Lebanese Christian leader gunned down

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.