InfoAnda - Analysis : Killing of security chief raises fears for Lebanon |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Thai 'Red Shirts' vow to shut down Bangkok with new rally | 23 March 2010
U.S. says new troops push Taliban away from Kabul | International | | 15 April 2009
NATO: 3 civilians accidentally killed in fighting | 21 November 2010

Feds blame low oxygen for Ala. coal mine death | 25 November 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Analysis : Killing of security chief raises fears for Lebanon |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Aerospace & Defense Investing Simplified Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Campaign Polling Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus Nicholas Wapshott Bethany McLean Anatole Kaletsky Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Reihan Salam Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Mark Leonard Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Slideshow Full Focus Photos of the week Download our Wider Image iPad app Images of September Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Putin flexes muscle in big test of Russia's nuclear arsenal 20 Oct 2012 Slain official's funeral ends in Beirut violence | 1:51pm EDT Double the trouble when divorced parents get old 19 Oct 2012 McCain voters defecting to Obama are older white males 1:13am EDT With Romney closing in, Obama to launch swing state blitz 20 Oct 2012 Discussed 173 Obama gets second chance in debate rematch with Romney 118 Obama talks Libya and Biden’s swimsuit on ”Daily Show” 91 ”I take responsibility” for Benghazi, Clinton tells CNN Sponsored Links Analysis : Killing of security chief raises fears for Lebanon Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Assad tells Syria envoy arms flows to rebels must stop 1:36pm EDT Syria envoy presses Damascus for ceasefire Sat, Oct 20 2012 Lebanese PM suspects assassination linked to bomb plot Sat, Oct 20 2012 Lebanon PM offered to resign after bomb, told to stay Sat, Oct 20 2012 Beirut bomb kills anti-Syrian intelligence official Fri, Oct 19 2012 Analysis & Opinion Syria as dress rehearsal: Securing WMD in midst of civil war A river out of Syria Related Topics World » Middle East Turmoil » 1 of 2. Protesters remove security barriers around the Lebanese government palace during clashes with Lebanese security forces in Beirut October 21, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah By Samia Nakhoul BEIRUT | Sun Oct 21, 2012 4:32pm EDT BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Beirut car bomb that killed a top Lebanese security official will probably prove to be the most destabilizing attack in Lebanon since the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. What is less clear - and this is something that instills fear in a society still scarred by its 1975-90 civil war - is whether the attack was a reprisal or the start of a campaign of violence by Damascus and its allies, suspected by many Lebanese of trying to spread Syria's conflict across its borders. Lebanon, which has yet to fully overcome its own wartime sectarian divisions, is too fragile to withstand being enveloped by a Syrian conflict that is beginning to mirror Lebanon's own slide into fratricidal bloodletting. Wissam al-Hassan, the security official who died with seven others on Friday, was buried with full honors in an emotional state funeral on Sunday at the Rafik al-Hariri mosque, the heart of the former premier's reconstruction legacy in central Beirut. The funeral turned into a political rally against Syria and its local allies in Lebanon. Hassan is thought to have been targeted because in August, after a carefully planned sting operation, his Internal Security Forces intelligence unit arrested a former Lebanese cabinet minister close to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The minister, Michel Samaha, is charged with transporting Syrian-assembled bombs to launch attacks on sectarian targets in Lebanon. Two Syrian officers, including General Ali Mamlouk, were indicted with Samaha in a humiliating blow to Assad and an unprecedented move against Lebanon's dominant neighbor. EVIDENCE UNCOVERED Hassan also led the investigation into Hariri's murder and uncovered evidence that implicated Syria and Hezbollah, although both deny the charge. An international tribunal accused several Hezbollah members of involvement in the murder. "There is a probability that this will be the start of a new period in which we will see more assassinations, bombings and other problems," said Sarkis Naoum, a columnist and Syria expert. "Sectarian incitement is on the rise in the country and the killing of Wissam al-Hassan brought things to a head. We may be entering a very dangerous cycle. Anything might happen." "It is not possible for the Syria conflict not to have implications on Lebanon. The Lebanese have entered the Syria war - one side is with the Assad regime and another is against it. They are fighting each other by proxy," Naoum said. Tiny Lebanon, with its combustible sectarian mix, is being dragged into the Syria crisis with its rival Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims fighting on opposite sides. Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah group backs Assad, a member of the Shi'ite-based Alawite sect, in his fight against the Sunni-led insurgency. Lebanon's Sunnis and allied Sunni powers, notably Saudi Arabia and Turkey, support the Sunni rebels. The killing of thousands of Sunnis in Syria has angered Sunnis in Lebanon and across the region. Hassan's attacker did more than just kill Lebanon's most powerful intelligence brain, who collected data on all major players and uncovered several plots in recent years. The killer performed a public execution that sent a warning to all those who dared challenge Syria in Lebanon. INNER CIRCLE Some analysts said the devastating attack against Hassan's anti-Syria investigative establishment bore important similarities to the blast that targeted Assad's inner circle of security officials in Damascus in July. "Whoever did this attack wanted to deliver a message that they can reach anybody, that they can hit the highest level of intelligence," said Beirut-based commentator Rami Khouri. "Whoever did it wanted to say 'we can still strike'." Opposition politicians and ordinary people at Martyrs' Square saw Syria's hand in the bombing. "Wissam al-Hassan has one enemy - Bashar al-Assad," said Beirut MP Nouhad Mashnouq, a leading member of the March 14 opposition bloc led by Saad al-Hariri, son of the slain ex-premier. Mashnouq said the cases Hassan had brought against Samaha and Mamlouk were actions against Syria