IS Claims Bourj Barajneh Bombing, Identifies its Attackers
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Friday for the Bourj al-Barajneh bombing, saying that three suicide bombers were behind the attack, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).
It identified them as Syrian Khaled al-Khaled and Palestinians Hamed al-Balegh and Ammar Salem al-Rayyes.
General Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud and State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr later confirmed that the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers, but added that the possibility of a third attacker is still being investigated.
Conflicting media reports had emerged on the number of bombers behind Thursday's blast in Beirut's southern suburbs of Bourj al-Barajneh, a Hizbullah stronghold.
Some claimed that three bombers were at the scene, two of whom succeeded in detonating their explosives vests, while the third failed and was killed by Hizbullah members at the scene, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.
Other reports said that there were only two bombers.
Al-Joumhouria added that a fourth attacker was present, but he fled the area.
Hamas deputy chief Ahmed Abdul Hadi denied later on Friday the involvement of Palestinians in the Bourj al-Barajneh attack.
He said that the alleged names of the suicide bombers are of Palestinians killed in Syria, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).
Twin suicide bombings rocked a busy shopping street Thursday in Bourj al-Barajneh, killing 43 people and wounding 239 others, in the worst such attack in years.
M.T.
D.A.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/194309 |