The murder of a prominent journalist makes it pretty clear that if you’re a prominent politico or journalist in Lebanon and oppose Syria you better have a nice, fat insurance policy to take care of your family when you’re gone:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 2 – An outspoken journalist known for his writings against Syria’s presence in Lebanon was killed in a car bombing in Beirut today, raising tensions in Lebanon just four days after elections for a new Parliament began.
The bomb was placed in a vehicle outside the home of the journalist, Samir Kassir, in the predominantly Christian district of Ashrafiya. Mr. Kassir’s body lay slumped on one side after the blast as fire crews arrived on the scene, witnesses said. The blast shattered windows in the nearby area.
Mr. Kassir, a columnist at the Lebanese daily An Nahar, was known for his opposition to Syria’s role in Lebanon. He blamed Syria for the assassination on Feb. 14 of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and railed about that country’s need to pull out of Lebanon. He also led a call for the resignation of Lebanon’s pro-Syrian security chiefs.
And a bombing cannot be written off as a coinicidence. The New York Times continues:
Popular demonstrations and international pressure after the killing of Mr. Hariri finally ended Syria’s nearly 30-year occupation, but questions remain about whether security agents are still in the country.
In his last column in An Nahar on Friday, Mr. Kassir criticized what he said was the unwillingness of Syria’s government to enact rapid change, noting that reform for the governing Baathist Party “does not mean accepting opposing views.”
Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon told reporters today at the scene of the blast: “Every time Lebanon takes a step forward, there are those who want to undermine this country. We will not allow anyone to target security and freedom.”
Members of the onetime Lebanese opposition blamed forces tied to Syria for today’s assassination, singling out President Emile Lahoud. Speaking to the Arab news channel Al Arabiya, the Druse leader Walid Jumblat said, “Samir Kassir was assassinated by the remainders of the security agencies controlling the country, and they are headed by Emile Lahoud.” Mr. Lahoud’s spokesman, Rafik Shalala, described the assassination as a “grave incident,” Reuters reported.
Ya Libnan adds:
The bomb was placed under the driver’s seat, causing the lower part of his body to tear apart upon detonation. His body lay slumped on one side after the blast as fire crews arrived on the scene.
A passerby was wounded, several cars were damaged and windows in nearby buildings were shattered by the explosion. Interior Minister Hassan al-Sabaa said the bomb weighed between 500-700 grams and was most likely detonated by remote control.
Here’s a chronology of events in Lebanon since Hariri’s murder.
It’s clear that someone or some group was trying to send a message (as well as try to blow a political opponent apart) by this bombing. But Lebanon’s voters can — and probably will — send their own message back at the ballot box.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.