Lebanese Officials Slam Samaha's Release as Protesters Block Roads
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea criticized on Thursday a court's decision to release ex-Minister Michel Samaha from custody stating that it is “rejected by all means.”
“Although I am not an expert on law, I know that releasing Samaha is rejected by all means,” said Geagea in a Tweet.
“How would I understand that a Lebanese has been released after conspiring with foreign parties to carry out acts of crime and explosions in his own country? What kind of message have the head of the court and the accompanying officers relayed to the Lebanese people after such a decision? What kind of hope and future have they left for the Lebanese and the sovereignty of the country?” asked an angered Geagea.
“This is an evil time, but we will not give in and we will do everything in our power to get out of this to a better time!” concluded the LF leader.
Later on Thursday, Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri condemned the decision to release Samaha, saying: “The officers' unanimous decision is a gift to the criminal in the name of the law.”
“The shameful and suspicious ruling is an award to the criminal and I will not remain silent over this issue,” he added.
“At any rate, the Lebanese people have made their judgment against Samaha, saying that he is a criminal, who was caught red-handed,” he noted.
“Such criminals deserve just punishment, which was laid down against numerous criminals of Samaha's ilk in the world of organized crime,” remarked the MP.
“Today we feel disgusted from the insufficient justice and we are fearful over the security of the Lebanese as long as the doors are open for criminals to escape a just ruling,” lamented Hariri.
On that note, he saluted slain Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hassan and "the heroes of the branch, who are performing their duty in protecting Lebanon.”
Later on Thursday, Hariri noted that "the first response to this legal heresy must be a draft law to revise the Military Court's jurisdiction."
He also said that "those who are defending the criminal are worse criminals," in an apparent response to remarks by Hizbullah MP Mohammed Raad.
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat also condemned the military court's decision, saying: “It is a strong blow to the great work that the security agencies have done and are still doing in combating terrorism.”
“The decision encourages crime if not legalizes it,” he added.
The Military General Prosecution agreed to release Samaha, who was an information minister from 1992 to 1995, on a 150 million Lebanese pounds bail, but prohibited him from traveling and making statements through various media.
Kataeb Party chief Sami Gemayel also commented saying: “The Lebanese judiciary has given a message to terrorists stating that the penalty for drug trafficking and planning to bomb the Lebanese at foreign orders is only three year imprisonment.”
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi denounced Samaha's releases saying:"We are living in a terrible time when criminals are allowed to get away with their crimes."
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said: “We will have a response to Samaha's release louder than members of the Syrian regime, who justify killing and bombings, believe.”
On the ground, angry protesters took to the streets in Beirut and several areas, blocking roads in Beirut's Qasqas, Barbir, Corniche al-Mazraa, Cite Sportive and Verdun as well as the vital highway between Khalde and Beirut.
Protesters also blocked a road in the Tripoli area of Bab al-Tabbaneh.
Samaha had been under arrest since August 2012 over allegations that he and Syrian security services chief Ali Mamluk transported explosives and planned attacks and assassinations of political and religious figures in Lebanon.
He pleaded guilty on all charges against him during his trial that kicked off in April 2015, admitting that he had transported explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon.
But the former information minister said he had been the victim of entrapment because he was not aware that his co-conspirator was a Lebanese security services informer.
He was sentenced in May later that year to four-and-a-half years in prison.
Several politicians at the time condemned the light verdict.
Syria maintained a nearly 30-year presence in Lebanon, withdrawing its troops in 2005 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
But a series of assassinations of prominent anti-Syrian regime figures in Lebanon followed the withdrawal.
The Lebanese judiciary has issued an arrest warrant for Mamluk and sent Syria a formal notification of the warrant and charges, but received no response.
D.A./Y.R.
14 January 2016, 14:09
22
Coming from a guy who killed his own kind and been in jail well done dr hypocrite
14 January 2016, 14:46
1115
Indeed.
Samaha will end up like Rustom Ghazaleh... case will be closed, and no one will be worried anymore...pfff... despicable!
14 January 2016, 15:29
1710
“How would I understand that a Lebanese has been released after conspiring with foreign parties to carry out acts of crime and explosions in his own country? What kind of message have the head of the court and the accompanying officers relayed to the Lebanese people after such a decision? What kind of hope and future have they left for the Lebanese and the sovereignty of the country?” angered Geagea asked.
hahahaha unbelievable!! the guy who killed tortured and maimed thousands of lebanese and did only 10 years in jail is complaining? at least samaha didnt kill anyone, unlike geagea, so better keep your mouth shut you war criminal.
not to mention the case against samaha stinks of a set-up. where is that terrorist turned secret agent turned police informer, turned witness that the whole samaha case is based on? nobody knows who or where he is now, and he never made a statement before a court.
