Israel Matzav

27 killed, 358-400 wounded in coordinated blasts outside two mosques (with video)

At least 27 people have been killed and 358-400 wounded when two powerful bombs went off simultaneously outside two mosques in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Heavy gunfire was heard following the blasts, Tripoli residents told CNN.

The Lebanese army said it had established a security cordon around the blast sites. The bombs caused "great material damage" in addition to the casualties, the army said.

The first blast occurred near al Taqwa mosque, which is led by a Sunni sheikh known for his links to Syrian rebels, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said.

The second occurred minutes later near al Salam mosque, close to the residence of acting Prime Minister Najib Mikati, as well as Samir Al-Jisr, a Sunni member of parliament and the former head of the country's Internal Security Forces, Ashraf Rifi.

Rifi is despised by Hezbollah and Lebanese politicians friendly to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

It was unclear if any of those figures were targets of the attack, but NNA said two Salafist sheikhs believed to be possible targets of the blasts were unharmed.

Mikati is not in Tripoli, NNA reported.

The second blast produced a crater 5 meters (16.4 feet) across and caused damage to six nearby residential buildings, NNA said. More than 60 cars were incinerated, the news agency said.

Eyewitness video posted to YouTube purporting to be of the al Taqwa blast showed thick smoke, flames and what appeared to be burning vehicles. Another video posted to Facebook showed a large plume of smoke rising into the air near what is said to be the mosque site.

"I see seven bodies inside several burned cars," said a Reuters witness, speaking from near the Taqwa mosque, which is frequented by Sunni Islamist hardliners, where the first blast occurred.

A security source said several people were killed in the second blast outside al-Salam mosque.

Ambulances rushed to the scene and heavy black smoke covered the sky. Television footage showed crushed cars with their windows smashed. Some cars were burning. People ran through the streets carrying a woman whose face was obscured by blood.

Two bodies could be seen on the ground and apartment blocks had their windows smashed.
"There are many casualties in the two mosques, we still do not have a clear idea of the figures," a security source said.

It's just Muslims killing Muslims. You don't think anyone is going to care, do you?

Let's go to the videotape.

Labels: Islamic terrorism, Lebanon, Tripoli

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:40 PM