Wednesday, February 16 2005 19:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beirut: Slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was buried today (Feb 16, 2005) after his coffin was caught in a crush of frenzied mourners outside a Beirut mosque, photographers at the scene said.

Earlier his eldest son had appealed for calm after being unable to carry the coffin to the mosque amid scenes of chaos as hundreds of thousands of Lebanese thronged the streets for the funeral.

"O people, O people, O people, please move away. We wish to pray for his soul," Bahaa Hariri said through a microphone after he was carried shoulder high to address the crowd.