Anchor gloats at Lebanon killing

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A Lebanese TV news presenter has been sacked over comments in which she gloated over the assassination of anti-Syrian politician Walid Eido.

The presenter, who has not been named, then went on to name a Lebanese MP who would be assassinated next.

She was unaware that her microphone was on and that the comments were being broadcast live.

The presenter worked for NBN, a station owned by the pro-Syrian parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri.

The station has apologised for the "unintentional mistake" and said that the presenter's views did not represent those of the station.

Mr Eido, an outspoken critic of Syria and its influence in Lebanon, was buried on Thursday. He is the sixth leading anti-Syrian figure to be killed since 2005.

Laughter

The open microphone captured the presenter saying: "Why did it take them so long to kill him?"

She and a male colleague, who was also sacked, can then be heard laughing.

"Ahmed Fatfat [another anti-Syrian MP] will be next. I'm counting them off," she went on.

The colleague tells her not to gloat.

"It's not gloating. But we've had enough of them," she continues.

Video of the comments has appeared on the web and been repeatedly broadcast on Lebanese and pan-Arab TV stations.

Mr Fatfat has said he fears for his life and intends to sue NBN.