Aoun: Hasan's Murder is an Organized Crime, We'll Await Investigations before Making Accusations
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun condemned on Friday the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, calling for calm to “confront organized crime,” reported OTV.
He told the television station: “We strongly condemn this crime and I call on the Lebanese people to act calmly.”
“There is no doubt that the crime is aimed at targeting Lebanon's stability,” he added.
“We prefer to wage external wars for years instead of waging internal ones for a few hours,” he continued.
“During this critical time, I call on all sides to be vigilant,” Aoun stressed.
Asked if Lebanon is entering a new phase of assassinations and bombings, he replied: “This is up to the Lebanese people's wisdom.”
“I challenge them to come together to combat crime,” he declared.
Commenting on Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's remarks that Hasan was assassinated over his discovery of former Minister Michel Samaha's plot to carry out attacks in Lebanon, the MP said: “I do not make accusations as soon as a crime is committed.”
“I await the findings of the investigation in order to make a judgment,” he stressed.
Hasan was killed on Friday in a car bomb in the Ashrafiyeh district in Beirut.
Conflicting reports emerged over the number of dead in the blast with some sides putting the figure at three and others at eight.
At least a hundred people were wounded in the explosion.
Hasan was close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and hostile to the regime in Syria. He had been tipped to take over as ISF head at the end of this year.
The ISF played a central role in the arrest in August of Samaha, who has close links to Damascus and was charged with planning attacks in Lebanon and transporting explosives in collaboration with Syrian security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk.
Hasan also played a central role in the investigation in Rafik Hariri's murder in February 2005, as well as uncovering Israeli espionage networks and terrorist cells in Lebanon.
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