Judge opens probe into Spanish peacekeeper deaths

MADRID, June 26 (Reuters) - A Spanish High Court judge has opened an investigation into the deaths of six Spanish UN peacekeepers in a car bombing in Lebanon, a judicial source said today.

Just hours after a state funeral was held for the men, Judge Fernando Grande Marlaska started a probe into Sunday's attack, halting their cremations which would have gone ahead shortly after the ceremony.

Three Spanish and three Colombian peacekeepers, all serving in the Spanish army, were killed in the blast.

Grande Marlaska has requested reports from Spain's foreign and defence ministries about the bombing, the first deadly assault on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since last year's war between Israel and Lebanese Shi'ite Hezbollah guerrillas backed by Iran and Syria.

The bombing was condemned by Hezbollah but no group has claimed responsibility. The Fatah al-Islam group battling the army in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared had threatened UNI