An independent international investigation commission Thursday began the probe into assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. reported.

According to the report, four judges and experts from the commission, which was dedicated to the investigation on political murder over the last two years, have started their work in coordination with the Lebanese judicial authority.

The UN Security Council approved earlier in the day a request by the Lebanese government to expand the commission's investigation beyond the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to the recent assassination of Gemayel.

Also on Thursday, the funeral of Gemayel was held in the country's capital of Beirut with the attendance of his father Amin Gemayel, who is also former president, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Fouad Seniora as well as many other Lebanese officials and public figures.

Thousands of mourners also gathered outside Beirut's St. George Cathedral where the funeral was held to bid their farewell to the young minister.

Gemayel, 34, a Christian leader in Lebanon and a member of anti-Syrian parliament majority, was shot dead on Tuesday when his convoy was attacked on a street in Jedeide, about 15 km northeast of Beirut.

Gemayel was the fifth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in the past two years.

Lebanon has witnessed a series of blasts since February 2005 when former premier Rafik Hariri was killed in a deadly bombing attack.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2006)