Strong condemnation of a terrorist attack in the Syrian capital's diplomatic district earlier this week continued Thursday with a declaration of support for Damascus by various Lebanese factions and denunciation of the "evil aggression committed by conspirators."

Defense Minister Mahmoud Hammoud, in a cable to Syrian President Bashar Assad, expressed support in confronting the perpetrators and confidence that they would not succeed in "undermining Syria's solid stand and its national and pan-Arab principles."

In a similar cable to his Syrian counterpart, General Mustafa Tlas, Hammoud said he was fully confident that Syria was capable of "confronting all conspirators" and would remain a "pillar" in the face of conspiracies and terrorism.

The Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani sent a message to Assad deploring the incident, for targeting Syria and its stability in the present "crucial phase" in which the Arab and Islamic region has been passing through.

In turn, leading Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah warned in a statement of designs to create "shocks" in more than one Arab and Islamic state in the interest of American policy.  He spoke of "an increasing American pressure" on several states, especially Syria, through various means of "embezzlement."

The Progressive Socialist Party condemned the "aggression" saying it was aimed at Syria's political stability, pan-Arab role and international standing.

A statement said that while denouncing this terrorist aggression, the party affirmed its solidarity with Syria and called for alertness against its aims, not only as far as Syria was concerned, but also with regard to Syria and Lebanon together.

The National Gathering for Salvation said in a statement that it was clear that the sole beneficiaries of the "criminal, terrorist action" were the United States, Israel and Arab regimes with normalized relations with the Jewish state.