, not dominate government.

''They say they don't want a civil war or a sectarian war.

But if they made a mistake and there was blood, there will be blood in return,'' Abu Ahmed said.

REUTERS