Moqbel Decides to Extend Term of Intelligence Chief by Six Months

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel revealed on Wednesday a decision to extend the tenure of Army Intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel, which ends on March 20, by six months.

Moqbel said that his decision comes in accordance with his jurisdictions.

“It is not acceptable to leave important security posts vacant amid the failure to elect a new head of state,” the minister said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Concerning the extension of the term of other high-ranking security officials, Moqbel said that the state still has six or seven months before the term of Army chief General Jean Qahwaji ends.

“Until then, no one knows what could happen,” Moqbel said.

Moqbel and the Free Patriotic Movement were recently at loggerheads after FPM chief MP Michel Aoun decided to withdraw confidence from him over the extension of the term of the head of the Higher Defense Council, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair.

The tenure of Qahwaji is set to end in September. His term was extended for two years in September 2013.

The military positions in Lebanon are suffering as a result of the months-long presidential vacuum in light of the parliament's failure to elect a successor for Michel Suleiman. The vacuum also threatens the position of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous who is set to retire in June.

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