Key Christian Aide Wounded in East Beirut

A key Christian official and nephew of President Amin Gemayel was wounded in continued intra-Christian fighting in East Beirut early Monday, newspapers and radios reported.

The independent An Nahar newspaper said that Fuad abu Nader, a member of the Falangist Party politburo, was ambushed by gunmen on his way home from an emergency meeting called to end turmoil in Christian ranks.

Ten of Abu Nader’s aides were also wounded when his motorcade was intercepted at Daoura, an East Beirut suburb, the paper said.

Voice of Lebanon, the major Christian radio station, reported the attack and said the Falangist official was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Named to Committee

Abu Nader, a former commander of the Lebanese Forces, the dominant Christian militia, was one of five people appointed to a committee set up Sunday night to curb Lebanon’s worst Christian violence in seven months.

Lebanese Forces units fought street battles for several hours with machine guns, rocket launchers and mortars Sunday against what militia sources described as a rebel faction linked with Abu Nader and another militia commander, Maroun Meshalani. According to some reports, the rebels were in control of the streets by Sunday evening.

The Lebanese Forces commander, Samir Geagea, had fled during the fighting to Jubayl, 19 miles north of Beirut, but was given safe conduct Monday to return for cease-fire talks.

In years past, the Lebanese Forces militia was a coalition dominated by the Falangists, the party ruled by Gemayel. Last year, however, the Falangists split from the coalition as Gemayel’s party became increasingly pro-Syrian and the Lebanese Forces resisted Syria’s domination of Lebanese politics.

East Beirut Calm

Despite Monday’s ambush, Christian radios said East Beirut was calm. Shops and businesses opened, and traffic jammed city streets in the morning rush hour.