Lebanon’s internal political crisis took a new turn Tuesday with the assassination of a leading anti-Syrian politician. Pierre Gemayel, Lebanon’s industry minister and a member of an influential Christian Lebanese family, was killed in broad daylight as he left church. Suspicions immediately turned to Syria, which has been accused of backing the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri nearly two years ago. At the U.N., Syrian Ambassador Bashar Jaafari denied Syria’s involvement.

Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari: “Syria have nothing to do with this. Syria is affected directly or indirectly from such crimes, horrible crimes committed and perpetrated on the Lebanese scene. We have been working very seriously with all those who have good faith toward encouraging the Lebanese to sit together to find out a solution to all their problems around the table, the round table of the national reconciliation. We have no interest to [interfere in] the national reconciliation process in Lebanon.”

The killing comes as tensions between the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Hezbollah are at a breaking point. Hezbollah has threatened to bring down Siniora’s government unless it agrees to share more power.