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Beirut blast 'an act of terror'
14/06/2007 07:23 - (SA)
Washington - The United States on Wednesday condemned a seafront blast in
Beirut that killed an anti-Syrian MP and nine others as "an act of
terrorism" aimed at undermining democracy in Lebanon.
"We condemn this act of terrorism," said State Department
spokesperson Sean McCormack.
"This act of violence is clearly meant to undermine and subvert
the resolve of the Lebanese people and the Lebanese democratic
process to try to build a more prosperous, stable, free Lebanon
that is free from outside influence."
Walid Eido and his eldest son Khaled were killed in the blast
along with eight other people, his party's television station said.
Syria
Asked if Washington believed Syria was behind the attack,
McCormack said it was too soon to tell.
"That's the first question that people ask: 'Is Syria behind
it?' I can't tell you at this point.
"But very clearly this is the
work of those who intend or want to undermine Lebanese democracy."
But he added that history had shown "this act of terror is only
going to serve to strengthen the resolve of those people who are on the front lines of Lebanese democracy."
Eido, the chair of parliament's defence committee and a Sunni
Muslim, is the third member of the parliamentary majority to be
killed in a car bombing in the past two years.
The blast came after a recent spate of deadly bomb and grenade
attacks in and around the capital which members of the ruling
coalition have blamed on neighbouring Syria.
- AFP
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