by Hassan Jarrah Mon Apr 21, 9:16 AM ET ZAHLE, Lebanon (AFP) – The Lebanese town of Zahle observed an official day of mourning amid tension on Monday, with political leaders trading blame after two activists were shot dead at the opening of a Phalange party headquarters. Funerals for Nasri al-Maruni and Salim Assi, whose son was among three people wounded in the Sunday evening attack, are planned for Tuesday.
Both Assi and al-Maruni were supporters of the Christian Phalange party, a member of Lebanon’s ruling coalition.Police named a suspect in the shooting as Joseph Zouki and said they had launched a manhunt for him. He is thought to be a supporter of Zahle MP Elie Skaff, a Christian who backs the opposition.
Security sources in Zahle said that they were also looking for Zouki’s brother, Toni, who they suspect was with him at the time of the shooting. A security official on Monday said Walid Zouki, a relative of Joseph, had turned himself in to the police. Although he was not an initial suspect "he seems to have had a role" in the crime, the official said. Phalange leader and former president Amin Gemeyel called the incident a "premeditated act" in an interview on the LBC television channel. He accused the assailants’ "leaders of knowing full well where they are and what they need to do to turn them into the authorities". Gemeyel held "the leaders of the opposition responsible" for the act and slammed "Christian leaders of covering up an obvious terrible plot to spark divisions and ignite a war" in alluding to what his coalition identifies as a Syrian plot to destabilize Lebanon.
Skaff rejected Gemeyel’s accusations and told AFP that this was an "isolated act" and that he would "not provide protection for the assailants."He accused the Phalangists of "threatening Zouki and shooting at him. He took a bullet to the hand and his car has bullet marks on it.""His brother Toni came like a madman to his rescue. This was a question of self-defense where it was kill or be killed," he added.
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The former president’s son Sami Gemeyel had just left the headquarter inauguration at the time of the shooting. Another son, industry minister Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated in November 2006.
Intense security measures have been taken in the eastern town with all cars being searched at checkpoints in the search of Zouki and his brother, a security official said.
"The security services have conducted several operations and raids where the person responsible for the attack could have taken refuge," the security official said.
Lebanon’s general prosecutor Abdallah al-Bitar has arrived in Zahle to conduct an investigation, an AFP correspondent in the area said.
A picture of the two dead Phalange party officials is stuck on a stop sign during their funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. The poster reads "The martyrs of Zahle and Phalange, Sami Assi and Nasri Marouni". REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Relatives mourn dead Phalange party officials during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:28 AM
Relatives mourn dead Phalange party officials during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:29 AM
Lebanon’s former President Amin Gemayel walks with the relatives of dead Phalange party officials during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Lebanon’s former President Amin Gemayel (C) walks with the relatives of dead Phalange party officials during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:32 AM
The family gathers to mourn over the coffin of Nasri Marouni from the pro-government Christian Phalange Party, who was killed during a shooting on last Sunday night, during his funeral procession, in the eastern city of Zahle, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. The shooting in Zahle on Sunday night led to the death of two activists from the pro-government right wing Christian Plalange Party. Three phalange members were also wounded in Sunday’s shooting that was believed to have been started by opposition supporters.(AP Photo/Samer Husseini)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:32 AM
Former Lebanese President and the top leader of the Christian Phalange Party Amin Gemayel, right, cries as he comforts Bernadet al-Hajj the wife of Nasri Marouni from the pro-government Phalange Party, who was killed during a shooting on last Sunday night, during Marouni’s funeral procession, in the eastern city of Zahle, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. The shooting in Zahle on Sunday night led to the death of two activists from the pro-government right wing Christian Plalange Party. Three phalange members were also wounded in Sunday’s shooting that was believed to have been started by opposition supporters.(AP Photo/Samer Husseini)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 9:59 AM
A Lebanese policeman guards, as Hezbollah deputies members arrive at the parliament, in downtown Beirut, April 22, 2008. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
Lebanese Phalange supporters carry the coffins of their two killed comrades during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 9:08 AM
Lebanese Phalange supporters carry the coffins of their two killed comrades during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:48 AM
