Former Hezbollah leader, Imad Fayez Mughniyah. Photo: wiki commons.

A senior Hezbollah official killed in Damascus, Syria in 2008 was done so on orders of Bashar al-Assad, a senior Syrian opposition member has told Egypt’s Al-Ahram daily. According to the official, the comments are based on information provided by a Syrian security officer who defected from the Syrian security service.

Mugniyeh was one of the most wanted terrorists on earth when  a bomb planted in the headrest of his car exploded, killing him. Hezbollah fingered Israel’s national intelligence agency Mossad for the assassination.

The official told Al-Ahram that the officer said the order was given”­ January 3,  2008 to kill a Lebanese official in Damascus, who was wanted by the United States, as quickly as possible. A letter a month later laid out the objective but didn’t specify who the target was. Once concluded another letter was sent to Syrian officials confirming Mugniyeh’s death. “Urgent, “­ operation completed successfully,” it read.