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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Lahoud denounced regarding suspects in Hariri assassination |
| 2006-04-26 |
| The opposition Future Movement, led by Lebanese member of parliament Saad al-Hariri, son of the assassinated prime minister Rafic al-Hariri, strongly criticized President Emile Lahoud's defense of the four top suspects in the assassination, and his call for the release of the generals, who they said constituted the pillars of his intelligence and police regime. Saad al-Hariri leads the opposition in Lebanon's parliament, and have the majority of parliament members, His party, the Future Movement reaffirmed yesterday confidence in the international probe of the February 14 assassination, and said President Lahoud's insistence on the release of the suspected generals has intensified ahead of the launch of an international tribunal that will put them on trial. The party stressed that President Lahoud "has appointed himself as the judge, lawyer and investigator of the probe, overstepping the judiciary and the UN-commissioned team investigating the assassination." It pointed out that the United Nations Security Council has been monitoring the top judicial body's work to implement resolutions, which were unanimously adopted by the Council, on the assassination. The Future Movement said since his appointment by the custodian rule and the forcible extension of his term in office, against the will of the Lebanese, President Lahoud has been violating constitutional and legal norms. It cited the "ugliest crimes and violations that were committed in Lebanon's history" under his term in office, "including the manipulation of the judiciary, muzzling young demonstrators in 2001, the assassination of Mr. Ramzi Irani, persecutions by intelligence services of journalists, the terrorist attack that killed the late Premier along with MP Bassil Fuleihan and their colleagues, the assassination of journalist Mr. Samir Qassir, the murder of Mr. Geoge Hawi, the bombing attack that killed journalist and MP Gebran Tueini, and attempts on the lives of MP Marwan Hamadeh, media figure Ms. May Chidiac, and Minister Elias Murr." The Future Movement made clear that the latest attempt by Lahoud to release the top suspects in Premier Hariri's killing, only adds to suspicions among the Lebanese about his "position" vis-Ã -vis the string of terrorist attacks. It noted that the Future Movement has yet to file charges for the assassination of Premier Hariri, against the suspects and those suspects who have not been arrested yet, allowing for the UN Security Council-led probe to proceed, and to put on trial the suspects in an international tribunal. |
| Posted by:Fred |