Daryan Calls for Independent Judiciary, Says Nation is in Danger

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan called on Friday for an independent judiciary to give criminals a fair trial following a campaign of criticism by officials against the military court over its verdict against former Minister Michel Samaha.

“The state and the nation are in danger. We look forward for the righteousness of the Lebanese judicial system so that its decisions become fair and create stability,” Daryan said in a televised speech on the occasion of Isra and Miraj.

He called on the judiciary to be “impartial and independent to give criminals fair verdicts.”

On Wednesday, the military court sentenced Samaha, a former pro-Damascus information minister, to four-and-a-half years in jail over terrorism charges.

The court said Samaha, arrested in August 2012, would be released at the end of this year taking into account time served and because the judicial year amounts to nine months in Lebanon.

He admitted in court last month that he had transported explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon, but argued he had been the victim of entrapment. But the verdict drew severe criticism from mainly the March 14 alliance and centrists over the lenient sentence.

In his televised address, Daryan slammed “all those participating in the destruction of the state.”“They are all Lebanese. There is no excuse for the disintegration of the state,” he said.

The Grand Mufti also stressed that the vacuum at the Baabda Palace has no justification.

The country's top Christian post has been vacant since May last year following the expiry of President Michel Suleiman's six-year mandate.

Daryan also drew attention to the region's conflicts and the rising danger of extremism in several countries.“Our nations and religions are in danger. Such a danger on religion and the land does not only come from Zionists but also from divisions in our religion and extremism,” he said.

Daryan described the Islamic State without naming it as “evil” and rejected the destruction of churches under the pretext of religion.

Turning to the Palestinian cause, he said: “The Zionists are not only occupying land, they also want to abolish others.”

“Zionists want to destroy al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of Resurrection,” he stated.

They “are assaulting our religion and forcing our displacement by building more settlements.”

Daryan called on all believers to unite with the Palestinians and those seeking justice.

“Our priority is to salvage al-Aqsa, Jerusalem and the Palestinians,” he said.

G.K.

M.T.