Assassination of Wissam al-Hassan

On 19 October 2012, Wissam al-Hassan, a brigadier general of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) and the head of its intelligence-oriented information branch, died along with several others killed by a car bomb in the Achrafieh district of Beirut.

[2][3] The killing of a senior figure closely linked with the anti-Assad camp in Lebanon led to immediate speculation that Syria, or its allies, were behind the attack in Beirut.

[4] According to a report in Der Spiegel, Hezbollah might have had a hand in the attack on al-Hassan since his cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal had made him a sworn enemy of the Party.

The target of the attack is believed to have been al-Hassan, the head of the intelligence branch of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF), a key player in the opposition March 14 alliance and one of Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslims.

[12] The exact casualty count was at first unclear: Lebanon's National News Agency first said eight people had died and more than 90 were injured, but the figure was later amended to four deaths and 110 injuries.

[13][14] Hezbollah condemned the blast, describing it as a "sinful attempt to target the stability and national unity", and urged the official bodies to mobilize all capacities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

[15] Samaha was charged with transporting explosives into Lebanon with the help of the Syrian Security Chief Ali Mamlouk in an alleged attempt to destabilize the country.

[19][20][21] Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai and Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani also condemned the blast.