Lebanon Mourns Murdered Minister Gemayel, Prepares For Burial

BEIRUT (AP)--With Independence Day celebrations canceled, Lebanon was engulfed in fear and gloom Wednesday as it prepared to bury Cabinet minister and Christian leader Pierre Gemayel, following his assassination on Tuesday.

Schools and shops were closed and traffic was light as Gemayel's coffin, draped in the flag of his Phalange Party, was driven to the family's home in Bikfaya for mourning ceremonies before the funeral scheduled for Thursday. A small crowd of mourners, some carrying Lebanese flags, walked slowly behind the vehicle carrying the coffin.

Gemayel, minister of industry and scion of a prominent political family, was killed Tuesday when two cars blocked his vehicle at an intersection in the suburbs of Beirut and an assassin shot him numerous times through a side window of his car.

His killing - the fifth murder of an anti-Syrian figure in Lebanon in two years - immediately drew condemnation from all quarters.

The U.S. condemned the slaying as an act of terrorism. President George W. Bush accused Syria and Iran of seeking to undermine the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, though he stopped short of blaming them for the 34-year- old Gemayel's slaying. Syria too condemned the assassination and denied any role in it.

Washington sees Lebanon as a key front in its attempts to isolate Syria and Iran, and following the assassination, Bush underlined his support for "the Saniora government and its democracy, and we support the Lebanese people's desire to live in peace."

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud went on national television late Tuesday to announce that Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations had been canceled.

Additional Lebanon related news links:

Grief turns to rage as Lebanon buries slain Christian politician Gemayel Assassination Further Threatens Lebanese Stability

Lebanese gov't to meet Sat. to approve int'l court on Hariri murder

Sunnis: Hizbullah killed Lebanese minister // Sunni extremists in Lebanon post message accusing '5 individuals from Hizbullah' of assassinating Pierre Gemayel

In memory of Pierre Gemayel

Leaders lash out at Syria

Burial becomes an anti-Syria rally

Recent assassinations of prominent Lebanese figures

The Associated Press

Christian politician Pierre Gemayal, buried Thursday, is the sixth prominent anti-Syrian figure in Lebanon to be killed in the past two years. A glance at recent attacks in Lebanon, most of them against opponents of Damascus.

_ Feb. 14th, 2005: Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, tilting toward the opposition, is assassinated in a massive bombing. Bassel Fleihan, who served as economy minister in Hariri's government, also died in the blast. Opposition blames Syrian and Lebanese governments, charges both deny.

_ June 2nd, 2005: Anti-Syrian journalist and activist Samir Kassir is killed by a bomb placed under his car.

_ June 21st, 2005: Anti-Syrian politician George Hawi, former Communist Party leader, is killed by a bomb placed under his car.

_ July 12th, 2005: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Elias Murr survives a car bombing that targets his vehicle as he drives on a north Beirut suburban street. Although pro-Syrian, Murr later says he was threatened by Syrian intelligence chief in Lebanon.

_ Sept. 25th, 2005: Prominent anchorwoman May Chidiac of the leading anti-Syrian TV station LBC loses an arm and a leg from a bomb placed under her car.

_ Dec. 12th, 2005: Gibran Tueni, prominent anti-Syrian newspaper editor and lawmaker, is killed in a car bomb that destroys his vehicle.

_ Nov. 21st, 2006: Pierre Gemayel, 34, the industry minister and a prominent Christian politician, is shot to death by gunmen in a Beirut suburb.

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