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Syria: We condemn Mughniyah killing as a cowardly terrorist act
By Yoav Stern and Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Imad Mughaniyah, Hezbollah 

Syria's Interior Minister Brig. Gen. Bassam Abdul-Majid confirmed Wednesday that a Damascus explosion Tuesday night had killed a senior member of the Lebanese-based guerilla group Hezbollah, Imad Mughniyah, the state-run news agency SANA reported.

It was the first official comment from Syria since Tuesday night's explosion in the Damascus neighborhood of Kfar Sousse. "Syria condemns this cowardly terrorist act," SANA quoted Abdul-Majid as saying.

The agency also reported that Abdul-Majid said an investigation into the blast was underway. "The ongoing investigation over the car bomb in the residential Kfar Sousse neighborhood last night has proven that it targeted Lebanese combatant Imad Mughniyah," SANA said, quoting Abdul-Majid.
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Syria also accused Israel of masterminding the assassination, with Syrian parliament member Mohammed Habash saying that Israel and its "Zionist agents" were behind the act.

Mughniyah was wanted for the bombing of the Israeli embassy and the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1994, among a string of terrorist acts.

"It is natural that if a prize was offered for Mughniyah's head, Israel and the United States would try to harm him," Habash said.

Meanwhile Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini issued an official condemnation of the assassination.

"This action is yet another brazen example of organized state terrorism by the Zionist regime," he said, according to the state-run news agency IRNA. He called on the world to prevent the Zionist regime from taking these actions that are a clear violation of international law.

Hosseini praised Mughniyah, saying "undoubtedly, the record of struggles by the martyred fighter Imad Mughniyah ... is considered a shining page in the history of popular resistance against the aggressive Zionists and occupiers."

Jordan's largest political party the Islamic Action Front (IAF) also condemned the assassination, calling it a "cowardly crime" and blaming the operation on Israel and the United States.

Earlier Wednesday, Hezbollah lawmaker Ismail Sukeyir said the organization's leadership would meet in Beirut to discuss its response to the assassination. "Hezbollah has the right to retaliate anywhere in the world and in any way it sees fit," he said.

"Any attack against Hezbollah will be met with a response," A prominent religious figure in southern Lebanon said to Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station. Sheikh Afif Nablusi added "an eye for an eye, a man for a man, a leader for a leader."

Hezbollah also blamed Israel for the bomb, issuing a statement on Al-Manar saying "with all pride we declare a great jihadist leader of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon joining the martyrs ... The brother commander hajj Imad Mughniyah became a martyr at the hands of the Zionist Israelis."

Hamas also condemned the bombing: "We condemn this crime, and stress that the Muslim nation must rise and confront the Zionist Satan that is backed by the Americans," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu-Zuhri said Wednesday.

