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Lebanon prime minister offers to resign over deadly Beirut bombing | Lebanon prime minister offers to resign over deadly Beirut bombing |
(8 days later) | |
Lebanon's prime minister, Najib Mikati, has offered to resign after one of the country's most senior intelligence officers was murdered in a car bomb attack that killed seven others and left scores injured in downtown Beirut. | Lebanon's prime minister, Najib Mikati, has offered to resign after one of the country's most senior intelligence officers was murdered in a car bomb attack that killed seven others and left scores injured in downtown Beirut. |
Mikati added, however, that the country's president, Michel Suleiman, has asked him to stay on despite calls from the opposition March 14 bloc for the government to step down. | Mikati added, however, that the country's president, Michel Suleiman, has asked him to stay on despite calls from the opposition March 14 bloc for the government to step down. |
The Lebanese cabinet and security commanders held an emergency meeting on Saturday, which the state-run National News Agency said would discuss how to keep the peace. | The Lebanese cabinet and security commanders held an emergency meeting on Saturday, which the state-run National News Agency said would discuss how to keep the peace. |
Two protesters were wounded earlier on Saturday when the Lebanese army opened fire on a demonstartion against the bomb attack in Beirut's mainly Christian Ashrafieh neighbourhood. | Two protesters were wounded earlier on Saturday when the Lebanese army opened fire on a demonstartion against the bomb attack in Beirut's mainly Christian Ashrafieh neighbourhood. |
"The Lebanese army were trying to open the road and started firing their guns," a witness from the village of Bar Elias, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley region, told Reuters. | "The Lebanese army were trying to open the road and started firing their guns," a witness from the village of Bar Elias, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley region, told Reuters. |
Protesters have burned tyres and set up roadblocks around the country amid growing popular anger at the bombing, which threatens to spread the civil war in Syria to Lebanon. | Protesters have burned tyres and set up roadblocks around the country amid growing popular anger at the bombing, which threatens to spread the civil war in Syria to Lebanon. |
The explosion on Friday damaged buildings across a six-blocks and was heard across much of the city, sending up a pall of black smoke above the skyline. | The explosion on Friday damaged buildings across a six-blocks and was heard across much of the city, sending up a pall of black smoke above the skyline. |
Many observers said the attack appeared to have links to the Syrian civil war, which is now in its 19th month. The target was Major General Wissam al-Hassan, the head of police intelligence and the prime mover behind the arrest in August of Michel Samaha, a pro-Syrian former information minister and associate of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Samaha is alleged to have been plotting a bombing campaign in Lebanon. | Many observers said the attack appeared to have links to the Syrian civil war, which is now in its 19th month. The target was Major General Wissam al-Hassan, the head of police intelligence and the prime mover behind the arrest in August of Michel Samaha, a pro-Syrian former information minister and associate of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Samaha is alleged to have been plotting a bombing campaign in Lebanon. |
Hassan also led the investigation that implicated Syria and its ally Hezbollah in the killing of the former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, according to a Lebanese official. | Hassan also led the investigation that implicated Syria and its ally Hezbollah in the killing of the former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, according to a Lebanese official. |
The killing of such a senior figure so closely linked with the anti-Assad camp in Lebanon will fuel fears that the violence in Syria is spreading to neighbouring states, including Lebanon and Turkey. | The killing of such a senior figure so closely linked with the anti-Assad camp in Lebanon will fuel fears that the violence in Syria is spreading to neighbouring states, including Lebanon and Turkey. |
The Lebanese government has declared a national day of mourning for the victims. | The Lebanese government has declared a national day of mourning for the victims. |
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