Region | Lebanon

Lebanese politician killed in car bomb

A bomb tore through a car in the hills east of Lebanon's capital on Wednesday, killing a Druze politician who recently helped reconcile rival factions within that minority community, police said.

  • AP
  • Published: 10:21 September 11, 2008
  • Gulf News

Beirut: A bomb tore through a car in the hills east of Lebanon's capital on Wednesday, killing a Druze politician who recently helped reconcile rival factions within that minority community, police said.

The bomb that killed Shaik Saleh Aridi, a senior member of the Lebanese Democratic Party, was planted under his car in the village of Baissour, police said.

It was the first political assassination in about a year in Lebanon and came less than a week before planned reconciliation talks among rival Lebanese factions. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora contacted Druze leaders and joined them in calling for calm.

Six other people were injured in the blast, which went off as Aridi got into his Mercedes sedan in front of his house in the Druze-populated hills near the resort town of Aley, police said.

Police said the charge was stuck under the body of car, below the driver's seat, and blew up as the car rolled. Officials believe it was triggered either by remote control or by a motion sensor.

The police officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of government regulations.

The bomb tore off the roof of the vehicle. Television footage showed investigators sifting through the blackened hulk of the vehicle with flashlights.

The United States was "deeply concerned" about the bombing and its support of the Lebanese government was "unwavering," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

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