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Beirut bomb targets deputy PM
RELATEDYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSBEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- A powerful explosion -- heard miles away -- tore through a Christian neighborhood in northern Beirut, killing at least two people and wounding 12 others, including Lebanon's outgoing deputy prime minister Elias Murr. According to a general with the Lebanese Army, Murr's injuries were not life-threatening and were suffered when a car bomb detonated as his convoy passed. Murr is also the country's acting defense minister and is a former interior minister. The blast shattered the windows of villas located hundreds of feet away and ripped a heavy iron gate from its hinges. Murr later released an audiotape from hospital saying he was not seriously injured. "Thank God, it's OK ... The country is going through a difficult period and we all have to bear that," he said. Murr is seen as strongly pro-Syrian. He is the son-in-law of President Emile Lahoud, Damascus' staunchest ally in Lebanon. But Murr's father has struck an alliance with Michel Aoun, a Christian former general who recently returned from exile after 14 years. "Murr had access to information about movements and terrorist organizations in the country and he was definitely exposed to such an attack," Aoun was quoted by Reuters as telling al-Manar television. "This will not affect the formation of the government and could even be a positive factor to end the political volatility we are living through." As interior minister, Murr announced last September that an al-Qaeda plot to bomb the Italian and Ukrainian embassies, kill Western diplomats and target Lebanese security sites had been uncovered. Among the 10 people arrested over the alleged plot was Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib, who authorities said was the leader of an al-Qaeda cell in Lebanon. He died in custody. Officials said he suffered a heart attack but his supporters blamed authorities for his death. Lebanon has seen a string of bombings that killed or wounded leading anti-Syrian figures -- starting with the February 14 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The chief prosecutor in the Hariri investigation was seen at the site of Tuesday's attack. On June 2, prominent anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir was killed when a bomb placed under the driver's seat of his car exploded. George Hawi, a former Communist Party chief who was a harsh critic of Syrian meddling in Lebanese affairs, was killed in a bomb as he rode in his car on June 21. Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted an official source as condemning the blast. "Syria sees this act of terror as another episode in the series of bombings and assassinations that seek to destabilise Lebanon and weaken its national unity," the source said. "These acts of terror target Lebanese from all political streams, which affirms that those behind them are directly linked to the enemies of Lebanon and stability in the region." Journalist Anthony Mills contributed to this report Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. 
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