Powerful Blast Rocks Beirut

BEIRUT, Lebanon – A powerful bomb went off in a Christian neighborhood of eastern Beirut (search) late Friday, wounding at least three people and sending soldiers scrambling to the scene.

The blast detonated just before midnight near a bank, completely destroying a car. But it was not clear if the bomb was placed in the vehicle, under it or near it. Two other cars were also damaged.

The explosion was the latest in a series of blasts that have shaken Beirut, some killing or wounding prominent politicians and others hitting public areas and causing panic.

It came days after a U.N. investigator visited Damascus (search) to set up interviews with top Syrian officials over the most notorious of the bomb blasts — a Feb. 14 explosion that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri (search) and 20 other people. The U.N. team has already accused four senior Lebanese security officials who carried out Syrian policy in the country.

Many in Lebanon accuse Syria in the killings of Hariri and other anti-Damascus figures, a charge Syria denies.

Lebanese have expressed fears of more bombings as the U.N. investigation pushes forward — particularly if it points a finger directly at Syria in Hariri's slaying.

Syria controlled Lebanon for years and had troops in the country for 29 years, until April, when it was forced to withdraw them, in part because of huge protests over Hariri's slaying.