Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Hundreds Mourn Slain Anti-Syrian Journalist in Lebanon
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=DC4092:3919ACA

After assassination of Samir Kassir, opposition parties are calling
for pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud to step down from office



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Casket of Samir Kassir is paraded through streets of Beirut for
funeral, SaturdayIn Lebanon, mourners gathered in Beirut for the
funeral of a prominent journalist killed in a car bombing on Thursday,
amid calls for an international investigation of his murder.

The casket of journalist Samir Kassir, draped in a Lebanese flag, was
carried from the headquarters of An Nahar newspaper, where to worked,
through the streets of downtown Beirut.

Mourners wearing red and white, the colors of the Lebanese flag and
carrying pictures of Mr. Kassir, applaud as the casket was carried
past the parliament building to a Greek Orthodox church.







Giselle Khoury, widow of slain journalist, cries as she leaves
churchSeveral opposition leaders were among those attending, including
Saad Hariri, the son of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who died
in a bombing in February, as well as the outspoken leader of the
Druze, Walid Jumblatt.

Mr. Kassir wrote a front-page column for An Nahar, a leading daily
newspaper, and often spoke harshly about the Syrian occupation of
Lebanon, which ended in April after three decades.

The general manager of An Nahar and recently elected member of
parliament, Gibran Tueni, speaking to VOA at the funeral, said he
suspected Syria was behind the bombing. Damascus denies the
accusation.





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Gibran Tueni, General Manager of An Nahar newspaper"I think this is an
assassination, which is targeting all of Lebanon; free Lebanon, free
journalists and free people," Mr. Tueni said. "And I think this is,
you know Samir Kassir, is at the base of the Independence '05, and I
think that Syrians are going to still try just to get rid of our
independence."

The Independence 05 movement was initially organized to force Syrian
troops to leave Lebanon. Although the United Nations has confirmed
they have left, there is strong speculation that their intelligence
forces are still operating in Lebanon.

The United States has asked the United Nations Security Council to
expand its investigation into the death of former Prime Minister
Hariri to include Mr. Kassir's murder.







Mourners threw rose petals at casket of Samir Kassir  After the
assassination of Mr. Kassir, opposition parties are calling for
pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud to step down from office.

The assassination comes in the midst of parliamentary elections. The
second stage of the four-part poll is scheduled for Sunday.


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