North Lebanese man suspected as Beirut suicide bomber

Lebanon is waiting on DNA test results to confirm the identity of a corpse believed to be that of a man from the northern Akkar region suspected as the suicide bomber behind Thursday's deadly attack in the southern Beirut suburbs, official sources said Friday.

Human remains were discovered in the vehicle driven by 20-year-old suspected suicide bomber Koteiba al-Satem which detonated in the Haret Hreik neighborhood Thursday afternoon killing at least four people and injuring dozens more.

The young man's father Mohammed said his son had been missing since December 30, according to army sources who interrogated him on Friday.

His mother Fawzia provided DNA samples to investigators at an army station near their home village of Wadi Khaled which sits on the Syrian border in the northern Akkar district, Lebanon's National News Agency said.

Even when expedited, DNA tests may take up to two-three days for results to come in.

The suspect's identity card was discovered at the scene of the blast.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud have both said that evidence points to a suicide attack, but no official declaration has been issued over the incident.

The attack was the fourth such bombing in Beirut's southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh since July 2013. It appeared to target civilians in the densely populated neighborhood packed with shops, clothing stores and restaurants.

No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion, but previous attacks were believed to have been carried out by al-Qaeda-linked groups or groups with ties to the Islamist rebels fighting in Syria.

Unconfirmed media reports published Friday said the suspect may have been affiliated with rebels who have repeatedly threatened to attack Lebanese targets in retaliation for Hezbollah's intervention in the Syrian conflict on the side of government forces.

Thursday's explosion came six days after a massive car bomb killed former finance Minister Mohammed Shatah and seven others in downtown Beirut. There is no clear connection between the two bombings.