[LCM Articles] Car Bomb Wounds Six in Lebanese Capital

[Maurice Hage-Obeid]

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A car bomb exploded in a mainly Christian eastern suburb 
of Lebanon's capital early on Saturday, wounding six people.

A Reuters correspondent on the scene said the blast had destroyed the first 
floor of an apartment block, blew out windows in surrounding buildings, and 
left a large crater in the road. Cars parked nearby were mostly wrecked.

"I was standing under this building and we heard a huge explosion and there 
was a big cloud of dust, and glass flew everywhere. We saw this car just 
fly into the air and land on the street right in front of us," said witness 
Rany Ayoub.

The vehicle containing the bomb appeared to have been in a car park.

Security forces and ambulances flooded the area. Hospital officials said 
six people had been wounded.

It was unclear who might have been the target of the blast, which occurred 
after midnight.

Lebanon has been rocked by political turmoil since Feb. 14 when former 
Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was killed in a car- bomb attack, for which 
Lebanese many held Damascus responsible. Syria denies the charge.

Syria, under international pressure, has begun pulling its troops out of 
its tiny neighbor after a 29-year presence. With the uncertainty left by 
the retreating Syrians, fears are rising that political tensions could 
spill into violence.

Analysts and politicians have warned that strains are evident in the 
precarious political, religious and communal balance achieved since 
Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun said on Friday he hoped to end 14 
years of exile and return to Lebanon within weeks, as soon as the Syrians 
had completed their pullout.

About one-fifth of the population and long Syria's most vocal opponents, 
the Maronites have dominated the past few weeks' protests demanding the 
withdrawal of Syrian troops.