Lebanon – Lebanese politicians and military officers bade a mournful farewell to the martyr one of the top generals’ Francois el Hajj and his bodyguard Khairallah Hadwane Friday in a funeral that briefly united the deeply divided country. Hundreds of grieving Lebanese stood in a downpour along the route of Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj’s flag-draped casket from his home in a Beirutsuburb to the Maronite Catholic basilica in the Christian mountain heartland north of the capital.
"Their bloody message will not scare us," read one banner, refering to the still unknown killers, along a road also hung with Lebanese flags. An elderly woman threw rose petals in front of the procession as it passsed through the port of Jounieh/. "They killed Hajj because he was a clean leader, a poor and wise man with foresight," said Kafa Makhlouf, a 45-year-old Christian homemaker who drove an hour to Harisa, the mountain town overlooking the Mediterranean where the funeral mass was held.
On Thursday, security agents in the southern city of Sidon detained four Lebanese in whose names the car used in the bombing was registered. The men were detained from a neighborhood near the Ein el Helwee refugee camp, where Islamic militant groups are known to operate. But Defense Minister Elias Murr, speaking on Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. television late Thursday, said he would not limit the suspects to just "criminal terrorists"
After the mass, the coffin was driven halfway across Lebanon for burial in Hajj’s hometown of Rmeish. Hajj’s driver, Khairallah Hadwan, a Shiite, who was also killed in Wednesday’s blast in Baabda, was buried in the eastern Bekaa Valley. The yellow banner of Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group that dominates the area, hung on a wall as a show of condolence as Islamic prayers were read before his casket in a mosque
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The flag-draped coffin of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj is seen during his funeral mass at the Maronite Catholic basilica of Harisa, north of Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. Lebanon’s deeply divided politicians united in mourning, while schools and businesses closed Friday as the people and the military staged a momentous farewell to a top general slain in a car bombing two days ago. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)
AP via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 43 minutes ago
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The flag-draped coffin of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj is seen during his funeral mass at the Maronite Catholic basilica of Harisa, north of Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. Lebanon’s deeply divided politicians united in mourning, while schools and businesses closed Friday as the people and the military staged a momentous farewell to a top general slain in a car bombing two days ago. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:42 AM
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Soldiers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in front of a poster of him outside the church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Emile Dalal (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:15 AM
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Officials attend a mass praying ceremony for slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/ Emile Dalal (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:19 AM
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Army officers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Emile Dalal (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:15 AM
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Mourners hold photographs of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in the church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:37 AM
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Army officers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj into a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/ Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:29 AM
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Soldiers honour Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj during his funeral in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:03 AM
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REFILE – CORRECTING POSITION Army Commander General Michel Suleiman (front row L), former president Amin Gemayel (front row C) and Christian leader Michel Aoun sit behind the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj inside the church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Emile Dalal (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:04 AM
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Kafa (R), the mother of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, mourns in a church in Beirut December 13, 2007. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 3:56 AM
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A relative of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj throws flowers during his funeral near his house in Baabda December 14, 2007. (Ali Moweisi/Reuters)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 3:57 AM
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A soldier hold up the medals of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Beirut December 13, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of Hajj. (Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)
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A relative of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj throws flowers during his funeral near his house in Baabda December 14, 2007. REUTERS/Ali Moweisi
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 3:36 AM
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Laudi Hajj, right, the wife of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj, who was assassinated two days ago by a car bomb, mourns as she is comforted by a relative during her husband’s funeral procession, at his house in the Christian suburb of Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon, Friday Dec. 14, 2007. Thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral and line the roads some of which have been decorated with the Lebanese, red-and-white flag with a green Cedar tree in the middle. The government has ordered all schools and universities closed. Business associations called for closures during the day, or at least while the funeral was under way.(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 1:02 AM
