Car Bomb in Lebanon Wounds Defense Minister

In a mid-morning attack, a car bomb targeted Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr in the northern Naqash District of the country on a road from Rabiya to Beirut.

From National Nine News:

A car bomb has hit the motorcade of Lebanon's outgoing deputy PM, wounding him and killing at least one other person, police said. It was the first blast targeting a pro-Syrian politician in a string of bombings in Lebanon this year.

Elias Murr, who is also the outgoing defence minister, was slightly wounded in the blast, said one police officer at the scene. The explosion left one vehicle a charred and twisted wreck, and several nearby cars and buildings were damaged.

The state National News Agency said one person was killed (Another report says two were killed) and six wounded, including Murr and an army colonel in his escort. Police put the number of wounded at 10. Television footage showed one man, bloodied but sitting up and moving, being helped out of one of the cars.

Unlike other assassination targets, Murr, a militant Muslim, has been strongly pro-Syrian. In previous incidents, blame was directed toward the Syrian government but Lebanese officials have warned that there is a campaign to destabilize Lebanon in the post-Syria era.