UN Council condemns deadly Lebanon car bombing

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. AP

United nations—The UN Security Council and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned the deadly car bomb attack that rocked Beirut, killing a top Lebanese intelligence official and seven others.

In a statement, the 15-member council called the attack a “heinous act” and appealed to the Lebanese people to “preserve national unity in the face of such attempts to undermine the country’s stability.”

“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the council said.

Council members “reiterated their unequivocal condemnation of any attempt to destabilize Lebanon through political assassinations.”

In a separate statement released by his spokesman, Ban called for the bombing to be “thoroughly investigated” and urged “all Lebanese parties not to be provoked by this heinous terrorist act.”

The rush-hour bombing in Beirut killed at least eight people—including the intelligence chief of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, General Wissam al-Hassan—and wounded 86 more, Lebanese officials said.