The explosion in Damascus yesterday that wrecked the back and side of an Iranian bus, killed at least three people, started a fire and smashed windows in a building nearby was caused by the bursting of an over-inflated tyre – at least, according to the Syrian interior minister who attended the scene in person.

It is scarcely surprising, though, if others – looking at the photos of the wreckage – doubt the minister's explanation. This is, after all, a country where official versions of events, such as the "suicides" of former prime minister Mahmoud al-Zohbi and a previous interior minister, Ghazi Kanaan, are normally viewed with more than a little scepticism.

What we do know about yesterday's explosion is that the bus had checked into a garage, probably for repairs to a tyre. 

What we don't know is how the minister was able to conclude so quickly and categorically that the explosion was an accident. Indeed, we shall probably never know for sure, because the minister himself supervised a swift clean-up of the scene – thus destroying any possible evidence to the contrary.

Considering that two senior Iranian officials were visiting Damascus at the time, the Syrian authorities presumably felt obliged to assure everyone that there was nothing sinister about this tragic incident. 

But their handling of it has been less than reassuring. A thorough investigation, followed by a full explanation of what happened, would do far more to bolster public confidence and enhance their own credibility.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 4 December 2009