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Last update - 21:42 26/01/2008 Tensions mount as Lebanese mourn slain intelligence officer By Reuters Tags: Lebanon, Beirut Blast BEIRUT - Lebanon's police chief vowed to confront those who "terrorize this nation" on Saturday, at a memorial service for a police intelligence officer killed in a car bomb attack the previous day. Captain Wisam Eid, who helped investigate assassinations in the country, and his companion were killed when a car bomb ripped through a Christian suburb of Beirut on Friday. Police said on Saturday the death toll in the attack rose to five from four and put the wounded at 42. Advertisement Eid's assassination was the latest in a wave of bombings and political killings that have shaken Lebanon over the past three years and whose turmoil has fuelled the country's worst political crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. "They thought that with their crime, they can affect our commitment and will, but they are really delusional," said police chief Brigadier General Ashraf Rifi at a memorial service at the internal security forces' headquarters in Beirut. "Today we bid farewell and we pledge to you that the internal security forces will continue to confront those who wanted to terrorize this nation with their crimes," Rifi said. Eid, 31, who was posthumously promoted to major, worked for an intelligence unit which was seen as close to anti-Syrian ruling majority leader Saad al-Hariri and which was frequently criticized by the Syrian-backed opposition. He was a communications engineer who security sources said was responsible for tracking mobile phone communications made by attackers in previous killings and of Islamist militant cells. The unit had also been closely involved in the UN-led investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, and in a crackdown on Al Qaida-inspired militants whom the army fought last year. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora declared Saturday a national day of mourning for Eid and the other victims. At police headquarters in the affluent Christian suburb of Achrafiyeh, Eid and his companion's coffins were draped in the red and white Lebanese flag. Eid's coffin later arrived in the northern city of Tripoli where prayers were to be offered before his burial in his Deir Ammar hometown. The ruling majority says Syria is behind Hariri's slaying and many of the more than 30 bombings that have hit Lebanon in the past three years, often targeting anti-Syrian figures. Damascus has denied involvement in any of the killings. Eid's killing comes at a time of a deepening political crisis in which the Western-backed ruling coalition and Hezbollah-led opposition have been at odds for over a year. The crisis has paralyzed government and its institutions and has left Lebanon with no head of state for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war. Related articles: At least three killed in Beirut blast targeting U.S. Embassy car U.S. hopes Syria will join war on terror after embassy attack Bookmark to del.icio.us   Strip Solidarity More than 1,000 march against the blockade on the Israeli side of the Gaza border. PFLP founder dead George Habash, founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, dies at 81.   1.   Now I WAIT FOR ACCUSATIONS THAT ISRAEL DID IT 12:10  |  dovale 25/01/08   2.   is Israel bombing civilians again? 14:45  |  POP 25/01/08   3.   blast in Beirut 15:57  |  EA 25/01/08   4.   To Pop 16:21  |  Avi 25/01/08   5.   another obvious zionist false flag operation 16:40  |  Assad-u-LLAH 25/01/08   6.   THE HANDS OF ISRAEL ARE ALL OVER IT 17:03  |  TrippleJump 25/01/08   7.   Syria has no interest in destablising Lebanon. Israel has. 17:04  |  Jaban 25/01/08   8.   I am sick of Israel being blamed for everything... 17:50  |  Bassem 25/01/08   9.   Berut killings 19:01  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 25/01/08   10.   # 8 From your lips to G-ds ears. 19:13  |  Petra 25/01/08   11.   To Bassem: I am sick of blaming anybody but us 19:44  |  Lebanese 25/01/08   12.   Arabs murdered by Islamists 19:44  |  Gina 25/01/08   13.   Syria mastermind of bombing attacks... 20:20  |  Lynn 25/01/08   14.   # 9 Abdul...be careful 20:21  |  Lynn 25/01/08   15.   # 11 Lebanese.....somebody better start fighting back. 20:24  |  Lynn 25/01/08   16.   blast in christan area 20:51  |  tobia 25/01/08   17.   Attacking the Lebanese Security Services.. 20:52  |  Stephen. 25/01/08   18.   All killings have one common denominator 21:16  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 25/01/08   19.   How to solve the bomb mistery 21:31  |  A. Naser 25/01/08   20.   the countdown of israel has become 22:05  |  hizbollah tiger 25/01/08   21.   Christians 22:13  |  Marc 25/01/08   22.   To # 20 and all Hizbullah beleivers 22:40  |  Bassem 25/01/08   23.   To A.Naser 22:43  |  Bassem 25/01/08   24.   Amen AA Higazi !! 22:50  |  Bassem 25/01/08   25.   To Mark # 21 22:57  |  Bassem 25/01/08   26.   Israel will Destroy Sissybola 23:11  |  Mohan 25/01/08   27.   Poop living up 23:20  |  Amir 25/01/08   28.   Great Civilizations of Israel and Lebanon 00:20  |  Mohan 26/01/08   29.   Syria is behind all bombings in Lebanon 00:57  |  Charles 26/01/08   30.   Hezbollah with Syrian and Iranian help pushing Christians out of 01:08  |  Marwan مروان خوري 26/01/08   31.   To POOP #1...Yes....and we`re coming to get you next 03:59  |  topsecretscaryunit 26/01/08   32.   here we go again 04:06  |  fadi 26/01/08   33.   Mohamed said ! Kill those who oppose and expose me 06:46  |  Cristo 26/01/08   34.   Bassem 08:04  |  Connie 26/01/08   35.   Marc - Get your facts right 12:25  |  Mike 26/01/08   36.   #20 hizbollah paper tiger 13:58  |  Shatt Up El Arab 26/01/08   37.   Clickfool, Natallie Durson , Indrajaya, Mauren Ann ... 14:05  |  Silence of the lambs 26/01/08   38.   # 2 POOPS na, as usual, you got it backwards 15:09  |  Petra 26/01/08   39.   # 9 Abdul 100% CORRECT IT`S SYRIA! 15:11  |  Petra 26/01/08   40.   # 11 And what will YOU do about it? 15:15  |  Petra 26/01/08   41.   TRIPLEJUMP WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE FOR `ISRAELS HANDS" 15:27  |  PETER SM 26/01/08   42.   Assad-u-LLAH.False flag prove it to the Lebanese. 16:01  |  PETER SM 26/01/08   43.   to #22 Seems like so soon your forget your history 17:38  |  Absolute Truth 26/01/08   44.   # 19 A Naser.... UN has investigated 19:57  |  Lynn 26/01/08   45.   I often attack Islam 23:01  |  Yonatan 26/01/08   46.   More terrorism from Iranian-controlled Hezbollah 23:10  |  Marwan مروان خوري 26/01/08   47.   Can anyone tell me who will have power in Syria when Assad-clan 23:25  |  Mark B. 26/01/08   48.   destroy syria 00:16  |  frenz 27/01/08

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