Lebanon was in shock Thursday following the assassination of a senior army general as a military investigation probed the fatal car bombing for links to al-Qaeda-inspired groups. Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj, head of the army's military operations, and his driver were killed as he left his home on the way to work Wednesday, when a parked car packed with 35 kilograms of TNT exploded.
Some anti-Syrian politicians blamed Damascus, saying it was trying to torpedo Lebanese efforts to elect a president, but Syria's foreign minister has condemned the bombing. Others said the attack could be a warning to the military to stay out of politics, while Syria accused Israel.
According to the AP, a senior military official said Thursday that the army has started an investigation into the bombing and was questioning witnesses to the blast. However, security officials said Thursday the military investigation was concentrating on more than one scenario or motive for the attack.
Military Prosecutor Rashid Mizher said Thursday security forces were searching for the owner of the explosives-laden car but has made no arrests or accusations yet. The Beirut-based daily An Nahar reported Thursday that surveillance cameras placed in public places, particularly near the Baabda municipal building, were being checked for any evidence.
As-Safir, a pro-opposition newspaper, quoted an unidentified senior military official as saying the probe is focusing on the possibility that a "regional terrorist fundamentalist group" might have carried out the attack in light of given intelligence and other data that had been compared to previous bombings that targeted political figures as well as UNIFIL in the south.
A funeral for Hajj will be held Friday in the Christian heartland. He will be buried at his hometown in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.
