Police say the bomb evidently was a car packed with explosives and parked at the roadside. It detonated as Al-Murr's motorcade passed by. Reports say the explosion killed at least one person and wounded a number of others.
Al-Murr is a son-in-law of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.
The defense minister and the president are part of a caretaker government until a new government can be formed in Lebanon.
The government is in transition since the assassination in February of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri ignited a political crisis. The crisis culminated with an end to the long-time occupation of Lebanon by Syrian troops, and new elections in May.
Al-Murr and Lahoud are regarded as pro-Syrian.
(Reuters/AP)
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Lebanese Defense Minister Wounded In Blast
12 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- A bomb blast in a suburb of Beirut early today wounded Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Al-Murr.
Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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