Massive car bomb explodes in Beirut

[Lucy Goosey]

Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Lebanon's state-run news agency says a massive blast in east Beirut was caused by a car bomb and that there are casualties.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw bloodied people being helped into ambulances and heavy damage to what appeared to be residential buildings in the mostly Christian Achrafieh neighbourhood.

The motive behind Friday's blast was not immediately clear.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/10/19/lebanon-beirut-large-explosion.html

[wicket]

1. Oh no!

[CBHagman]

2. That was my first reaction too.

The Lebanese people have been through too much already.

[oberliner]

5. How long before someone blames this on Israel?

A few hours?

Edit to Add:

SSNP says Israel behind Ashrafieh blast

The Syrian Social National Party on Friday condemned the explosion that rocked the Beirut area of Ashrafieh earlier in the day and accused Israel of being behind it.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=448122

Quicker than I thought!

[Fozzledick]

7. SSNP says Israel behind Ashrafieh blast

The Syrian Social National Party on Friday condemned the explosion that rocked the Beirut area of Ashrafieh earlier in the day and accused Israel of being behind it.

"The SSNP sees that the criminal explosion carries the fingerprints of Israel," a statement issued by the party read.

Earlier on Friday, a powerful car bomb blast left 8 dead and 78 wounded in mainly Christian East Beirut, in the first such attack in the Lebanese capital since 2008.

-NOW Lebanon

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=448122



On edit: Quicker than I could post it!

[Fozzledick]

10. Update - Geagea: Hassan was killed because he uncovered Samaha’s plot

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday said Internal Security Forces Information Branch chief Wissam al-Hassan was killed because he stopped former minister Michel Samaha’s plan to carry out terror attacks in Lebanon.

Geagea—who inspected the site of the explosion that rocked the Beirut area of Ashrafieh—accused the “tools of the Syrian regime” of being behind Hassan’s assassination.

“Who are the tools of the Syrian regime in (Lebanon)? Should we lie to ourselves and accuse the US, the Israeli or other country’s intelligence of being behind the assassination?” Geagea asked.
...

In August, Internal Security Forces Director General Ashraf Rifi commended Hassan’s work on the case that led to the arrest of former Information Minister Michel Samaha on the charges that latter was colluding with Syrian regime officials to conduct terror attacks in Lebanon.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=448220

[oberliner]

19. Iran denounces Beirut bombing, points finger at Israel

Iranian Foreign Ministry says attack that killed top Lebanese intel official was aimed at aim of 'sowing dissension,' adding 'Zionist regime Lebanon's worst enemy.' Jerusalem: Beyond pathetic

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4294529,00.html

[The Stranger]

11. Are you feigning surprise because Israel doesn't use car bombs?

Or are you saying Israel doesn't engage in assassinations in the Middle East?

Because it can't be the latter.

[oberliner]

13. Israel is often the go-to country for blame when things like this occur

Regardless of whether or not there is any evidence of involvement, or if there is a more reasonable explanation, not involving Israel.

[Bosonic]

3. At least 8 dead, 78 wounded in Beirut car bomb

Last edited Fri Oct 19, 2012, 11:50 AM - Edit history (1)

A powerful car bomb killed at least eight people and wounded another 78 on Friday in mainly Christian east Beirut, in the first such attack in Lebanon's capital since 2008, the National News Agency reported.

The agency, citing civil defence figures, said the blast was only 200 metres (yards) from the headquarters of the Christian party, the Phalange, which is hostile to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria.

The bombing comes at a time of high tensions and divisions in Lebanon as a result of the conflict in Syria.

An AFP photographer saw two apartment buildings devastated by the bombing in a narrow street off Sassine Square in Ashrafieh. One building was still ablaze as Red Cross workers evacuated bloodied casualties.

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/afp/at-least-8-dead-78-wounded-in-beirut-car-bomb/551264

[oberliner]

4. Panic in the streets after deadly Beirut bombing

Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) -- A car bombing rocked the heart of Beirut on Friday, causing eight deaths and many injuries, fiery wreckage and chaos in the streets, Lebanese news media said.

The blast took place in Sassine Square in the Ashrafiyeh distrct of East Beirut, a largely Christian and commercial area replete with shops and office buildings. At least 78 others were injured, Lebanon's National News Agency said, citing the country's civil defense.

The bomb was placed in a car in front of a library and 200 meters away from the office of the anti-Syrian Lebanese Phalange political movement, a Maronite Christian group.

But authorities say they don't believe the targets are political.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/19/world/meast/lebanon-beirut-blast/

That last sentence seems hard to believe.

[clyrc]

6. I wanted to visit Lebanon

But the possibility of something like this happening kept me from it.

I'm very sorry to hear about this.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Beirut blast 'kills intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan'

A senior Lebanese intelligence official was among at least eight people killed in a massive car bomb attack in central Beirut, state media say.

