BIKFAYA, Lebanon: Lebanon declared a three-day mourning and canceled its independence day celebrations as mourners gathered in this mountain town to pay their homage to industry minister Pierre Gemayel, a Christian, who was gunned down in Beirut Tuesday.
His supporters are blaming Syria for the killing as he has been a bitter critic of Damascus.
At his home town, several government dignitaries, members of his Phalange Party and hundreds of villagers assembled prior to the funeral, paying condolences. His father, former president of Lebanon Amin Gemayel, is alive.
Pierre Gemayel, 34, was shot dead after two cars blocked his vehicle at a street intersection in Beirut. The assassin pumped several bullets into him through a side window of the car. An outspoken opponent of the Syrian-allied Hezbollah, he was the sixth anti-Syrian politician to be killed in nearly two years.
The killing drew intense reactions from world leaders, who all condemned it. U.S. president George Bush accused Syria and Iran of trying to undermine the government in Lebanon.
Lebanon's president Emile Lahoud said the murder was part of a "conspiracy" that began with the killing in February 2005 of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the assassination. He said the Lebanese should not let themselves be vanquished by hate but instead to try to re-forge national unity, justice and reconciliation and to work together to build a future of peace.
Syria denied any hand in the killing. It too joined the condemnations.
Police were in full force in Bikfaya and in Christian neighborhoods of Beirut.
Lebanon had been passing through a difficult time. Prior to the assassination, there was the devastating July-August conflict in south Lebanon between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which has the support of Syria. Hezbollah and its allies have threatened to topple the government of prime minister Fuad Saniora, saying it has lost its legitimacy since Shiite Muslims were no longer represented.
Last week, the cabinet had endorsed plans to set up a tribunal to try those suspected of killing Hariri despite the resignations of six pro-Syrian ministers opposed to it.
A U.N. report had implicated Damascus in the killing of Hariri by a truck bomb in Beirut. Syria had denied the charges.
