- Title: LEBANON: CAR BOMB INJURES TWELVE IN BEIRUT.
- Date: 23rd July 2005
- Summary: (W4) BEIRUT, LEBANON (JULY 22, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. TRACK/GV/MV: CAMERA ADVANCES TO BLAST SITE; BLAST SITE INCLUDING SILVER CAR WHERE BOMB WAS PLACED AND SECURITY SERVICES SEARCHING RUBBLE FOR CLUES (3 SHOTS) 0.29 (BN15) BEIRUT, LEBANON (JULY 22, 2005) (REUTERS) 2. MV: PEOPLE AND LEBANESE ARMY AT SITE; LEBANESE ARMY, PEOPLE WATCHING FROM WI
- Embargoed: 7th August 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Reuters ID: LVAER9FRSWRTO85IYU4JBK77UJTX
- Story Text: Car bomb in Beirut injures twelve people.
A bomb exploded near a popular street in Beirut on
Friday, wounding 12 people, destroying cars and spraying
shards of glass inside crowded restaurants hours after a
brief visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The blast in a Christian neighbourhood of Beirut was
the latest to hit Lebanon and came three days after a new
government was formed, the first since Syrian forces
withdrew in April.
Prime Minister Fouad al-Siniora condemned the bombing
as he visited the site near Rue Monot, an area known for
its nightlife, saying it was "aimed at destabilising
Lebanon and shaking the confidence in the new government."
Hours earlier, Rice had made a surprise short visit to
Beirut to show U.S. support for the new government.
Lebanon has been hit by a string of politically
motivated bombings since a huge car bomb killed former
Primer Minister Rafik al-Hariri in February. Many of those
attacks have taken place in Christian areas in and near
Beirut.
Friday's explosion was caused by a bomb near a car
parked outside a restaurant. Security officials said no
politician was apparently targeted in the attack.
The blast, which was heard across Beirut, destroyed two
cars and blew the windows off nearby buildings. Rue Monot
was crowded with mostly young people at the time. Security
forces first reported the blast had killed one person.
Soldiers and police rushed to the area, which was
evacuated.
The spate of bombings has wrecked Lebanon's key
tourism industry and revived memories of Lebanon's
1975-1990 civil war.
The killing of Hariri prompted huge street
demonstrations and forced Syria, the main power broker in
Lebanon for decades, to end its military presence in its
smaller neighbour.
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