Eurasia Press & News
(Reuters) – Lebanese army investigators searched for clues on Thursday in the assassination of a top general who had been tipped to become the next army chief.
Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, killed by a 35 kg (77 lb) car bomb on Wednesday, was the first military officer to be killed, with the other attacks targeting anti-Syrian figures.
Here is a chronology of attacks on political figures in Lebanon since former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was killed in a car bombing, along with 22 other people, on February 14, 2005.
June 2, 2005 – Samir Kassir, journalist opposed to Syria’s role in Lebanon, is killed in Beirut by a bomb in his car.
June 21 – Former Communist Party leader and critic of Syria George Hawi is killed in Beirut by a bomb in his car.
July 12 – Car bomb wounds caretaker Defence Minister Elias al-Murr and kills one person in Christian area north of Beirut.
Sept 25 – May Chidiac, a Christian television journalist critical of Syria, is seriously wounded by bomb in her car.
Dec 12 – Gebran Tueni, staunchly anti-Syrian member of parliament and Lebanese newspaper magnate, is killed by a car bomb in Beirut. An unknown group, “Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of the Levant”, claims responsibility.
Nov 21, 2006 – Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel is killed by gunmen. U.N. Security Council approves plans for tribunal to try suspects in assassination of Hariri and subsequent attacks.
June 13, 2007 – Anti-Syrian parliamentarian Walid Eido and nine other people killed by a car bomb near a Beirut beach club.
Sept 19 – Car bomb in Beirut kills seven people, including anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem.
Dec 12 – Car bomb kills Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, the army’s head of operations, and a number of bodyguards in a Christian town east of Beirut. He had been tipped to become the next army chief.