unprecedented in the history of Lebanon. Despite the accusations from Lebanese politicians, both the Assad government and Hezbollah condemned the bombing. The immediate destabilizing effect of Friday's blast can already be seen on the streets. Angry mourners tried to storm Prime Minister Najib Mikati's offices in central Beirut after the funeral, breaking through a security barrier and scuffling with police who fired in the air in response. "Mikati leave, get out," chanted hundreds of protesters. They also chanted slogans against Assad, whom they accused of being behind the killing of Hassan. The protesters blame Mikati's pro-Syrian and pro-Iranian-dominated coalition government for failing to provide security or respond effectively to the killing. UNREST SPREADING Displeasure with Mikati came as spreading unrest raised fears among Lebanese that their country could slide back into the sectarian strife that haunted them for decades. Mikati, a Sunni Muslim whom many see as unwilling to confront Hezbollah, said he had offered to step down, but that President Michel Suleiman asked him "to stay on to avoid letting Lebanon slide into turmoil". Syria's civil war is already being played out on the streets of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, where fighting has erupted between Sunni fighters and Alawites. The Syrian unrest has often spilled into Lebanese border villages with Assad's forces shelling them, saying they were being used by rebels to smuggle in fighters and arms. Officials close to Hassan, who had been under threat since he pushed for Samaha's arrest, said he was using more than one safe house and that only two close associates, including the one who died with him, knew about his movements. They suspect that Hassan's movements were followed after his return on Thursday night from a trip abroad. "There is a contentious history between Wissam al-Hassan and Syria, Iran and their Lebanese allies (Hezbollah)," said one security source, who declined to give his name. "All the espionage and intelligence services of the world are present in Lebanon and they pay huge sums of money for information and there are many Lebanese guns for hire." "TERRIBLE BUT NOT UNEXPECTED" Khouri, a Middle East affairs specialist, said the Hassan assassination was a logical extension of what has been happening in Syria over the past 19 months. "There has been a steady increase in violence and now we are going to the next step of assassinations, bombings and maybe clashes. It is terrible but it is not unexpected," he said. Hassan was killed because he was leading the investigation that led to the prosecution of some important figures, he said. "It certainly reminds people of a string of assassinations that followed Hariri's killing," Khouri said. Some analysts said the perpetrators of the bombing - which also wounded more than 80 - clearly aimed to push Lebanon into a new round of violence. But although sectarian tensions are high, Lebanese factions have no desire to return to civil war. Despite persistent calls by Hariri and others for Mikati to resign, many politicians and Western envoys sought compromise, arguing that high-level resignations and political turmoil in Lebanon were precisely what Hassan's killers intended. Lebanon's sectarian-based politics are further complicated by regional hostility. While the main Lebanese opposition has long been aligned with Washington and Saudi Arabia, Mikati's governing coalition is endorsed by Iran and Syria. The bombing also heightened fears among Western powers - which have criticized Assad and called on him to step down - that the Syria war could ignite conflict across the region. Augustus Richard Norton, a Middle East specialist at Boston University, said it was too early to say who carried out the bombing. "However, there is no doubt that al Hassan's death will bring smiles to the face of Bashar al-Assad and his cohorts," he wrote in a commentary. Hassan, a Sunni who opposed Syria and Hezbollah, was laid to rest next to Rafik al-Hariri, whose assassination in a similar manner seven years ago sparked widespread protests that ultimately forced Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after 20 years of military and political dominance. But despite the military pull-out, Assad retained influence through his Lebanese allies in Hezbollah. (Editing by Giles Elgood) World Middle East Turmoil Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Monday, 22 October 2012
Israel swaps missile drills for earthquake rehearsal |
Jordan foils Qaeda plot, arrests 11 militants: state TV |
Netanyahu says doesn't know of any U.S.-Iran talks |
Analysis : Killing of security chief raises fears for Lebanon |
Fidel Castro alive and well: Chavez aide |
Police fire teargas at opposition protesters in Kuwait |
Spain's Rajoy gets mixed message in regional votes |
Low vote turnout, gains by rebels deal blow to West Bank leaders |
Drone kills three in Yemen's Maareb Province |
Paranormal Activity 4 haunts top of movie charts |
Scottish DJ Calvin Harris tops UK pop charts |
China leftists urge parliament not to expel Bo Xilai |
Clashes break out in Beirut after slain official's funeral |
As world helps shot Pakistani girl, Afghans ask what about us? |
Iran's Ahmadinejad denied visit to Evin prison |
Analysis: Killing of security chief raises fears for Lebanon |
South Korean police ban propaganda leaflet launch to North |
Emir of Qatar to be first head of state to visit Gaza |
Insight: Murky deals cast doubt over Nigeria's power sell-off |
Fidel Castro alive and well: Chavez aide |
Analysis: Most companies won't be early adopters of Windows 8 |
Gunmen, soldiers fight in Lebanon in spillover from Syria |
On Turkey's Syrian frontier, fears of a sectarian spillover |
Two killed after bomb hits South Africa prison van: police |
Italian scientists convicted over earthquake warning |
Backers of jailed religious chief riot in Dakar |
Uganda may stop mediating in Congo over U.N. accusations |
Finnish PM unhurt after knife attack thwarted |
Russian activist arrested in investigation into opposition |
BBC crisis deepens as UK's Cameron demands answers |
Russia's jailed punk rock band members sent to prison camps |
Acer third-quarter net profit well below forecasts; tax, FX losses seen |
LME signs deal on new trading surveillance software |
Video-sharing applications put users in the picture |
Russia's jailed punk rock band members sent to prison camps |
Singer Adele has baby boy: British media |
Womack wins Q best album award, Blur, Muse honored |
London film festival closes, boasts record crowds |
Bollywood pays tribute to king of romance |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01