Washington Denounces Explosion Targeting Bank HQ in Beirut
Washington denounced on Monday the bombing that rocked the western part of the Lebanese capital late Sunday and targeted the HQ of BLOM Bank, LBCI reported on Monday.
“Washington denounces the terrorist bombing. The United States reiterates its strong commitment towards the Lebanese people's stability and security,” State Department spokesman John Kirby stated.
A bomb blast went off Sunday evening outside a branch of the BLOM Bank in Beirut's Verdun area, injuring two people.
The explosion occurred few minutes after residents sat down for iftar, the meal that breaks the daylong fast for observing Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, when the streets in predominantly Muslim areas like Verdun are usually empty.
State-run National News Agency said the explosive device was placed under a car.
An AFP correspondent saw almost all the entire glass facade of the headquarters of BLOM BANK, one of the country's largest, blown out, with debris littering the ground.
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq told AFP a bomb containing about 3-4 kilos (6.6-8.8 pounds) of explosives had been "placed behind the back wall of BLOM BANK".
"It is clear that the bank was the target," he said.
Mashnouq gave no further details, but in comments to LBCI television channel he said the blast was "different" from other explosions that have occurred in Lebanon over the past few years.
In May, Lebanon's central bank instructed the country's banks and financial institutions to comply with a U.S. law to impose sanctions on banks that deal with Hizbullah..
Hizbullah's parliamentary bloc warned at the time that the move could push Lebanon towards bankruptcy.
Washington has labeled Hizbullah a global terrorist group since 1995, accusing it of a long list of attacks including the bombing of the US Embassy and Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983.
almost 9 years
Terrorism is the act of a weakling. One who does not have control or power and who seeks to impose its will by intimidating those who do have actual power. To the extent that those with real power become terrorized and act consistent with being in a state of intimidation, the weakling terrorist wins the political point.
almost 9 years
Now is the time for the Lebanese to refuse. To refuse to be intimidated or terrorized. It is the only way to end the practice once and for all. The Banking System should not change course from the one that it set in complying with international regulations and norms regarding Hezbollah Party Members and their accounts.
Period.
almost 9 years
bigjohn, you must not follow American or Israeli politics too closely. Netanyahu simply cannot stand Obama and the feeling is mutual. Obama is not into facilitating Israeli aggression.
In the presidential race, Israel's pony was Ted Cruz who is now history. With Clinton or Trump, Israel (Netanyahu) will lose.
And when will you recognize the symbiotic relationship between Nasrallah and Netanyahu. Each needs the other to justify themselves in power. Without a threatening militant Netanyahu, why have Hezbollah in Lebanon? Without Hezbollah in Lebanon with its missiles, why have a militant Netanyahu in Israel?
They need each other. They support each other. When one gets in trouble with their constituents, the other is always there to bail them out.
Its not America that is Israel's big friend, it is Hezbollah. We all know that who live outside the Hezbollah information bubble. You should come out more often and take in the facts.
Hezbollah is displeased. It is engaging in the only type of political discourse it knows when some interest, any interest acts against it. Hezbollah plants a bomb. It is what terrorists do. It is how they engage in politics, with bombs.
In order to break them of this. The cycle of terrorism must be broken. It takes two for terrorism to work politically. One who is willing to get its way by engaging in acts of terror, that would be Hezbollah, and one who will be terrorized, in this case, the Lebanese.
Hezbollah won on May 7, 2008 not because it engaged in acts of terror against the Government, but because the Government responded by being terrorized and changing its behavior consistent with its being terrorized.