Explosion injures 11 in Beirut

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Sunday, March 20, 2005

Eleven residents of an apartment building in the Christian neighborhood of New Jdeideh, located in northern Beirut, Lebanon, were injured by an explosion just after midnight local time.

The explosion was caused by a bomb placed underneath a car that was parked near the eight-story building inhabited by the injured, and left a seven-foot-deep hole in the ground. The building was ruined by the blast.

The Lebanese army responded with a tighter security policy.

"The army will not allow that freedom of expression be abused in order to harm security and stability," declared the military statement.

Lebanese President Émile Lahoud decided not to attend the upcoming Arab summit, and appealed for talks to avoid religious violence.

"Car bomb messages do not threaten our national unity," said opposition leader Walid Jumblatt, speaking from his mountain palace in Mukhtara.

See also

• "Lebanese President to skip Arab Summit". WikiNews, March 19, 2005
• "Protestors rally in Beirut". WikiNews, March 15, 2005
• "Syria affirms withdrawal intentions". WikiNews, March 13, 2005

Sources

• AP "Car bomb rocks Beirut". Guardian Unlimited, March 20, 2005

• "11 injured in Beirut blast: President appeals for dialogue". Daily Times, March 20, 2005

• AP "Lebanon Leader Pulls Out of Arab Summit". ABC News, March 20, 2005

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