Al-Qaida group says responsible for Beirut bombing

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By BASSEM MROUE and DIAA HADID

BEIRUT (AP) - An al-Qaida linked group claimed responsibility on Saturday for a suicide car bombing last week in a Shiite-dominated neighborhood in Lebanon, as its fighters fought other rebels in neighboring Syria in the most serious infighting since the uprising began.

It was the first time at the al-Qaida linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for an attack in Lebanon, underscoring how the ever more complex Syrian war is increasingly spilling over into its smaller neighbor.

The group may have rushed to claim responsibility to try to divert attention from the infighting in Syria, said Aymenn al-Tamimi, an expert on the country's militant groups.

At least five people were killed in the Thursday attack that targeted a south Beirut neighborhood that is bastion of support for the Shiite group Hezbollah.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140104/DAB472F81.html

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The father, right, and brother of Ali Khadra, left, who was killed Thursday by a bomb explosion, carry his coffin during his funeral procession in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. An explosion tore through a crowded commercial street Thursday in a south Beirut neighborhood that is bastion of support for the Shiite group Hezbollah, killing several people, setting cars ablaze and sending a column of black smoke above the Beirut skyline. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

[TwilightGardener]

1. Al Qaeda versus Hezbollah. Now that's a fight we shouldn't interfere with.

[penultimate]

3. It's unfortunate for the regular people who get caught in the middle of it

I can't imagine what it's like to live in such turmoil.

[delrem]

2. I wonder who's been funding, arming, training, these qaida terrorists,

that they've so quickly been able to expand operations from Syria, to Iraq and Lebanon?

But by all means let's cheer it on from the sidelines, as TwilightGardener says, since it certainly couldn't be *us*, so we'll never be held to account for the death and destruction, the systematic sectarian killings, the horror of it all. Not *us*. We're all for democracy, freedom and the American Way.

[penultimate]

4. I was thinking that the US is probably

giving more assistance to the other rebels that have been pushing back against these guys recently. Which could be why those guys seem to have been able to push the ISIS out of a few cities in Syria.

[delrem]

5. hehehe! n/t

[AutismRain]

6. This is why I am here

I am here to voice my opinion on the middle east and war on terror and pray to be heard and maybe make a difference. Most of these people are miserable and there ancestors as well wore miserable leading to genetic illness known as being mentally ill. We need to topple all terroist groups but to be careful to minimize casualties on both sides make as many arrest as possible and make an attempt to make there lives better give em food medicine shelter of a descent type give em a chance. Most of use believe in the lord I ask those of us who do to remember these are brothers and sisters of Christ to us that are hurt and have no clue of an appropriate thing to do.

[delrem]

7. Welcome to DU. I'm sure we're all waiting to hear more of your theory of "genetics".