Kidnap of pilgrims in Syria raises tension in Lebanon

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Shia militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, appealed for calm after tyres were burned and roads blocked.

Syrian anti-government activists have denied involvement in the abduction.

The exiled Syrian National Council also urged rebels to release the pilgrims.

They were travelling back through Syria after a tour of Iran's holy Shia sites.

Lebanon is deeply divided over support and opposition to Syria's government.

Political factions in Lebanon have often defined themselves as pro- or anti-Syrian.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the abduction is the kind of spark that could ignite serious trouble in Lebanon.

'Strictly prohibited'
When the bus was intercepted after crossing into Syria, the women on board were allowed to go free and they are now in the Syrian city of Aleppo.


Some of the Lebanese pilgrims were released shortly afterwards
A relative of one of the hostages told Reuters news agency that the Free Syrian Army had taken the pilgrims and were demanding the release of its own members being held in Aleppo.

News of the abductions triggered widespread anger in parts of Beirut. But our correspondent says violent protests stopped abruptly after Sheikh Nasrallah went on television to call such actions as "strictly prohibited".

He added: "We will work day and night until these beloved people are with us."

Hezbollah has stood firmly behind Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his attempts to tackle the 15-month uprising. The driving force of the rebellion comes from the Sunni Muslim community.

Tension in Lebanon over Syria reached new heights on Sunday when an anti-Syrian cleric and his bodyguard were shot dead by a Lebanese soldier at a checkpoint in the north of the country.

That sparked clashes between pro- and anti-Syrian groups that left two people dead and 18 injured.

But on Tuesday, the tension eased when Sunni leader Shadi al-Mawlawi - a critic of the Syrian government suspected of links with militants - was released on bail.

Iranians targeted
Syrian and Lebanese politics have been deeply intertwined throughout the history of the two states.

Syria had a large military presence in Lebanon for 29 years, finally withdrawing soldiers in 2005, but maintaining a strong influence.

In a separate development, an Iranian diplomat in Damascus said three Iranian lorry drivers had been abducted in Syria.

The diplomat said the drivers were attacked and taken away on Monday after they entered the country via Turkey, carrying cargo.

Syrian rebels have often accused Iran of aiding President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown of their protests.

There have been several incidents of Iranian workers and pilgrims in Syria being abducted since the uprising started last year.

In February Iran's media reported that eleven Iranian pilgrims had been kidnapped in Syria. Several have since been released but others remain captive.