BEIRUT, Lebanon - Three mortar shells, not primed for firing, were found near the Beirut family home of slain former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, security officials said Monday. The 55mm, 60mm and 81mm calibre shells were found around midnight Monday in a black plastic bag near a garbage dump about 500 meters from the house, where Hariri's son and political heir, legislator Saad Hariri, now lives, the officials said. Hariri is currently on a private visit to Saudi Arabia.

The shells had Hebrew inscriptions on them, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media. Two unwired batteries were also found with the shells, they added. A civilian who discovered the shells alerted a police patrol in the area. Police explosives' experts examined the shells before taking them to a police station for further examination.

There was no comment immediately available on the discovery from Hariri's office, but the leading An-Nahar daily and the Hariri family owned Al-Mustaqbal newspaper said yesterday the shells sent "a security message to Saad Hariri" on the eve of a new round of talks among Lebanon's rival Muslim and Christian leaders.

In a similar incident last month, seven rocket-propelled grenades were found about one kilometre from the Hariri family's residence in the village of Majdalyoun, east of the southern port city of Sidon, where legislator Bahia Hariri, sister of the slain premier, lives.

They were placed in a black plastic bag on the side of a road leading to the residence. Bahia Hariri then described the incident as "a letter of intimidation."

Saad Hariri, a leader of the anti-Syrian majority in Parliament, has reportedly been a target for assassination since his father was killed in a massive truck bombing in Beirut on Feb. 14, 2005 along with 20 other people. He spent about six months abroad fearing for his life before returning to Lebanon last month.

Lebanon's 14 faction leaders Muslim and Christian, pro-and anti-Syrian began a national dialogue conference on March 2 to reach agreement on the most contentious issues since the end of the country's 1975-90 civil war. The conference has focused on the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud and UN Resolution 1559 that calls for the disarmament of the Syrian and Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Palestinian guerrillas. (AP)