Member of opposition party assassinated

On 10 September 2008 a senior member of the opposition Lebanese Democratic Party was assassinated via a car bombing outside his home in the village of Baissour, located near the resort town of Aley and approximately 11 mi/17 km southeast of Beirut. Sheik Saleh Aridi was reportedly a high-ranking advisor to pro-Syrian Druze leader Talal Arslan, who is a main rival to the anti-Syrian Druze leader and member of Parliament Walid Jumblatt. Authorities stated that the bomb -- which was comprised of approximately 1.5 lb/0.7 kg of explosives -- was placed underneath the driver's seat of Aridi's Mercedes and was detonated as he began driving by either remote control or a motion sensor. Aridi was the only passenger in the vehicle and the only fatality; however, three other persons were injured in the bombing.