FILE: Lebanon commemorates on Wednesday the second anniversary of the assassination of former premier Rafik al-Hariri .

Record ID: 644115

  • Title: FILE: Lebanon commemorates on Wednesday the second anniversary of the assassination of former premier Rafik al-Hariri .
  • Date: 14th February 2007
  • Summary: (BN15) BEIRUT, LEBANON ( FILE ) ( REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) VARIOUS OF HARIRI MEETING HIS CABINET
  • Embargoed: 1st March 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA800DQZ3EVAPUOHG7QDVS8BF8C
  • Story Text: Lebanon commemorates on Wednesday (February 13) the second anniversary of the assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri . Lebanon commemorates on Wednesday (February 14) the second anniversary of the assassination of former premier Rafik al-Hariri, whose killing unleashed a wave of violence and political killings in the country unseen since the end of the civil war 22 years ago. The latest of such incidents, the fifteenth so far, came just a day ahead of the commemoration with a double bus blast in the Christian mountain town of Bikfaya. At least three commuters were killed and dozens others injured, police said.
    Hariri's son and political heir Saad, who is also one of the leaders of the anti-Syrian March 14 coalition has called for a mass turnout to pay tribute to the man who led the Lebanese government for much of the post 1975-1990 civil war era.
    Thousands are expected to attend the ceremony in downtown Beirut's Martyrs Square, home to Hariri's grave, despite fears of renewed tension with opposition groups camped out a few meters away with the aim of toppling the government.
    Many in Lebanon blame the assassination on Syria, the powerbroker of Lebanese politics until its military forces withdrew from Lebanon in April, 2005 following the uproar over the Hariri killing. A preliminary U.N. investigation report in late 2005 implicated senior Syrian officials in the killing but it has yet to issue its final findings.
    Three journalists and politicians were killed after Hariri in 2005 and a fourth, cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated last November.
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