Tuesday, 21 November 2006
BBC News
Lebanese Christian leader killed
Pierre Gemayel, a leading anti-Syrian Lebanese minister and Maronite Christian leader, has been killed in the capital, Beirut.
Mr Gemayel, 34, was shot in his car in a Christian suburb and rushed to hospital, where he died.
His death comes amid a political crisis in Lebanon, following the resignation of six pro-Syrian cabinet members.
Mr Gemayel was a member of the Phalange Party and the son of former President Amin Gemayel.
At least three gunmen rammed Mr Gemayel's car with their vehicle before spraying it with gunfire and shooting Mr Gemayel at point blank range, Reuters news agency quoted witnesses as saying.
Television pictures from the scene of the killing in the Jdaideh neighbourhood showed Mr Gemayel's car peppered with bullet holes and with its bonnet crumpled.
Throngs of angry supporters of Mr Gemayel gathered at the hospital where he was taken, some crying and screaming.
LEBANESE ASSASSINATIONS
Feb 2005: Former PM Rafik Hariri
June 2005: Anti-Syria journalist Samir Kassir
June 2005: Ex-Communist leader George Hawi
Dec 2005: Anti-Syria MP Gebran Tueni
Nov 2006: Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel
Speaking to the crowds there, Amin Gemayel appealed for calm.
"I call on all those who appreciate Pierre's martyrdom to preserve his cause and for all of us to remain at the service of Lebanon. We don't want reactions and revenge," he said.
As news of the killing spread, streets emptied and the Lebanese army deployed at key areas across and just outside the capital, the BBC's Beirut correspondent Kim Ghattas reported.
Angry crowds gathered at a main square near the city centre, where some people burnt tyres in protest at killing.
Our correspondent says there is a lot of tension there, as people wait to see what happens next and what the Lebanese government will do.
Killing condemned
The news of the killing was confirmed by Saad Hariri, the son of the country's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was himself killed last year in a huge blast.
A recent UN report implicated Syria in Rafik Hariri's death, although Syria has denied involvement.
Saad Hariri, who is also the leader of the anti-Syrian coalition which has a majority in parliament, has now accused Damascus of being behind the killing of Mr Gemayel as well.
"The Cedar Revolution is under attack...Today one of our main believers in a free democratic Lebanon has been killed. We believe the hand of Syria is all over [this]," he told CNN.
Syria denounced Mr Gemayel's assassination, calling it a "despicable crime".
We condemn this murder utterly
Tony Blair
UK Prime Minister
"Syria strongly condemns the killing," the official Syrian news agency, Sana, said.
Western condemnation of Mr Gemayel's murder was also swift.
"We are shocked by this assassination," US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told reporters.
"We view it as an act of terrorism and we also view it as an act of intimidation," he added.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said the killing was "completely without any justification at all".
"We condemn this murder utterly... We need to do everything we can, particularly at this moment, to protect democracy in Lebanon and the premiership of Prime Minister [Fuoad] Siniora.," he said.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said "those responsible for this cowardly assassination... must be found and judged."
Six pro-Syrian ministers quit their jobs last week in an attempt to bring down the government after their calls for a greater role were rejected.
Despite the resignations, the depleted cabinet approved draft UN plans for setting up an international tribunal to try suspects in Mr Hariri's killing.
