Rifi Confirms Officials Thwarted Plot to Kill Samaha

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi confirmed on Tuesday that a plot to kill former pro-Syrian Information Minister Michel Samaha, who is on trial on terrorism charges, has been thwarted.

Rifi told al-Liwaa newspaper that he had received information from a highly credible security agency that Samaha would be killed during his transfer to hospital for having information about the Syrian regime.

The minister said he told Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq about the plot as soon as he was informed by the agency.

Rifi also called the general prosecutor and the military prosecutor to stop Samaha's transfer to hospital.

The minister claimed that his efforts contributed to lifting the decision for the suspect's transfer to avert his murder on his way to hospital or his possible kidnapping.

His remarks came a day after security sources told al-Joumhouria daily about the plot.

The former minister and two Syrian officials have been indicted for transporting explosives from Syria to Lebanon in an attempt to assassinate Lebanese political and religious leaders.

But his trial has been adjourned on several occasions over the failure to summon Syrian security chief General Ali Mamlouk.

G.K.

H.K.