14 January 2016, 15:39
1113
It is impossible that you are lebanese!! Iranian, Syrian, or Iraqi for sure
14 January 2016, 15:40
1610
Indeed, March 14 have a way of accusing people without evidence.
March 14s law and order is based on their own views, never independently.
Geagea did not even fulfill his own sentence which is life in prison.
14 January 2016, 15:41
1115
Or Berri and Nasrallah who slaughtered Lebanese and Palestinians and did ZERO time for the crimes. Or those HA members assassinating M14 politicians and can not be touched because they are politically covered by HA.
BUT, we just need more dialogue, that is ALL we need.
14 January 2016, 15:53
1014
but the guy who killed tortured and maimed thousands of lebanese, syrians, yemenis, iraqis and bahrainis have not spent one day in jail yet.
14 January 2016, 16:44
1010
Mowaten: Ok, first of all, Geagea did 11 years in solitary confinement in the basement of the Wizarit el Dife3. And that, despite being given the same option by the invading Syrian army as was given to Aoun: Safe passage out of Lebanon into exile or prison. So as long as you in any way live in the glass house of supporting Aoun, don't throw stones.
Second, "He pleaded guilty on all charges against him during his trial ... , admitting that he had transported explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon. / But the former information minister said he had been the victim of entrapment because he was not aware that his co-conspirator was a Lebanese security services informer." In other words, it's not that he isn't guilty, it's just that he got caught.
14 January 2016, 16:47
1013
shame on you momo...
Such a stupid comment... silly "hahahas"...
I have no problem with Geagea serving 30 years in prison, but then, also jail Joumblat, Aoun, Berri, etc, etc...
As for your "set up" comment... it is just pathetic to see that this case which is heavily backed by recordings, videos, confessions, "stink" as a "set up", but the Church of Our Lady of Deliverance doesn't.
Not only are you biased and arrogant, but you're the most brainwashed creature on this forum. Congratulations.
14 January 2016, 17:00
138
Guys, we do not recognize March 14's laws, because they are based on Americas/zionists and Saudis views.
You call yourselves patriots, and blames us for siding with Iran and Syria, but we blame you for siding with our enemies in the dire times we had, long before the Syrian War even began.
14 January 2016, 17:17
1011
Mystic, the Syrian Civil War began in 2011. In the Summer of 2006, when Israel was bombing the bejesus out of us because of Hizb's "miscalculation" in the South, the overwhelming majority of Lebanese were still siding with Hizb against our killers. But after Hariri was assassinated in February 2005, over 800,000 people sided with his killers on the 8th of March. When in May 2008 the Lebanese government wanted to dismantle Hizb's telecoms network and access its data in connection to the Hariri assassination, Hizb invaded Beirut and killed over a hundred people before launching Katyuschas at Barouk, Aley and Shouf. Who's the enemy of the Lebanese people here ya Mystic, bsharafak?
14 January 2016, 17:28
1210
Maxx: "despite being given the same option by the invading Syrian army as was given to Aoun: Safe passage out of Lebanon into exile or prison."
what are you talking about? geagea was with the syrian troops as they marched on baabda, he thought he would be make king of lebanon for his treason, and it's only years later that he ended up in prison.
entrapment means being pushed by police to commit a crime only to be arrested, basically making someone commit something he wouldnt have otherwise. nobody really knows how the secret agent made him do it, but in any country this is considered illegal and would make the charges be dropped.
14 January 2016, 17:30
1210
theparrot: whenever you'll manage to make a coherent argument without childish insults and endless whining, give me a ring.
14 January 2016, 17:36
1210
maxx so much falsities in your last comment, how do you manage to be so many times wrong in so few words?
First, fyi, 2006 > 2005. So if you say in 2006 most lebanese were with hezbollah, it cannot be because of 2005 that they are not. and actually a majority of lebanese are with hezbollah, always were and always will be. your likes were always against hezbollah, and LF supporters were in broumana in 2006, watching dahiyeh being bombed and cheering when big ones fell on these civilian neighborhoods.
"over 800,000 people sided with his killers on the 8th of March" it has now been admitted even by saad hariri that syria did not kill hariri (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11200278)
so these 800,000 who were saying they didnt believe syria did it were right after all, werent they?
14 January 2016, 17:39
1210
"When in May 2008 the Lebanese government wanted to dismantle Hizb's telecoms network and access its data in connection to the Hariri assassination"
where did you get that one from? there was never any link between the military communication network of the resistance and the hariri case, even m14 never claimed such stupidity
", Hizb invaded Beirut and killed over a hundred people before launching Katyuschas at Barouk, Aley and Shouf. "
100 people in total died during these events, with the majority being killed in halba by mustaqbal militants (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f4c_1210684354) and many being killed in the chouf by jumblatt's militants. a minority of the dead were killed by heabollah, who actually captured most of hariri's gunmen alive and handed them to the army.
