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| Funeral of security official killed in Beirut car bomb turns violent | Funeral of security official killed in Beirut car bomb turns violent |
| (12 days later) | |
| The funeral for a top Lebanese security official has turned violent as protesters demanding the resignation of the government poured into the streets around central Beirut amid teargas, rock throwing and the occasional burst of gunfire by security forces. | The funeral for a top Lebanese security official has turned violent as protesters demanding the resignation of the government poured into the streets around central Beirut amid teargas, rock throwing and the occasional burst of gunfire by security forces. |
| Lebanon's political opposition had called upon protesters to use the funeral of General Wissam al-Hassan, who died in a car bomb assassination on Friday afternoon in central Beirut, as an opportunity to protest at the current government's perceived support for the Syrian regime. | Lebanon's political opposition had called upon protesters to use the funeral of General Wissam al-Hassan, who died in a car bomb assassination on Friday afternoon in central Beirut, as an opportunity to protest at the current government's perceived support for the Syrian regime. |
| After a number of speeches by opposition politicians that directly accused Syria of murdering Hassan for investigating a series of violent plots and assassinations against opposition members, protesters turned their fury on the nearby office of the prime minister, Najib Mikati. Mikati tendered his resignation to the president, Michel Sleiman, on Saturday but agreed to stay in office until a national unity government could be formed. | After a number of speeches by opposition politicians that directly accused Syria of murdering Hassan for investigating a series of violent plots and assassinations against opposition members, protesters turned their fury on the nearby office of the prime minister, Najib Mikati. Mikati tendered his resignation to the president, Michel Sleiman, on Saturday but agreed to stay in office until a national unity government could be formed. |
| As protesters tried to scale a series of fences and barbed wire emplacements surrounding the building, security forces resorted to teargas and some sporadic gunfire to protect the government building. | As protesters tried to scale a series of fences and barbed wire emplacements surrounding the building, security forces resorted to teargas and some sporadic gunfire to protect the government building. |
| Soldiers had earlier carried two flag-draped coffins carrying Hassan and his bodyguard through Martyrs' Square, which was packed with thousands of mourners. | Soldiers had earlier carried two flag-draped coffins carrying Hassan and his bodyguard through Martyrs' Square, which was packed with thousands of mourners. |
| "We came for Lebanon's future to show that we will not be scared," said Arama Fakhouri, an interior designer from Beirut in the cheering crowd. Many people were shouting that Hassan was a martyr who had been struck down while trying to protect Lebanon. | "We came for Lebanon's future to show that we will not be scared," said Arama Fakhouri, an interior designer from Beirut in the cheering crowd. Many people were shouting that Hassan was a martyr who had been struck down while trying to protect Lebanon. |
| Hassan, 47, was a powerful opponent of Syria in Lebanon. He headed an investigation over the summer that led to the arrest of the former information minister Michel Samaha, a Lebanese politician who was one of Syria's most loyal allies in Lebanon. He was among eight people killed in the attack on Friday. | Hassan, 47, was a powerful opponent of Syria in Lebanon. He headed an investigation over the summer that led to the arrest of the former information minister Michel Samaha, a Lebanese politician who was one of Syria's most loyal allies in Lebanon. He was among eight people killed in the attack on Friday. |
| "He was killed while he was defending his country," said Samer al-Hirri, who travelled from northern Lebanon to attend the funeral. | "He was killed while he was defending his country," said Samer al-Hirri, who travelled from northern Lebanon to attend the funeral. |
| Before the burial, there was a memorial ceremony attended by government officials and Hassan's wife, Anna, his two sons, Majd and Mazen, and his parents. | Before the burial, there was a memorial ceremony attended by government officials and Hassan's wife, Anna, his two sons, Majd and Mazen, and his parents. |
| Even before Friday's bombing, the civil war in neighbouring Syria had set off violence in Lebanon and deepened tensions between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The attack heightened fears that Lebanon could easily plunge back into cycles of sectarian violence and reprisal that have haunted it for decades. | Even before Friday's bombing, the civil war in neighbouring Syria had set off violence in Lebanon and deepened tensions between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. The attack heightened fears that Lebanon could easily plunge back into cycles of sectarian violence and reprisal that have haunted it for decades. |
