A car bomb explosion in Beirut has killed a prominent anti-Syrian journalist. Witnesses say Thursday's blast occurred shortly after Samir Kassir entered his car.
Security officials say a bomb was hidden under the driver's seat. Another person was wounded in the blast, which occurred in the Ashrafieh neighborhood of mostly-Christian eastern Beirut.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Mikati condemned the explosion, saying it targeted the country's security and freedom. Anti-Syrian groups quickly blamed remnants of the Syrian intelligence regime for the blast.
Mr. Kassir wrote a column for the An-Nahar daily newspaper, which was often critical of Syria's influence in Lebanon.
The explosion comes four days after the first day of voting in Lebanon's staggered parliamentary election. On Sunday, the anti-Syrian opposition took all the seats in Beirut.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
