Geagea Calls for Expulsion of Syrian Ambassador, Resignation of Cabinet
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea demanded on Saturday the suspension of all the agreements with Syria, the expulsion of Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali and the immediate resignation of the cabinet.
“They assassinated (ISF Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam) al-Hasan to prevent the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from revealing the truth,” Geagea said in a news conference at his Maarab residence.
He said that Hasan was assassinated because “he was seeking to build a strong state... Because he exposed the plot of (ex-Information Minister) Michel Samaha,” Geagea pointed out.
Hasan was killed on Friday in a car bomb in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district.
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.
“We call on those who still have dignity in this government, in particular, the ministers of the Progressive Socialist Party to resign and to assume their responsibilities,” the LF leader said.
He also urged the international community and Arab states to lift the political cover off the cabinet “as its presence isn't justified anymore.”
Geagea demanded the suspension of all the security, military and judicial agreements with Syria and the expulsion of its ambassador immediately.
He called on the UNIFIL to deploy immediately along the Lebanese-Syrian border and the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701.
Geagea called on his supporters and the Lebanese people to attend en mass the funeral of Hasan on Sunday, holding only Lebanese flags.
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