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Bomb kills Lebanese politician

A recent string of assassinations has targeted anti-Syrian officials.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A powerful bomb killed an anti-Syrian lawmaker and six others Wednesday in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut, threatening to derail an effort by an already deeply divided Parliament to elect Lebanon's next president in voting to begin next week.

Antoine Ghanem, a 64-year-old member of the Christian Phalange party who had returned from refuge abroad only two days earlier, was the eighth anti-Syrian figure and fourth lawmaker from the governing coalition to be assassinated in less than three years.

Coalition members blamed Syria. Damascus denied involvement, as it has for the previous seven assassinations, including the 2005 bombing death of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri - a killing that ignited huge protests that forced Syria to withdraw its troops after a three-decade occupation.

Security officials said at least 67 people were wounded in Wednesday's blast, half of whom had left the hospital by day's end. The explosion occurred at rush hour on a busy street in the Sin el-Fil district, severely damaging nearby buildings, setting several cars on fire and scattering blood and debris along the street.

Explosives experts checked the engine of Ghanem's car, which was thrown more than 150 feet. A security official said the bomb was likely detonated by remote control near Ghanem's car.

"I have never seen a more cowardly regime than that of Bashar Assad's," lawmaker Saad Hariri said, blaming the Syrian president for Ghanem's death. Hariri replaced his assassinated father as head of anti-Syrian forces, which now hold a majority in Parliament.

President Emile Lahoud, an ally of Syria, also implied Ghanem's death was meant to undermine the presidential vote, saying "it is no coincidence that whenever there are positive signs" that someone is killed.

Syria said the attack was aimed at sabotaging efforts by the Lebanese people to reach agreement.

"This criminal act aims at undermining efforts paid by Syria and others to achieve Lebanese national accord," Syria's state-run news agency SANA quoted an anonymous Syrian official as saying.

FAST FACTS

The murder toll

Wednesday: Antoine Ghanem, a prominent anti-Syrian figure; car bomb.

June 13, 2007: Walid Eido, anti-Syrian member of Parliament; bomb.

Nov. 21, 2006: Pierre Gemayel, the industry minister and an anti-Syrian Christian politician;shot.

Dec. 12, 2005: Gibran Tueni, an anti-Syrian journalist and lawmaker; car bomb.

June 21, 2005: Anti-Syrian politician George Hawi; car bomb.

June 2, 2005: Anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir; car bomb.

Feb. 14, 2005: Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and economy minister Bassel Fleihan; bomb.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 01:30:42]