Suleiman Slams Turning Requests to Hold Army Accountable into Political Campaign
President Michel Suleiman hit back on Monday at requests made by March 14 alliance officials to hold the army accountable over the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, saying such demands should not be turned into a political campaign that targets its patriotic role.
In a statement released by Baabda palace, Suleiman lauded the military's patriotic role in preventing strife and confronting security tension to preserve civil peace and stability.
The president also praised the sacrifices made by the army, including the death of soldiers during armed confrontations with gunmen and suspects accused of committing “massacres.”
“Requests to hold it accountable on mistakes that happened during confrontations should not be equivalent to its patriotic role and should not be turned into a political campaign that targets such a role,” said the presidential statement.
Suleiman stressed it was up to the military to hold accountable some of its members and to take disciplinary and judicial measures against them.
The president's statement was a clear retort to the March 14 alliance that on Sunday considered a memo handed to Suleiman by Sidon MPs Bahia Hariri and Fouad Saniora as a “national memo.”
It asks for the referral of the case of the Sidon clashes between the army and supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir more than two weeks ago to the Judicial Council and the prevention of all armed activities in the city.
It also calls for the removal of all political flags from the city and the closure of all offices belonging to “armed groups,” in reference to Hizbullah.
During the meeting of March 14 personalities in Hariri's residence in Majdalyoun on Sunday, Saniora rejected what he said were some militia-like acts committed by soldiers in their battle with the gunmen after videotapes of alleged torture began emerging.
Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan questioned on Monday an officer and four soldiers for violating military rules and causing the death of a suspect involved in the battles.
He issued arrest warrants against them.
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