Lebanese to rally at MP's funeral

Senior Lebanese politicians are expected to attend the funeral of the anti-Syrian MP, Antoine Ghanim, who was assassinated on Wednesday.

The government says Mr Ghanim's killers will not be allowed to succeed in their aims, and forthcoming presidential elections will go ahead on time.

The assassination of a number of anti-Syrian figures has reduced the pro-Western majority in parliament.

Syria has been blamed for the killings, but denies any involvement.

The funeral procession for Mr Ghanim and two of his guards who were killed with him is to head for the Furn el-Shebak district in mainly Christian east Beirut where he had his constituency and then to Sacre Coeur church in nearby Badara.

Banks, schools and government offices have been closed in Lebanon, as the country mourns Mr Ghanim, of the Christian Maronite Phalange party.

The education ministry said schools and universities would remain closed again on Friday.

Mr Ghanim died with at least six others in a car bombing in the mainly Christian Sin al-Fil district on Wednesday.

Determined government

Lebanon's pro-Western government says it is determined to hold a presidential election, despite the assassination.

LEBANESE ASSASSINATIONS
Feb 2005: Ex-PM Rafik Hariri
April 2005: MP Bassel Fleihan
June 2005: Anti-Syria journalist Samir Kassir
June 2005: Ex-Communist leader George Hawi
Dec 2005: Anti-Syria MP Gebran Tueni
Nov 2006: Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel
June 2007: Anti-Syria MP Walid Eido
Sep 2007: Anti-Syria MP Antoine Ghanim

MPs are due to choose a successor to pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud next week.

The killings of several anti-Syrian figures have left Lebanon's government with only a slim majority, 68 out of 127 MPs.

Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the killers of Mr Ghanim would not be allowed to succeed in their aims.

Mr Siniora said on Thursday: "The hand of terror will not win and will not succeed in subduing us and silencing us.

"The Lebanese will not retreat and will have a new president elected by lawmakers, no matter how big the conspiracy was."

He has called for a UN investigation into the assassination of Mr Ghanim, who had returned to Beirut just a few days before his death to take part in next week's vote.

Syria accused

The country has been mired in an ongoing political crisis, with a deadlock between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in parliament.

Syria said it had no involvement in the attack, calling it a "criminal act" that undermined hopes for Lebanese national reconciliation.

But some Lebanese politicians were quick to blame Damascus for the blast.

Saad Hariri, son of Rafik Hariri, a former prime minister who was assassinated in a bomb attack in 2005, said responsibility lay with the "cowardly regime" of Syria.

Even pro-Syrian Mr Lahoud said it was no coincidence someone was killed whenever there were positive developments in Lebanon.