Apart from Ghanem and his guards, the other two victims of Wednesday’s blast were a grandmother drinking coffee with the family on her balcony and a young executive driving home from work.

Leaders from all sides of the political spectrum have vowed to go ahead with the controversial presidential vote scheduled for next Tuesday, despite the assassination, which drew condemnation from around the world.

Pro-government MPs in Beirut have pointed a finger of blame at Syria, which denied any involvement and said the bombing was a "criminal act" aimed at undermining efforts at a rapprochement with Lebanon.

President Bush condemned what he called “a tragic pattern” of attacks against champions of “an independent and democratic Lebanon” while UN chief Ban Ki Moon condemned a “brutal assassination".

Hezbollah, said the assassination was “a blow to the country’s security and stability as well as any attempt at reconciliation” and called for feuding political parties to show unity.

Fouad Siniora, the Prime Minister, urged the United Nations to investigate Ghanem’s killing as part of its probe into similar murders of anti-Syrian figures, including the former premier Rafiq Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

Fearing for his life, Ghanem, 64, had fled into exile following the assassination in June of another anti-Syrian MP, and returned to Lebanon only on Sunday. He was the eighth anti-Syrian politician to be assassinated since Hariri was killed in February 2005.

Ghanem’s death reduced the government’s support in parliament to 68 out of the remaining 127 MPs, with numbers set to play a key role in the presidential vote.

Senior Phalangists said that the attack was clearly aimed at cutting the number of pro-government MPs to derail the vote, since a candidate – who by convention must come from the Maronite Christian community – needs a two-thirds majority to be elected president from a first round of voting, while a simple majority is enough in any later round.

An election can be held right up until the final deadline of November 24, but if the president’s seat is left vacant, his powers are automatically transferred to the government.

• Lebanon’s former President Amin Gemayel speaks during the funeral of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 56 minutes ago

• Relatives of a bodyguard of anti-Syrian Christian legislator Antoine Ghanem, from the Christian Phalange Party, mourn during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. (Jamal Saidi/Reuters)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 45 minutes ago

• Lebanon’s former President Amin Gemayel (R) and Remon, the brother of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem, carry his coffin during a funeral procession in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 1 hour, 7 minutes ago

• Christian priests pray during the funeral of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem and his two bodyguards in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Thousands of Lebanese attended the funeral on Friday of Ghanem whose assassination this week fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 1 hour, 16 minutes ago

• Rana Ghanem, center, the daughter of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem, mourns over the coffin of her father in a hospital morgue in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country’s anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)

  AP via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 34 minutes ago

• Mourners carry the coffins of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem, foreground, draped with the Lebanese and Phalange party flags and of his bodyguards as they leave the church in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country’s anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

  AP via Yahoo! News – 57 minutes ago

• Supporters of the Christian Phalange party carry the coffins of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem and his two bodyguards during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for Ghanem‘s funeral whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 1 hour, 47 minutes ago

• Supporters of the Christian Phalange party carry the coffin of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 1 hour, 43 minutes ago

• Rana Ghanem, the daughter of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem, mourns over the coffin of her father in a hospital morgue in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country’s anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)

  AP via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 55 minutes ago

• Christian priests pray during the funeral of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem and his two bodyguards in eastern Beirut, September 21, 2007. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

• Relatives of a bodyguard of anti-Syrian Christian legislator Antoine Ghanem, from the Christian Phalange Party, mourn during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. The bodyguard was killed with Ghanem and three others on Wednesday. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 59 minutes ago

• The mother of bodyguard Toni Daw, who was killed with anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem of the Christian Phalange Party, mourns during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi

• Relatives of a bodyguard of anti-Syrian Christian legislator Antoine Ghanem, from the Christian Phalange Party, mourn during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. The bodyguard was killed with Ghanem and three others on Wednesday. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

• Women stand near a picture of slain anti-Syrian lawmaker Antoine Ghanem as they watch his funeral procession in Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Sept. 21, 2007. Family, comrades and supporters marched Friday in a mass funeral procession for a slain Lebanese lawmaker, the latest victim of a campaign the country’s anti-Syrian faction accuses Damascus of orchestrating to scuttle the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

  AP via Yahoo! News – 1 hour, 57 minutes ago

• Supporters carry the coffin of bodyguard Toni Daw, who was killed with anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem, during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 32 minutes ago

• Supporters of the Christian Phalange Party carry the coffin of assassinated anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Sharif Karim (LEBANON)

• Mother of bodyguard Toni Daw, who was killed with anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem of the Christian Phalange Party, mourn during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 55 minutes ago

• Mother of bodyguard Toni Daw, who was killed with anti-Syrian legislator Antoine Ghanem of the Christian Phalange Party, mourn during a funeral in eastern Beirut September 21, 2007. Crowds gathered in Beirut on Friday for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has fuelled tensions ahead of Lebanon’s bitterly contested presidential election. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)

  Reuters via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 55 minutes ago

• Lola Ghanem, left, the wife of slain lawmaker Antoine Ghanem receives condolences from actor Ihssan Sadek along with her son Toufic, second right, in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. The powerful bomb Wednesday killed Ghanem, an anti-Syria lawmaker, and six others in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut — and threatened to derail efforts to bring the country’s rival parties together to agree on a head of state ahead of time, before voting is set to begin next week. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

  AP via Yahoo! News – Sep 20 4:34 AM

• Toufic Ghanem, son of slain lawmaker Antoine Ghanem wipes his tears as he receives condolences in a church in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. A powerful bomb on Wednesday killed Ghanem, an anti-Syria lawmaker, and six others in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut — and threatened to derail efforts to bring the country’s rival parties together to agree on a head of state ahead of time, before voting is set to begin next week. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

  AP via Yahoo! News – Sep 20 4:34 AM

• Lola Ghanem, left, the wife of slain lawmaker Antoine Ghanem receives condolences from lawmaker Hagop Pakradounian in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. The powerful bomb Wednesday killed Ghanem, an anti-Syria lawmaker, and six others in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut — and threatened to derail efforts to bring the country’s rival parties together to agree on a head of state ahead of time, before voting is set to begin next week. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

  AP via Yahoo! News – Sep 20 4:33 AM

• Lola Ghanem, the wife of slain lawmaker Antoine Ghanem sits in a church as she receives condolences in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. The powerful bomb Wednesday killed Ghanem, an anti-Syria lawmaker, and six others in a Christian neighborhood of Beirut — and threatened to derail efforts to bring the country’s rival parties together to agree on a head of state ahead of time, before voting is set to begin next week. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)

• Rana (C), daughter of assassinated anti-Syrian Deputy Antoine Ghanem mourns over the coffin of her father along with two other relatives in Beirut. Huge crowds turned out for the funeral of Ghanem whose assassination has stirred fears of more instability in the tense runup to a key presidential vote.(AFP/Marwan Naamani)

  AFP via Yahoo! News – 28 minutes ago

• A Lebanese soldier watches Christian youth parading in front of the funeral procession of assassinated anti-Syrian deputy Antoine Ghanem and his bodyguards in Beirut. Lebanese politicians and thousands of mourners turned out for the funeral of Ghanem, whose assassination has raised tensions in the runup to a key presidential vote.(AFP/Ramzi Haidar)

  AFP via Yahoo! News – 33 minutes ago