Prominent Lebanese anchorwoman May Chidiac on Monday was reportedly in critical condition after an assassination attempt on Sunday in which a bomb detonated beneath her car seat. The blast resulted in severe burns to her body, the loss of one of her hands and one leg, and a broken hip.
The 42 year-old anchorwoman for the Lebanese Broadcasting Station underwent surgery at Beirut's Hotel Dieu Hospital after nearly 5 kilograms of explosives ripped through her car as she started its engine, according to Naharnet. Witnesses managed to pull Chidiac from her burning vehicle and extinguish the flames which had engulfed her.
"Her injuries were critical and she will remain under constant observation for the next few days," reported a hospital bulletin. Her situation is presently critical but stable.
The Lebanese Broadcasting Station is among the most prominent of anti-Syrian media outlets in the country. Chidiac had been working at the time on a report about the troubled atmosphere hanging over Lebanon prior to the release of the U.N. report on the assassination of former Lebanese President Rafik Hariri.
A series of bombings have targeted nearly 20 other people early this year, including one which took the life of columnist Samir Kassir. Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh and Defense Minister Elias Murr narrowly escaped separate car-bomb assassination attempts on their lives in October and July.
Minister warns of more attacks
Following the attack Lebanese Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa warned that other anti-Syrian figures could be targeted since those responsible for attacking Chidiac have yet to be found, according to DPA.
“As long as we did not catch any of these attackers…all the options are open and more attacks are expected,” Sabaa was quoted as saying.
© 2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