Related articles:
  • Hezbollah terror chief Imad Mughniyah killed in Damascus blast
  • PMO denies Israeli role in Imad Mughniyah's death
  • Hezbollah deputy leader was behind string of terror attacks
  • ANALYSIS: Hezbollah terror chief was more wanted than Nasrallah
  • ANALYSIS: Imad Mughniyah - The epitome of the 'Axis of Evil'
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      1.   Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha 17:08  |  Joeseph 13/02/08
      2.   They`re Threatening to do what they Already do 17:30  |  dyinglikeflies 13/02/08
      3.   Hysterics at Hizbollocks Headquarters..! 17:30  |  Stephen. 13/02/08
      4.   #1 Haaretz, this is how you moderate your boards 17:31  |  McQueen 13/02/08
      5.   G-D Bless Soul Of Imad Mughniyah 17:32  |  Satmar Hasid 13/02/08
      6.   To N°1 17:32  |  Shiitebuster 13/02/08
      7.   The first post 17:33  |  JK 13/02/08
      8.   Joe 17:46  |  # Joseph 13/02/08
      9.   If it was Israel, good but ... 17:50  |  Yes 13/02/08
      10.   second post 17:52  |  Ed A 13/02/08
      11.   you;ll allow #2 repsonse to be posted??? 17:54  |  ross 13/02/08
      12.   haaretz deleting comments? boo hoo 18:03  |  tasteurownmedicine 13/02/08
      13.   What is the problem, Mossad gave him the gift of the virgins! 18:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 13/02/08
      14.   It does not matter whether Israel did it or not 18:15  |  William 13/02/08
      15.   to # 2 - Joe 18:18  |  Alex 13/02/08
      16.   Great day to place blame? 18:26  |  Daniel 13/02/08
      17.   Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaha.. 18:42  |  SLAVO 13/02/08
      18.   Hamas Did It 18:52  |  Mustafa 13/02/08
      19.   Observer 18:53  |  E£edarew 13/02/08
      20.   BBC and the truth! 18:56  |  Colin 13/02/08
      21.   The long arm of.... 19:07  |  john 13/02/08
      22.   Hahhahahaha 19:07  |  Terence 13/02/08
      23.   Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ! 19:12  |  Eric 13/02/08
      24.   Live by the bomb; die by the bomb. 19:13  |  Edward H 13/02/08
      25.   who is behind? 19:33  |  Marcelo 13/02/08
      26.   re: Daniel 19:36  |  Michael 13/02/08
      27.   Blowback 19:46  |  Ham Sandwich 13/02/08
      28.   "Hezbollah has the right to retaliate anywhere in the world and i 19:50  |  Galvin Templar 13/02/08
      29.   What took so long 20:06  |  Alfred Brodner 13/02/08
      30.   i thought 72 virgins were,,, 20:14  |  alan 13/02/08
      31.   mughniyah 20:18  |  Larry54 13/02/08
      32.   Dear Ha ha ha - you are a supporter of terrorism 20:23  |  Steve Katz 13/02/08
      33.   Bomb 20:32  |  John 13/02/08
      34.   Syria re prize money: Headline Misleading? 20:36  |  Avi 13/02/08
      35.   mughniyah sympasizers - U R LAME!!! 21:08  |  anthing goes 13/02/08
      36.   Big bang theory 21:11  |  Gideon Reader 13/02/08
      37.   Iran and Hizbullah 21:37  |  Joseph 13/02/08
      38.   #20 Steve Katz 21:38  |  Sarah 13/02/08
      39.   WAR @ DOOR 21:39  |  Kessani 13/02/08
      40.   Assud the militant rabbit did it 21:42  |  Adrian de Klerk 13/02/08
      41.   The Agressor Makes the Rules 21:47  |  MIKE 13/02/08
      42.   Steven Katz 21:48  |  Silvia 13/02/08
      43.   Steve Katz - Ever heard of war? 22:03  |  Joeseph 13/02/08
      44.   Syria condemns this cowardly terrorist act," 22:25  |  American Lebanese 13/02/08
      45.   Just quoting Iran... 22:41  |  Esther 13/02/08
      46.   NO Change on the ground. 22:43  |  Najour 13/02/08
      47.   who is iran to talk about state run 22:54  |  dale 13/02/08
      48.   Satmar Hasid 23:00  |  Brad 13/02/08
      49.   big blow 23:00  |  watcher 13/02/08
      50.   #5 Satmar Hasid 23:01  |  BRL 13/02/08
      51.   Mustafa that was awesome! 23:03  |  Michael 13/02/08
      52.   Why Arabs threaten innocent civilians? 23:05  |  Rick and TC 13/02/08
      53.   Hezbollah Did It 23:07  |  Mahmoud 13/02/08
      54.   Nasrallah you might be next 23:08  |  Brian 13/02/08
      55.   "SYRIA: WE CONDEMN" 23:13  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/02/08
      56.   "SYRIA: ` A COWARDLY TERRORIST ACT`" 23:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/02/08
      57.   What if Syria killed him? 23:24  |  B (The other one) 13/02/08
      58.   Israel`s cowardly act- From a feminist perspective 23:29  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08
      59.   A question 23:30  |  Outsider 13/02/08
      60.   Observer,Bad poilicy 23:32  |  Eaae23d 13/02/08
      61.   Steve Katz 23:33  |  Ronald W. Ginson 13/02/08
      62.   killining of mughniyah 23:44  |  king k 13/02/08
      63.   SMELL YA LATER! 23:44  |  dan 13/02/08
      64.   syria did it and in age old pattern deflecting to israel 23:45  |  ralph 13/02/08
      65.   MUGHNIYAH KILLING 23:52  |  STEVE H 13/02/08
      66.   an eye for an eye, a man for a man and a leg for a coward 23:53  |  Tosefta, the general 13/02/08
      67.   natallie for a feminist you are very blind sided what about honor 23:55  |  ralph 13/02/08
      68.   And I condemn Mughniyah as a cowardly terrorist 23:57  |  Murray of Montreal 13/02/08
      69.   Natallie put your burqua on and shut up. 00:12  |  Cynic 14/02/08
      70.   Kind of a dangerous life terrorist leader RIGHT ??? 00:16  |  M. S. 14/02/08
      71.   #58 is a Fake Natallie Durson