Wissam al-Hassan was said to be close to opposition leader Saad Hariri, a leading critic of the government in neighbouring Syria.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20008827

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. This assassination is already sparking sectarian violence.

Al Jazeera is reporting shooting between Sunni and Shia neighborhoods in Tripoli.

Armed men blockading roads in the north.

Burning tires in Beirut.

Wissam al-Hassan was an ally of the Syrian rebels.

[bemildred]

12. Gee, who could have predicted that?

Sort of a two-fer, you get al-Hassan AND you further embroil Lebanon, hoping for ouside intervention soon.

[oberliner]

14. Who do you think is behind the attack?

Any theories?

[bemildred]

15. Assad, who else? nt

[oberliner]

16. I'm no expert

And that's an understatement.

Not really familiar with all the potential players and motivations.

[bemildred]

17. I'm not going to write it up now, but he seems like the best bet.

The one with the motive and the reckless need, he's losing, his best bet is an international intervention (including some of his friends) and a cease-fire/armistice/negotiated settlement.

And revenge of course, there is always revenge.

[bemildred]

20. Something like this:

The dead included internal intelligence head Wissam al-Hassan, who was close to Mr Hariri, a leading critic of the government in neighbouring Syria.

Mr Hassan led an investigation that implicated Damascus in the 2005 bombing that killed Mr Hariri's father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

He also recently organised the arrest of a former minister accused of planning a Syrian-sponsored bombing campaign in Lebanon.

His supporters have set up roadblocks around Lebanon's capital, while denouncing the Syrian president and his Lebanese allies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20013895

[Alamuti Lotus]

18. just a few days ago, the "Free Syrian Army" threatened to extend to their war to Beirut

then this happens. Coincidence, I'm sure.

Well, perhaps. The threat was made to Hizbu'llah and the specific threat was to extend to the South Beirut suburbs, the main Shiite residences in the area and an area of strong support for Hizbu'llah. The city is still heavily divided: East Beirut is Christian and is divided between the Lebanese Forces terrorist gang leader Samir Gaegea (virtually pioneered the carbomb in eliminating his Christian and Muslim rivals and now makes his career in supporting the terrorist insurrection in Syria--take that statement of his above with a grain of salt) and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun--his bloc is allied with Hizbu'llah and is one of the main pillars in the current gov't. West Beirut is owned by the Hariri crime family, heavily tied to the wahhabi dictatorship in Saudi Arabia and have been providing major support for the terrorist gangs next door.

The "intelligence" office that Wisam al-Hassan runs is heavily tied to the Hariri/M14 forces, he is the primary facilitator for Saudi intelligence in the country, he has extensive ties to the so-called Free Syrian Army terrorist gangs, and has been heavily involved in uncovering multiple Israeli spies in the country in active cooperation with Hizbu'llah. The FSA gangs in Damascus just named a battallion after this guy. Bizarre resume, to be sure, and that's just recent dealings.

Sayyid Nasrallah has been more unhappy than usual lately with the FSA gangs; they have been attacking Shiite villages on the nebulous border region between Syria & Lebanon where many Lebanese citizens live (leading to the death of one of Hizbu'llahs commanders, who travelled to the border apparently on his own accord). The war of words has been escalating to more than just words. The FSA and its Saudi masters are desperate to draw Hizbu'llah into the war and their actions have been increasingly provocative with this purpose in mind.

The FSA has very recently kidnapped and tortured 13 Lebanese Shiites it claims are Hizbu'llah spies, and Nasrallah strongly warned them against this behavior (having defeated Israeli occupation forces in two wars, one would think they would be a force to avoid provoking a conflict against!!). Their response a couple days ago was to say they will soon bring the war to the suburbs of South Beirut. A couple days following this, their key link between Lebanese "March 14" politicians and Saudi intelligence bites it big.

SSNP blaming Israel immediately is cute, since they probably were involved with the bombing..

[countryjake]

21. Lebanon's prime minister, Najib Mikati, has offered to resign

Lebanon prime minister offers to resign over deadly Beirut bombing
Najib Mikati says he is prepared to step down over bombing that killed top anti-Syrian security official and seven others

David Batty and agencies ~ guardian.co.uk, Saturday 20 October 2012 08.36 EDT
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/20/lebanon-prime-minister-resign-bombing?intcmp=239

"Two protesters were wounded earlier on Saturday when the Lebanese army opened fire on a demonstration against the bomb attack in Beirut's mainly Christian Ashrafieh neighbourhood.

"The Lebanese army were trying to open the road and started firing their guns," a witness from the village of Bar Elias, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley region, told Reuters.

Protesters have burned tyres and set up roadblocks around the country amid growing popular anger at the bombing, which threatens to spread the civil war in Syria to Lebanon."