UAE condemns Beirut bombing

The UAE has strongly condemned a car bomb attack in the centre of Beirut, in which eight people were killed - including a senior security official – and dozens more injured.

Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, in a statement released late yesterday, said: ''The UAE condemns this cowardly terrorist act, affirms its support for Lebanon and [is] ready to provide whatever assistance that helps it to secure its stability and security.”

Dr Gargash stressed that the circumstances surrounding the explosion should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible should be brought to justice, he told the UAE’s state news agency Wam.

He also called on the international community to take necessary steps to assist Lebanon and support its efforts to preserve its stability.

He expressed sympathy for families of the victims and wished speedy recovery to those injured in the incident. The explosion happened yesterday in the mainly Christian district of Achrafiyeh, in a busy street close to the headquarters of the opposition leader Saad Hariri's 14 March coalition.

Internal intelligence head Wissam al Hassan was among those who died. He was close to Mr Hariri, a leading critic of the government in neighbouring Syria. Anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon have accused Damascus of being behind a car bomb.

newsdesk@thenational.ae