Shots Fired at Geagea’s Maarab Residence as Suleiman Urges Need to Capture Assailants
Unknown assailants opened fire at the Maarab residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday, announced the LF media department in a statement.
The security personnel at the residence immediately headed to the scene where they found empty bullet shells belonging to a 12.7 sniper rifle, it said.
Contacts were made with the concerned security forces and investigations in the incident have been launched.
President Michel Suleiman later held talks with Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji to follow up on the shooting.
He demanded that efforts “be intensified to uncover the perpetrator and thwart all attempts to create strife in Lebanon.”
Meanwhile, LF MP Antoine Zahra told al-Jadeed television that the incident was not simply a message to Geagea, but “a direct assassination attempt that has been properly planned.”
The operation had been planned for a long time since it can be determined that the assailants had scouted the location ahead of launching their attack, he noted.
Furthermore, he remarked that the bullets used in the attack are not available in stores.
“Had the operation not been on such a large scale, we would not have revealed it to the public,” Zahra said.
The March 14 General Secretariat also condemned the shooting, demanding that the state uncover the details of this “dangerous” incident.
It noted in a statement that the attack came in light “of some pro-Syrian powers’ incitement” against Geagea.
It stressed that the March 14 forces will stand united along the LF and its leader, saying that the shooting “does not only target the party, but the camp as a whole.”
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