A Muslim Sunni preacher deported from Britain to Lebanon in 2005 has claimed Syria and not al-Qaeda is behind the latest violence in Lebanon, accusing Damascus of masterminding attacks carried out by the Palestinian militant group, Fatah al-Islam. "One can accuse Fatah al-Islam of having created the space into which extremists can infiltrate Lebanon. But it is wrong to say that this group is linked to al-Qaeda," Omar Bakri Mohammad said in an interview published by Rome-based daily La Repubblica on Tuesday. "Fatah al-Islam is a creature of Syria. The violence in Lebanon depends on Syria and not al-Qaeda," added Bakri who in the past has praised Osama bin-Laden and the 11 September 2001 attacks against the United States.Bakri said he "did not know" whether Damascus was behind an attack that killed six Spanish soldiers serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. But he added, that "the hidden hands behind the massacre of Marjayoun (where the Spaniards were killed) are the same as those that have planted the bombs in Lebanon".