Lebanon's most prominent anti-Syrian leader said on Wednesday he expected Damascus to assassinate more politicians after the shooting of a Christian minister raised fears of a new spasm of factional violence. Lebanon began three days of mourning for Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel who died as he drove through a Christian suburb of Beirut on Tuesday. He was the sixth anti-Syrian politician to be killed in nearly two years. The assassination turned Lebanon's Independence Day on Wednesday into a somber occasion. All festivities, including a military parade, were cancelled. The murder also heightened tensions between the anti-Syrian government and the pro-Damascus opposition led by Hezbollah, the powerful Shi'ite Muslim guerrilla group determined to topple what it regards as a pro-U.S. cabinet.
Druze leader Walid Jumblatt blamed Syria for Gemayel's assassination and said he expected more killings aimed at undermining parliament's ruling majority. Syria has joined international condemnation of the killing. "It seems the Syrian regime will continue with the assassinations. I expect more assassinations but no matter what they do, we are here and we will be victorious," Jumblatt said, echoing fears expressed by other senior Christian figures.