BEIRUT: Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Thursday he supported the deployment of the Lebanese Army on the border with Syria in a bid to control security.

“I support the deployment of the Lebanese Army to the border with Syria and demarcating it in coordination with the Syrian side to prevent infiltration between the two countries,” Charbel told NBN TV station in an interview.

Charbel also voiced his concern that the political division in the country accompanied with events in neighboring Syria might negatively impact Lebanon's security. He also said that efforts are being taken to avoid any repercussions on the country.

Future Movement MP Ahmad Fatfat asked Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn Thursday to deploy the Lebanese Army along the border with Syria, adding that Ghosn’s statement regarding the presence of Al-Qaeda in Lebanon hurt tourism.

“I request that you deploy the army along the Lebanon-Syria border,” Fatfat was quoted by local media as saying, adding that his party has been calling for the demarcation of the border with Syria but to no avail.

The Lebanese and Syrian armies have intensified their presence on the border since the uprising in neighboring Syria began last year in a bid to control illegal activity along the poorly demarcated boundary between the two countries. The deployment has slowed the flow of Syrian refugees into Lebanon.

Fatfat’s request for further deployment comes after the defense minister said there were members of Al-Qaeda in Lebanon under the guise of Syrian opposition members in the northern town of Arsal.

Ghosn’s statement sparked a nationwide controversy with the Future Movement accusing him of targeting Arsal because of its majority Sunni community.

Fatfat Thursday also slammed Ghosn’s statement, saying they had hurt the country’s economy which heavily depends on tourism, adding that his statement served the interest of the Syrian regime.

Syria has blamed “armed gangs” and sometimes Al-Qaeda for several attacks against its security and police forces which Damascus says has resulted in the death of around 2,000 of its personnel.

“Since 2005 we have been calling for the demarcation of the border with Syria and the Syrian authorities declined in order to carry out their financial and arms smuggling operations, and today the tables have turned,” Fatfat said.