Lebanon’s head of internal intelligence has been killed in a massive car bomb attack in central Beirut.
Blast Kills Intelligence OfficialWissam al-Hassan was among eight people who died in the attack. He was close to opposition leader Saad Hariri, a leading critic of the government in neighbouring Syria.
Dozens were wounded in the blast, which Mr Hariri blamed on Damascus. Syria’s government condemned the bombing.
Tension in Lebanon has been rising as a result of the Syrian conflict.
Lebanon’s religious communities are divided between those who support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – including many Shias – and those mostly from the Sunni community who back the rebels.
Mr Hassan, the head of intelligence of Lebanon’s internal security forces, was regarded as an opponent of Syria.
He led an investigation that implicated Damascus in the 2005 bombing that killed Mr Hariri’s father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.