Lebanon bombings and assassinations (2004-present)

In recent years, a series of bombings and assassinations have struck Lebanon, most of them occurring in and around the capital, Beirut. The wave of bombings began with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on February 14, 2005, which touched off the Cedar Revolution and the withdrawal of Syrian troops. After the massive protests following Hariri's killing, several more bombings hit Lebanon, many of them in Christian areas of the country and many of them targeting anti-Syrian figures.

Though the perpetrators behind the bombings are unknown, suspicion by some within Lebanon and the international community has fallen on Syria or its supporters.

2004

Marwan Hamadeh assassination attempt

On October 1, 2004, a car bomb exploded next to the motorcade carrying Druze MP Marwan Hamadeh. Hamadeh was injured, but survived; his driver was killed. Hamadeh had been a critic of Syria and was a member of the opposition to President Émile Lahoud.

2005

Rafiq Hariri assassination

A massive explosion on February 14, 2005, killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in Beirut, near the St. George Hotel. Also killed was the former Minister of the Economy, Bassel Fleihan, and 19 other people. About 220 others were wounded.

A group calling itself "The Nasra & Jihad Group in Greater Syria" claimed responsibility for the blast. The group had not been heard from before. A tape aired by Al Jazeera showed a bearded man, believed to be a Palestinian named Ahmad Abu Adas, claiming the attack. Adas' apartment was raided but he remains missing; however, it is now thought he was forced to admit to the plot and was killed by those who planned the assassination. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/jun/22/worlddispatch.syria] [http://www.un.org/News/dh/docs/mehlisreport]

According to the United Nations report by Detlev Mehlis [http://www.un.org/News/dh/docs/mehlisreport] , released October 20, 2005, the blast was the result of a truck bomb. A security camera captured a white Mitsubishi truck driving near Hariri's convoy moments before the blast; investigators determined this truck carried the explosives, estimated at 1,000 kg. Since Hariri's convoy had jamming devices meant to block remote control signals, the attack was carried out using a suicide bomber. The report cited a witness who said the bomber was an Iraqi who was led to believe his target was Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who had been in Beirut just days before.

The report concluded that top Syrian and Lebanese officials planned the assassination beginning in mid-2004.

New Jdeideh bombing

A car bomb exploded in the New Jdeideh suburb of Beirut on March 19, 2005. The blast happened in a part-commercial, part-residential area, and wounded eleven people. Reports said that the driver had tried to park it in front of a bingo hall, and was turned away, so he parked it next to an apartment. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/mar/19/syria.lebanon]

Kaslik bombing

On March 23, a bomb left in a leather bag exploded at the back entrance of the Kaslik shopping center in Jounieh. Three janitors, two Indians and a Pakistani, were killed, and two Sri Lankans and two Lebanese were injured. The roof of the mall collapsed. [http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/story/A3CC2B61CD4D7E84C2256FCD00250C7B?OpenDocument]

ad el-Bouchrieh bombing

On March 26, a car bomb parked between two factories exploded in the Sad el-Bouchrieh area of Beirut, wounding six people. It caused a blaze which destroyed several workshops. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4385265.stm]

Broummana bombing

On April 1, a bomb ripped through the Rizk plaza in the Broummana resort village, 20km (13 miles) east of Beirut. Twelve people were injured. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19372-2005Apr1.html]

Jounieh bombing

On May 7, a car bomb exploded between the Christian Sawt al Mahaba radio station and the Mar Yuhanna Church in Jounieh. The radio station was destroyed and the church suffered major damage. Twenty-two people were wounded. [http://www.lebanonwire.com/0505/05050706AFP.asp]

amir Kassir assassination

Anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir was assassinated on June 2 when a bomb detonated in his car outside his home in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district, a largely Christian residential area. Kassir was a front-page columnist for the al-Nahar newspaper, where he wrote columns criticizing the pro-Syrian regime.

George Hawi assassination

George Hawi, former Lebanese Communist Party leader and a critic of Syria, died when his car exploded as he was driving through Beirut's Wata Musaitbi district on June 21.

