The move follows Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani criticism of Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun for alleged remarks about Sunnis in WikiLeaks cables published by Al Joumhouria, and Aoun's filing of a lawsuit Thursday against the paper for libel and incitement for murder.

“We deplore such insults to the head of state and Muslims, Sunnis in particular, by some [political] forces, Gen. Michel Aoun on top of them,” Qabbani said Wednesday during a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Othman Mosque and Center in Mount Lebanon’s pre-dominantly Druze village of Shanay.

“Aoun’s remarks were an offense to all communities in Lebanon and did not befit a man of politics,” Qabbani said in an apparent response to recently published WikiLeaks cables saying Aoun had referred to Sunnis as “animals” and “strangers” according to former Justice Minister Charles Rizk during a meeting with then-U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman.

Aoun has repeatedly been accused of harboring anti-Sunni sentiment, and the latest WikiLeaks cable seems to confirm what many people already believe about the retired army general.

Qabbani said the insults Aoun has directed at President Michel Sleiman have led “smaller” figures to follow suit, and warned: “Let him [Aoun] know that insulting any sect is an offense to all sects in Lebanon.”

In a statement, Aoun’s press office said that the former general filed a lawsuit against the newspaper Thursday for libel, inciting sectarian strife, and fabrication of news against him and attributed to him.

“We want to remind the mufti that the remarks he replied to were said by Minister Charles Rizk on behalf of General Aoun and that the Minister Rizk denied it. We also want to remind him that [Aoun] has filed a lawsuit against the newspaper and against all instigators and let justice take its course regarding these cheap lies,” the statement said.

The statement also noted that the mufti has never attacked officials who misused public money or corrupted officials from the March 14 coalition throughout his term.

“We are not afraid [of such a campaign] and those who launched it will be responsible for its financial and psychological consequences,” the press office said referring to the series of WikiLeaks cables published by Al Joumhouria.