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Blast rocks Beirut eastern suburb Blast rocks Beirut eastern suburb
(20 minutes later)
At least three people have been killed in a powerful explosion at a junction in a mainly Christian suburb of Beirut, reports from the Lebanese capital say. At least seven people have been killed in a powerful explosion in an eastern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Lebanese TV showed footage of burning cars and a huge plume of black smoke rising from what was said to be a street in Hazmieh, in east Beirut. A captain in a police intelligence unit was reported to be among the dead, although police have not commented.
Lebanese army sources said a security official was killed in the blast. Lebanese TV footage of Hazmieh, a mainly Christian suburb in eastern Beirut, showed a blackened crater and many tangled and burning cars.
Beirut has been the scene of a string of bomb attacks since 2004, targeting members of the anti-Syrian movement. Beirut has witnessed a string of bomb attacks since 2004, many targeting members of the anti-Syrian movement.
The blast targeted a vehicle used by a senior police official, according to security sources quoted by Reuters. The fate of the unidentified official was not clear. The dead police official, identified as Wissam Eid, was a captain in the Internal Security Forces, local media reports say.
TV pictures showed at least one dead body trapped in a tangled vehicle. TV pictures showed what appeared to be the aftermath of a large blast causing damage over a considerable area at a junction in east Beirut.
Emergency workers tried to put out fierce fires on a large number of vehicles.Emergency workers tried to put out fierce fires on a large number of vehicles.
The explosion was heard across the centre of the Lebanese capital.
The blast comes at a time of political crisis in Lebanon with rival pro-Syrian and pro-Western parties deadlocked over efforts to elect a president.The blast comes at a time of political crisis in Lebanon with rival pro-Syrian and pro-Western parties deadlocked over efforts to elect a president.
The country has also been rocked by an uprising by Islamist militants in the north and attacks on UN peacekeepers in the south.
Last week a car bomb damaged a US diplomatic car in eastern Beirut, killing at least three bystanders.Last week a car bomb damaged a US diplomatic car in eastern Beirut, killing at least three bystanders.