Former Lebanese PM Rafik hariri killed in explosion in Central Beirut

[crayzayjay]

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a billionaire who helped rebuild his country after Lebanon's civil war and had recently moved to the opposition, was killed in a massive bomb explosion that tore through his motorcade, Lebanon's official news agency and a Cabinet minister said.

The Lebanese News Agency, quoting a statement from American University Hospital, said Hariri was pronounced dead on arrival, his body mutilated in the massive explosion.

"He's dead,'' said Tourism Minister Farid Khazen as he left the scene of the explosion.

Nine other people were also killed in the massive blast and 100 wounded, the news agency said. Several of Hariri's bodyguards were among those hurt or killed, said Lebanese legislator Bassem Yammout who spoke to The Associated Press at the scene.

Syria's President Bashar Assad called the attack "a horrible criminal act,'' according to Al-Jazeera television. Syrian Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah told Al-Jazeera TV the assassination "targeted Lebanon and Syria.''

reflecting the closeness of the two countries' leaderships.

Beirut's main television stations reported Hariri's death. Hariri's own station, Future TV, did not report the death initially, but it switched to broadcasting readings from the Quran, a sign of death.

The explosion was so powerful that Hariri's motorcade of bullet-proof vehicles was left a burning wreck. It blew a 10-meter crater in the street and shattered windows of hotels and apartment buildings.

At least 20 cars were set on fire in a blast that devastated the front of the famous St. George Hotel, blowing off balconies, and damaged a British bank and the Phoenicia Hotel.

Bystanders and ambulance workers made crude stretchers to carry the wounded to vehicles to take them to nearby hospitals. TV footage showed several men dragging a slain victim partially covered by a brown blanket through the rubble-strewn street before letting go of his arms and letting him fall to the ground. Flames still licked from his body and his face appeared grossly disfigured by burns.

Explosions in Beirut _ while common during the 1975-90 civil war _ have become rare since the conflict ended. However, in October, amid rising tensions between the government and opposition groups, a car bomb seriously injured an opposition politician and killed his driver in Beirut.

Hariri is a self-made billionaire who led Lebanon for 10 of the years since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. He was elected prime minister in 1992 and served until 1998, forming at least three Cabinets. He was elected again in 2000 and served until he resigned in October.

Hariri moved toward the opposition camp after leaving office _ in large part because of a dispute concerning Syria's controversial role in Lebanon. Hariri had rejected a Syrian-backed insistence that his old rival, President Emile Lahoud, remain in office as president for three more years.

Pro-Syrian allies of Lahoud accused Hariri of being behind the U.N. Security Council resolution in September that demanded Syria withdraw its army from Lebanon and stop interfering in the country. The resolution was sponsored by the United States and France.

Hariri was credited with rebuilding Lebanon friom the destruction of the civil war, but he was faulted with shackling Lebanon with a debt of more than US$35 billion. His wide international business and political connections helped earn Lebanon wide recognition and attracted badly needed foreign investment.

TV footage showed dramatic scenes of one burning man struggling to get out of a car window, then falling on the ground. He was helped by a bystander who used his jacket to put out the flames, but it was not clear if he survived.

Several young women were seen with blood running down their faces. Some had to be helped from the scene.

Heavily armed security forces cordoned off the area with yellow tape as rescue workers and investigators combed the scene apparently looking for casualties or clues to what caused the huge explosion.

The explosion near the city's waterfront shortly before noon (1000GMT) shook buildings in the city center and was heard in outlying hills overlooking the Lebanese capital.

Rubble and twisted debris covered a road lined with burning cars, the smoke from which enveloping the area as firefighters carrying hoses raced to douse flames.

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Sad end for a man who did so much to rebuild his country.

This could however pave the way for an American initiative against Syria...

[fredjacksonsan]

Originally Posted by crayzayjay

This could however pave the way for an American initiative against Syria...

sad but true. George W will see something that needs intervention...


Pity. It just goes to show that the people there will kill each other off whether or not there are foreign troops involved.

[crayzayjay]

Originally Posted by fredjacksonsan

Pity. It just goes to show that the people there will kill each other off whether or not there are foreign troops involved.

But there are foreign troops in Lebanon - Syrian troops.

Unlike the current Lebanese president, who is in Syria's pocket, Rafik Hariri opposed the occupation of Lebanon. Wonder who took him out

[fredjacksonsan]

Thanks for removing some of my ignorance/lack of awareness; I'd forgotten about the situation in Lebanon, it's been going on for so long. Lebanon is probably a better place for the UN to concentrate than Iraq.

[YogsVR4]

The UN? You want it to fall into more turmoil there?

[fredjacksonsan]

Yeah, there were better choices to put in that space.

[crayzayjay]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

The UN? You want it to fall into more turmoil there?

The sad thing is the place had really cleaned itself up and tourism was booming.

The final step was for Syria to exit the country, which decided to plunge the country into turmoil before giving it back to the people....

[fredjacksonsan]

They're pieces of shit for doing that.

[T4 Primera]

Originally Posted by crayzayjay

The final step was for Syria to exit the country....

That will not happen until the Golan is resolved.