In the aftermath of a double suicide bombing in front of Iran’s embassy in Beirut, the Lebanese witnessed the rarest of outcomes: a group, an al-Qa’ida affiliate called the ‘Abd Allah ‘Azzam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the bombings while the identities of the two attackers were swiftly revealed.

Beirut is no stranger to terrorism, assassination and tragedy. But unmasked villains are nearly unprecedented in a country where you never know for sure who pulled the trigger or who planted the bomb. (CONTINUED - 2059 WORDS)