Elias Murr assassination attempt

A car bomb wounded the outgoing Lebanese defense minister, Elias Murr, as his motorcade drove through Beirut's Christian suburb of Antelias on July 12. Two people were killed and injuring 12 others. This attack was unique in the series of bombings in that Murr was considered a pro-Syrian figure. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/07/12/beirut.bomb/index.html]

Monot bombing

On July 22, a bomb exploded in a car parked in front of a restaurant on Monot Street in Beirut, wounding twelve people. The bomb was estimated to be 50 lb. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/07/22/lebanon.explosion/index.html]

Zalka bombing

In the mostly Christian neighborhood of Zalka, on August 22, a bomb placed between a shopping center and a hotel damaged shops and windows, wounding eight people. It consisted of 20 to 30 kg of TNT and was set on a timer. [http://www.lebanonwire.com/0805/05082501IRWIN.asp]

Ali Ramez Tohme attempt

A bomb placed the car of Ali Ramez Tohme, a journalist and president of the Dar al-Haitham for Journalism, Printing and Press, exploded early on September 15 in the area of Mazboud. Tohme was not injured. The motive may have been a recent article by Tohme defending Rafiq Hariri. [http://www.campaigns.ifex.org/e_n/content/view/full/69487]

Jeitawi bombing

An explosion, believed caused by a car bomb, rocked the largely Christian area of Ashrafieh on September 17. One person was killed and 23 injured. Two cars were blown up and buildings near the blast were severely damaged. [http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.lebanon/2005-09/msg00463.html]

May Chidiac assassination attempt

Christian journalist and critic of Syria May Chidiac was seriously injured when a bomb exploded as she got into her car in Jounieh on September 25. She lost her left leg and arm. Chidiac was an anchor on the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.

Gebran Tueni Assassination

A prominent anti-Syrian journalist and lawmaker, Gebran Tueni, was killed by a car bomb on December 12. He had returned from France only a day earlier, where he had been staying for fear of assassination. Two other people were killed—his driver and a passerby—when a car bomb exploded as his motorcade drove through Mkalles, an industrial suburb of Beirut. Another 30 people were wounded in the bombing, and at least 10 vehicles were destroyed [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=16905&Cr=middle&Cr1=leban] .

On December 28, 2005 Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar said it had received a statement signed by "The Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom in al-Sham," the group that claimed responsibility for the death of its former editor Gibran Tueni with a car bomb on December 12. The statement said outgoing UNIIIC chairman Mehlis was lucky to escape death and threatened any new chairman with assassination if he too implicated Syria [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051228/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon;_ylt=An.v6OlZ1vUFABXmXy4kEqpvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--] .

Post 2005

The bombings have continued after 2005, though it is unclear how many are linked to the 2005 bombings or to the militant group Fatah al-Islam.

Pierre Amine Gemayel

Pierre Amine Gemayel, an anti-Syrian MP, was shot dead in Beirut on November 21, 2006.

Walid Eido

Walid Eido, another anti-Syrian MP, was killed by a car bomb on June 13, 2007, along with eight others..

Antoine Ghanem assassination

Anti-Syrian Lebanese MP Antoine Ghanem and four others were killed in a car bomb attack in a Christian suburb of Beirut on September 19, 2007.

Francois Elias Hajj assassination

Brigadier General François al-Hajj from the village of Rmaich was killed in a car bomb attack in Baabda, along with three other people, on December 12, 2007.

2008

Wissam Eid assassination

Capt. Wissam Eid, Lebanese Internal Security Forces senior terrorism investigator was assassinated on January 25, 2008.

Tripoli bombing

On August 13, 2008, sixteen people, including seven Lebanese soldiers, were killed by a bomb targeting a civilian bus in Tripoli. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSLD6575120080813 "Lebanon bomb kills 16, including 7 soldiers"] ]

aleh Aridi assassination

A pro-Syrian Druze politician of the Lebanese Democratic Party, Saleh Aridi, was killed in a car bomb on September 10, 2008. [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24329378-2703,00.html]

econd Tripoli bombing

On September 29, 2008, five people, including five soldiers, were killed, and 35 were injured, by a car bomb which destroyed a bus in Tripoli. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/lebanon-bomb-hits-bus-carrying-soldiers-945438.html] [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/oman/3101351/Lebanon-Bus-bomb-kills-soldiers-in-Tripoli.html]

ee also

* Cedar revolution
* List of attacks in Lebanon

References