Suleiman Asks Govt. Not to Provide Cover for Criminals, Urges Speedy Indictments in Samaha, Nahr al-Bared Cases

President Michel Suleiman on Sunday stressed that the government “must not provide cover for perpetrators and criminals” and called for “speeding up the indictments” in the cases of ex-minister Michel Samaha and the Nahr al-Bared clashes, in a speech eulogizing slain Maj. Gen. Wissam a-Hasan, chief of the Internal Security Forces' Intelligence Bureau.

“I cannot but express my deep feelings of grief and pain over the martyrs, topped by Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and Chief Warrant Officer Ahmed Suhyooni, and I extend my warmest condolences to the families of the martyrs, their comrades, the minister of interior, the prime minister and everyone who loved the martyrs,” said Suleiman at the ISF headquarters in Ashrafiyeh.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati also attended the honoring ceremony.

“I see that this institution is being punished by the assassination of its chief, the martyr Major General, as the Intelligence Bureau has managed under his leadership to unveil the networks of espionage and terrorism and to foil harm and a major strife by seizing the explosives” that were transported by ex-minister Samaha from Syria to Lebanon, added Suleiman.

The president, who awarded al-Hasan the National Order of the Cedar in Grade of Grand Officer, said the slain general “managed to thwart the conspiracy and prevent it through his soul and blood.”

“This assassination is targeted against the Lebanese state and the martyrdom requires us to close ranks and cooperate at the level of citizens and the institutions, especially the political and security institutions. The judiciary and the security agencies cannot perform their duties without the support of the political authority,” Suleiman added.

“I call on security authorities to be firm and strict, as they enjoy the people's support, and I call on politicians, the government and the political officials not to provide cover for the perpetrators. Make security forces and judges feel that they have real support and this is out duty,” he went on to say.

“Enough! Unveil the crimes, starting with the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri and the rest of the figures,” Suleiman asked the authorities, calling on the judiciary to “speed up the indictments in the cases of Michel Samaha and Nahr al-Bared.”