Mortar Shell Found in Tariq al-Jadideh Dumpster as Houri Says He May Have Been its Target
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Security forces discovered on Thursday an explosive in Beirut's Tariq al-Jadideh neighborhood, reported various media outlets.
They said that security forces discovered a 120 mm mortar shell connected to a timer in a garbage dumpster in the area.
They have since dismantled the explosive.
The dumpster is located near the Tariq al-Jadideh police station and al-Dana area, which was soon blocked by the security forces.
The National News Agency said that the mortar was placed in a bag that was placed under a car in the area.
Voice of Lebanon radio then reported that military experts are searching the area where the mortar shell was found in order to determine if other explosives had been placed in the area.
Mustaqbal MP Ammar Houri later told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that he was headed to a wake at a Tariq al-Jadideh mosque, which is located about 100 meters from where the mortar was found.
“We will await the investigations and I urge the concerned agencies to reveal the details of the incident because it may have been an assassination attempt against me,” he added.
In the evening, the army suspected a box found near Bilal bin Rabah mosque in Sidon, whose Imam is Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, but did not find anything skeptical in it after inspection, al-Jadeed reported.
MTV said the box only contained papers.
In October, March 14 alliance MPs Houri, Ahmed Fatfat, Hadi Hbeish, Khaled al-Daher and Nuhad al-Mashnouq said that they were texted death threats from a Syrian telephone number before and after Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan's assassination.
Hasan was killed in a car bomb in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district on October 19.
06 December 2012, 20:40
17
Ok FT you solved the crime... Fewwww I guess what you say just makes senses ... NOT!!!!!!!
07 December 2012, 04:26
13
We the tax payers (that means M14 only as most M8 do not even pay for their electricity) will be more than happy to send off M8 figures such as Nasrallah, Berri and Aoun in a private jet with full accommodations to the bahamas or a place of their choice. Not because we are generous but because Lebanon will be better off and it will be a net plus for our treasury.
06 December 2012, 17:59
210
and the serie goes o.
these murderers do not want to stop the killing of innocent people.
it is no longer acceptable there are armed groups outside the state.
06 December 2012, 18:25
09
Excellent job security forces! You saved a number of innocent lives today.
06 December 2012, 18:30
10
illusions of grandeur! "I" was the target, "I" am so important they want to kill me
06 December 2012, 18:38
01
Other reports are suggesting it was found by a women who reported it to the police. So the only thing the security forces did is dismantle it. I guess SSNP and Hezbollah still have a free hand in committing these assassinations and no body can do anything about it.
06 December 2012, 19:17
43
It continues to puzzle me. If M8 forces are all behind these assassinations, and the last thing they need is internal pressure, why would they conduct assassination attempts right now? That's why I'm skeptical that the so-called Iran-Syria-Hezbollah alliance is behind ALL these attempts.
06 December 2012, 19:33
16
The idea behind the assassinations is to completely destabilize and disorganize M14 by killing their leaders. You then have a political force with people incapable of withstanding against M8, winning elections or running a government.
Look at M14 it is very weak today, their best people either killed, hiding or in exile.
06 December 2012, 19:38
32
True, but knowing that assassinations on M14 figures would only increase internal pressure on M8, then why would M8 forces pursue such assassination attempts? The Syrian regime is not what it used to be and already has its hands full at home. Meanwhile Hezbollah is already facing increased internal pressure on its arms, and the last thing it seeks is more pressure. We have other forces in Lebanon that are neither M8 and M14, and I think they have the most to gain out of chaos.
06 December 2012, 19:41
22
@greatpierro,
When an assassination attempt occurs, the question we must ask is who benefits? And if the idea among M14ers that M8 would benefit by striking "fear" among its opponents, I don't believe that is very factual. So far the assassinations have only energized the M14 camp, and the politicization of the assassinations has created more anger on M8. So how has M8 benefitted from these attempts thus far? Hence why I find it questionable that they are absolutely behind them.
06 December 2012, 20:22
15
gcb1 : just look at the past: each time a lebanese politician voiced against syria he got killed and always the same scenario: a car bomb mostly.
even aoun said that all the lebanese killed in the past were killed by syria ( read his speech in front the US senate) and he pointed his finger in the same direction for hariri.
why would syria change? still those against syria get killed. M8 getting weakened by internal pressure? syria doesn t care they are its pawns here!
syria benefits from chaos in lebanon....
06 December 2012, 21:13
11
@peace
I believe circumstances are different today, especially with regards to Syria. When the Syrian regime can't even protect its intelligence headquarters, that is a clear sign they are not who they used to be. The whole Samaha case, while shameful, is still confusing, with lots of questions unanswered. That is why I won't base some conclusions on the Samaha case until the investigation is over.
Your claim that Syria benefits from Lebanese chaos right now is questionable. Perhaps that was the case back then (in order for it to justify its occupation of Lebanon in order to preserve stability), but today, any assassination would only fuel the anger among M14 followers and quickly blame it on the Syrian regime. As a result, more support would flow to the rebels, and this is not in the interest of the Assad. Hence why I find it odd that the Assad regime in present circumstances would or even could pull off such a feat.
06 December 2012, 22:14
12
gcb1: if you look to history and recent fall of dictatorships, what did they all have in common?
the belief that they were superior and that they would crush the rebellions believing the majority of the people were on their side!
syria still denies that they are losing and will fall, they still believe they are the strongest. they are still arrogant and defying.
so why would their policy towards lebanon change? they are still believing they are ruling and that everything is under control....
06 December 2012, 22:20
12
on the other hand gcb1, israel also benefits from chaos in lebanon and their main "ally" for that is hezbollah. till hezbi are present lebanon will remain divided and that benefits israelis economical interests. they cannot stand having a country thriving next to their door and taking them markets.
but i believe that if israel was behind the assassinations they would target all sides.
06 December 2012, 19:19
17
I believe that there is some third-party source that is neither M8 nor M14, seeking to destabilize Lebanon and benefit from chaos.
06 December 2012, 20:11
26
absolutely. a third party (read: syria) is doing all the destabilisation. The tip of the iceberg : Samaha.
M8 are helpless to go against the will of syria and must take the fall.
06 December 2012, 21:14
14
I do not consider Syria a third-party. In my opinion it belongs to the M8 camp.
07 December 2012, 03:31
24
Flame Retardant.....you will never get it. Your Persian/Hezz brainwashing precludes you from understanding your Persian axis thug days are over. When ASSad is done, which could be sooner than you expect all the old links will be cut and the whole game changes.
Get ready to pay your electric bill and stop bankrupting my pocket and the gov't. We don't want your "protection"....and the resistance axis is nearly in tatters which means the Hezz will have to change too.
I understand your psychosis. Bashar, Nassy, Aoun.....and the M8 "leaders" have it too. They don't know what they will do so they are clinging to the past 40 years when there are only days left in it. Th Damascus airport is shut down and WILL NOT open until Bashar is gone. This fact will quicken the downfall much more steeply. Get ready.
07 December 2012, 15:31
01
akh mennak ya FT. i read your comments, and i read and i am tempted to talk, but i dont say anything. you know why? because elections are coming, and then we will see once and for all.
however, we know that when M8 loses you will blame the law, or the money or the birds etc. because M8 shatrin yotlbo te72i2, 3a sharet el te72i2 ykoun ma3oun, aw yotlbo entikhabet, 3a sharet enno henne yerba7o. anything other than that, is just a conspiracy theory. with no proof whatsoever. EVER!
