Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Lebanese Christian leader gunned down

|
|
 
  
Published: Nov. 21, 2006 at 11:01 AM

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Lebanon's Industry Minister and Maronite Christian leader Pierre Gemayel was assassinated Tuesday by gunmen while riding in a convoy near Beirut.

The Lebanon Daily Star said the outspoken critic of Syria was ambushed in the Christian neighborhood of Sin el Fil.

Gemayel was rushed to a hospital where he died of "major" wounds, local media reported.

Saad Hariri, leader of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority, accused Syria of complicity in the shooting in an interview with CNN.

"Today one of our main believers in a free democratic Lebanon has been killed. We believe the hand of Syria is all over (this)," Hariri said.

Gemayel was a member of the Phalange Party and son of former president Amin Gemayel, who served from 1982-88. Bashir Gemayel, Amin Gemayel's brother, was assassinated a few days before he was to take office as president of Lebanon.

In Washington, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns told reporters the Gemayel family has "suffered too much tragedy as a family," and offered condolences.

"We were shocked by this assassination. We view it as an act of terrorism," Burns said.

Topics: Amin Gemayel, Saad Hariri
© 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Notable deaths of 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee AmfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala
Indianapolis 500 Presidential Medal of Freedom Memorial Day around the nation
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 20
Singer Janelle Monae arrives at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, California
View Caption
Singer Janelle Monae arrives for the MTV Movie Awards at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. UPI/Jim Ruymen
fark
The bar for spelling has never been lowre
Turns out men cheat way more than women after all
Famous last words: "The notion that it's too late to do anything is comical. It's hilarious. We're...
Five secrets to getting the best healthcare. #6: Don't get sick
Traveling to the U.S.? If invited to a dinner party, bring a gift of wine, but not cash or toiletries...
Man turns dead pet cat into remote-controlled helicopter, calls it art (w/WTF pics)