Lebanese Phalange supporters carry the coffins of their two killed comrades during a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:22 AM
A Lebanese soldier secures the area from his armoured personnel carrier as Phalange supporters carry the coffins of their two killed comrades at a funeral in Zahle village in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon April 22, 2008. Gunmen shot dead two local officials of a Christian party which is also a member of Lebanon’s ruling anti-Syrian coalition in eastern Lebanon, security sources said. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 8:24 AM
Two Lebanese policemen, stand guard, foreground, as Lebanese pro-government lawmakers, background, leave the Lebanese parliament building after the session to elect new Lebanese president was postponed, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s lawmakers on Tuesday failed yet again to convene in sufficient numbers to elect a president, as the country’s divided factions remain at odds over power-sharing in a future government. Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 5:30 AM
In this image released by the Lebanese parliament’s media office, Syrian-backed Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri gestures during a press conference after he postponed the session to elect a new Lebanese President, at the Lebanese parliament building, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s lawmakers on Tuesday failed yet again to convene in sufficient numbers to elect a president, as the country’s divided factions remain at odds over power-sharing in a future government. Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting. (AP Photo/Hassan Ibrahim, HO)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 5:39 AM
Pro-government Lebanese lawmakers leave the Lebanese parliament building after the session to elect new Lebanese president postponed, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s lawmakers on Tuesday failed yet again to convene in sufficient numbers to elect a president, as the country’s divided factions remain at odds over power-sharing in a future government. Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 5:07 AM
Pro-government Lebanese lawmakers leave the Lebanese parliament building after the session to elect new Lebanese president was postponed, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s lawmakers on Tuesday failed yet again to convene in sufficient numbers to elect a president, as the country’s divided factions remain at odds over power-sharing in a future government. Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
A Lebanese policeman guards, as Hezbollah deputies members arrive at the parliament, in downtown Beirut, April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s parliament failed to hold a session to elect a president on Tuesday — the 18th time the chamber has been unable to hold a vote derailed by the worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
A Lebanese policeman stands guard as Members of Parliament leave the parliament in downtown Beirut April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s parliament failed to hold a session to elect a president on Tuesday — the 18th time the chamber has been unable to hold a vote derailed by the worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 5:04 AM
A Lebanese policeman stands guard in front of the parliament in downtown Beirut April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s parliament failed to hold a session to elect a president on Tuesday — the 18th time the chamber has been unable to hold a vote derailed by the worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. (LEBANON)
Reuters via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 4:54 AM
Lebanese anti-Syrian Druse leader Walid Jumblatt, center, escorted by his bodyguards, arrives at the parliament building, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday April 22, 2008. Lebanon’s lawmakers on Tuesday failed yet again to convene in sufficient numbers to elect a president, as the country’s divided factions remain at odds over power-sharing in a future government. Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 22 4:31 AM
A Lebanese Red Cross worker, left, comforts Bernadet al-Hajj, right, the wife of Nasri Marouni from the pro-government Christian Phalange Party, who was killed during a shooting on Sunday night, as she mourns in a Church in the eastern city of Zahle, Lebanon, Monday April 21, 2008. The shooting in Zahle on Sunday night led to the death of two activists from the pro-government right wing Christian Plalange Party. Three phalange members were also wounded in Sunday’s shooting that was believed to have been started by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Samer Husseini)
AP via Yahoo! News – Apr 21 8:30 AM
A Lebanese nurse, right, treats Rashid Assi from the pro-government Christian Phalange Party, who was seriously injured during a shooting on Sunday night, as he lies on his bed in the hospital, in the eastern city of Zahle, Lebanon, Monday April 21, 2008. The shooting in Zahle on Sunday night led to the death of two activists from the pro-government right wing Christian Plalange Party. Three phalange members were also wounded in Sunday’s shooting that was believed to have been started by opposition supporters. (AP Photo / Samer Husseini)
