Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have taken to the streets in Beirut for the fourth anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

People waved red and white Lebanese flags and listened to speeches from political leaders amid tight security.

They are also showing support for a UN tribunal into the killing which starts in early March, correspondents say.

Syria has long been suspected of involvement in the massive truck bomb that killed Mr Hariri and 22 others.

Damascus has always denied it had anything to do with the attack.

Pictures of the former prime minister were flashed on giant screens, while a choir sang national songs.

The crowd fell silent at 1300 to mark the exact time Mr Hariri was killed.

Saad Hariri, son of Rafik and leader of Lebanon's pro-Western Sunni parliamentary majority, told our correspondent he was proud that his father's legacy was still able to unite the country.