| France's foreign minister said it was likely that Assad's government had a hand in the assassination. Laurent Fabius told Europe1 radio that it was not fully clear who was behind the attack, but it was "probable" that Syria played a role. "Everything suggests that it's an extension of the Syrian tragedy," he said. | France's foreign minister said it was likely that Assad's government had a hand in the assassination. Laurent Fabius told Europe1 radio that it was not fully clear who was behind the attack, but it was "probable" that Syria played a role. "Everything suggests that it's an extension of the Syrian tragedy," he said. |
| Dozens of anti-Syrian protesters erected eight tents near the cabinet headquarters in central Beirut, saying they would stay until Mikati's government, which is dominated by the Shia militant group Hezbollah and its allies, resigned. Hezbollah is Syria's most powerful ally in Lebanon, which for much of the past 30 years has lived under Syrian military and political domination. | Dozens of anti-Syrian protesters erected eight tents near the cabinet headquarters in central Beirut, saying they would stay until Mikati's government, which is dominated by the Shia militant group Hezbollah and its allies, resigned. Hezbollah is Syria's most powerful ally in Lebanon, which for much of the past 30 years has lived under Syrian military and political domination. |
| "The Syrian regime started a war against us and we will fight this battle until the end," said a protester, Anthony Labaki, a 24-year-old physiotherapist who is a member of the rightwing Phalange party. | "The Syrian regime started a war against us and we will fight this battle until the end," said a protester, Anthony Labaki, a 24-year-old physiotherapist who is a member of the rightwing Phalange party. |
| Syria's hold on Lebanon began to slip in 2005, when the former prime minister Rafik Hariri, an opponent of Syria, was assassinated in truck bomb along Beirut's Mediterranean waterfront. Syria denied any role. But broad public outrage in Lebanon expressed in massive street protests forced Damascus to withdraw its tens of thousands of troops from the country. | Syria's hold on Lebanon began to slip in 2005, when the former prime minister Rafik Hariri, an opponent of Syria, was assassinated in truck bomb along Beirut's Mediterranean waterfront. Syria denied any role. But broad public outrage in Lebanon expressed in massive street protests forced Damascus to withdraw its tens of thousands of troops from the country. |
| For years after the pullouts, there was a string of attacks on anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon without any trials for those responsible. Assad has managed to maintain his influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah and other allies. | For years after the pullouts, there was a string of attacks on anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon without any trials for those responsible. Assad has managed to maintain his influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah and other allies. |
| Samaha, the former minister arrested in Hassan's investigation, remains in custody. He is accused of plotting a wave of attacks in Lebanon at Syria's behest. | Samaha, the former minister arrested in Hassan's investigation, remains in custody. He is accused of plotting a wave of attacks in Lebanon at Syria's behest. |
| The Syrian Brigadier General Ali Mamlouk, one of Assad's most senior aides, was indicted in absentia in the August sweep that saw Samaha arrested. Samaha's arrest was an embarrassing blow to Syria, which has long acted with impunity in Lebanon. | The Syrian Brigadier General Ali Mamlouk, one of Assad's most senior aides, was indicted in absentia in the August sweep that saw Samaha arrested. Samaha's arrest was an embarrassing blow to Syria, which has long acted with impunity in Lebanon. |
| The car bombing struck Beirut's mainly Christian Achrafieh district and also wounded dozens of people, including children. | The car bombing struck Beirut's mainly Christian Achrafieh district and also wounded dozens of people, including children. |
| Security was tight around Martyrs' Square on Sunday, as police officers and soldiers cordoned off the square, searching people trying to enter and barring vehicles. Giant posters of Hassan were set up around Beirut before the funeral, calling him a "martyr of sovereignty and independence". | Security was tight around Martyrs' Square on Sunday, as police officers and soldiers cordoned off the square, searching people trying to enter and barring vehicles. Giant posters of Hassan were set up around Beirut before the funeral, calling him a "martyr of sovereignty and independence". |
| On Saturday, Mikati linked the bombing to the Samaha case. "I don't want to prejudge the investigation, but in fact we cannot separate yesterday's crime from the revelation of the explosions that could have happened," he said. | On Saturday, Mikati linked the bombing to the Samaha case. "I don't want to prejudge the investigation, but in fact we cannot separate yesterday's crime from the revelation of the explosions that could have happened," he said. |
| Many of Lebanon's Sunni Muslims have backed Syria's mainly Sunni rebels, while Shia Muslims have tended to back Assad. Assad, like many who dominate his regime, is a member of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam. | Many of Lebanon's Sunni Muslims have backed Syria's mainly Sunni rebels, while Shia Muslims have tended to back Assad. Assad, like many who dominate his regime, is a member of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam. |
| Hassan was a Sunni who challenged Syria and Hezbollah. | Hassan was a Sunni who challenged Syria and Hezbollah. |
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