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Laudi Hajj, center, the wife of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj sits between her son Elie, right, and her daughter Rasha, left, during the funeral mass of their father at the Maronite Catholic basilica of Harisa, north of Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. Lebanon’s deeply divided politicians united in mourning, while schools and businesses closed Friday as the people and the military staged a momentous farewell to a top general slain in a car bombing two days ago. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:37 AM
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Army chief, Gen. Michel Suleiman, center, sits between Laudi Hajj, left, the wife of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj, and his son Elie, right, during the funeral mass at the Maronite Catholic basilica of Harisa, north of Beirut, Lebanon Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. Lebanon’s deeply divided politicians united in mourning, while schools and businesses closed Friday as the people and the military staged a momentous farewell to a top general slain in a car bombing two days ago. (AP Photo/Ahmad Omar)
AP via Yahoo! News – 2 hours, 38 minutes ago
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Kafa el-Alam, the mother of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj, who was assassinated two days ago by a car bomb, mourns as Lebanese army officer tries to calm down her, during her son’s funeral procession, at his house in the Christian suburb of Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon, Friday Dec. 14, 2007. Thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral and line the roads some of which have been decorated with the Lebanese, red-and-white flag with a green Cedar tree in the middle. The government has ordered all schools and universities closed. Business associations called for closures during the day, or at least while the funeral was under way.(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 1:42 AM
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Soldiers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:24 AM
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Army Commander General Michel Suleiman (C) attends a mass praying ceremony with the wife, Laudi (L), and son, Elias, of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Emile Dalal (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 5:00 AM
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Soldiers honour Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj during his funeral in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:03 AM
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Soldiers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj in a church in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 4:21 AM
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Army officers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj during his funeral in Harisa, north of Beirut, December 14, 2007. Lebanon’s army urged feuding politicians to set aside their differences and strengthen the foundations of the nation on Friday at the funeral of the assassinated general. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
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The brother of slain Maj. Gen. Francois Hajj, who was assassinated two days ago by a car bomb, mourns as he holds his brother’s portrait during his funeral procession, near his house in the Christian suburb of Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon, Friday Dec. 14, 2007. Thousands are expected to attend the funeral and line the roads some of which have been decorated with the Lebanese, red-and-white flag with a green Cedar tree in the middle. The government has ordered all schools and universities closed. Business associations called for closures during the day, or at least while the funeral was under way.(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 3:49 AM
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Soldiers carry the coffin of slain Brigadier General Francois al- Hajj at a military hospital during his funeral procession in Beirut December 14, 2007. (Ali Moweisi/Reuters)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Dec 14 3:43 AM
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Elie Hajj, left, the son of Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj who was killed in a car bombing on Wednesday, comforts his sister Jessica as they join people at the scene in a candlelit vigil in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007. The army on Thursday questioned the owners of a car used in the bombing assassination of a top military general as the probe looked into possible involvement of al-Qaida-inspired extremists in the slaying of the officer who led a major offensive against militants. (AP Photo / Mahmoud Tawil)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 13 11:16 AM
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Elie Hajj, center, the son of Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj who was killed in a car bombing on Wednesday, joins people as they march at the scene in a candlelit vigil, carrying pictures of the slain officer and saying prayers in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007. The army on Thursday questioned the owners of a car used in the bombing assassination of a top military general as the probe looked into possible involvement of al-Qaida-inspired extremists in the slaying of the officer who led a major offensive against militants. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 13 11:17 AM
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Relatives of Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj who was killed in a car bombing on Wednesday, react at the scene during a candle lit vigil in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007. The army on Thursday questioned the owners of a car used in the bombing assassination of a top military general as the probe looked into possible involvement of al-Qaida-inspired extremists in the slaying of the officer who led a major offensive against militants. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Tawil)
AP via Yahoo! News – Dec 13 11:48 AM
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Relatives and friends of Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj who was killed in a car bombing on Wednesday, react at the scene during a candle lit vigil in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007. The army on Thursday questioned the owners of a car used in the bombing assassination of a top military general as the probe