14 January 2016, 17:44
129
and to my knowledge no katyushas were fired during these events. unless you can provide a credible source for it i'll jutst have to consider it is like everything else you posted: disinformation and affabulations.
14 January 2016, 17:54
1310
In my opinion you people in March 14 are the insider cancer of Lebanon, and you are wrong Maxx, Mostaqbal people, The Lebanese Coward party etc. Hoped for the Israelis to finish their job in Lebanon during the 2006 war, since then have we not forgotten the traitors of Lebanon.
Yet you talk about Hariris death all the time, his dead was tragic and gained nothing else than turmoil and it could in no way gain anything for neither the Resistance or Syria for that matter, do not forget before his death Hariri was a good business partner of Hafez al Assad in the 90s, so I do not get why you people still point fingers without evidence, just like on Samaha.
14 January 2016, 17:59
1210
You write that the Resistance killed hundreds of people in 2008, did you people forget all about the Halba Massacre?
When Mostaqbal takfiri thugs stormed the SSNP office in Halba and slaughtered unarmed men? Including a random Australian guy on vacation.
14 January 2016, 19:23
810
You are defending a man that was planning to carry out explosions to kill people in Lebanon???? It was on tape for fucks sake!! What if your mother or sister got injured in those explosions or Mystics for that matter. Seriously Mowaten you have been blinded by hate. Regarding putting warlords in jail, you know that the war stopped because they agreed to not let that happen to any of them, please do not point fingers at anyone because they are all guilty of it. Im telling you all of this in the nicest way possible. Do not distort facts, and be fair in your judgement young man, you live in Australia and have no idea what the Lebanese (every single one of us) are enduring because of our political class. You need to think of Lebanon first not the vague agenda of people who's loyalty lies with other countries.
14 January 2016, 16:31
99
Patriot, Rustom Ghazaleh committed suicide with three bullets because Baschar's regime considered him an embarrassment to them. Samaha is an embarrassment to the Lebanese people; Baschar would be willing to give his own blood to keep him alive.
14 January 2016, 19:57
87
@m.i.s.
You're getting my attention, chill, have a Johnny Walker and share it with your buddies. Ahhh, brewed in heaven with a cellar full of Angels.
15 January 2016, 04:52
55
The ugliness of the decision is 2 fold:
1) That Smaha only got 4 years for such a horrendous crime
2) He was released on bail. When a judge releases a suspect on bail, it means he believes the suspect is not a safety or security risk even to himself. So the military judges believed that Smaha does not represent a risk to the public, himself, or that he himself could be at risk of assassination pending his trial.
14 January 2016, 15:34
1014
There are hundreds of prisoners in Roumieh who have been imprisoned on phony charges and have not been given a fair trial to this date. It stinks!
14 January 2016, 16:27
109
Oh. So next time somebody gets caught with a nuss-ribi3 in their pocket by the Darakk and risk getting seven years in jail, they should just say "Hey, I didn't know that the arresting officer was a ta7arri!" and then they'll get out in four-and-a-half. Maybe if they also say that "Hey man, that's not hash; that's just plastic explosives. I wasn't intending to chill out on the weekend while watching Game of Thrones; I just wanted to blow up a few politicians!", then they could have that sentence commuted to three years. Alright, got it. Lebanese "justice" is awesome!
14 January 2016, 16:30
912
Unlike Aoun, who went for a ClubMed vacation to Paris like Khomeini did before him, Geagea actually did get imprisoned. For 11 years. At least he served part of his sentence...
14 January 2016, 17:26
149
Aoun did not commit war crimes to go to jail, he had to be evacuated because of the deal france made with geagea and syria. Don't forget who gave artillery cover to the syrian troops as they advanced on Baabda.
14 January 2016, 16:36
32
Meanwhile Islamists in Roumieh with nothing against them have been rotting in jail for decades. And then they wonder what causes terrorism...
14 January 2016, 17:19
1011
M8ers logic on this forum:
if you are an M8er caught red handed planning to use explosives against lebanese: it is a set up...as no M8er could do such a thing, they are just poor victims of israel! LOL
those M8ers should go and live in syria or their mother country iran as they have no respect whatsoever for justice and lebanese institutions even calling the lebanese army a zionist army! as long as it goes against hezbis interests they have no loyalty to Lebanon but only to hezbollah and iran...
no discussion is possible with those traitors and non lebanese people... spit on them.
14 January 2016, 19:31
78
look at and listen to the traitors on this article, sick! This country has no hope.
14 January 2016, 19:35
67
الجيش يضبط معملا للكبتاغون ويتعرُض لاطلاق نار في الشراونة
أعلنت قيادة الجيش – مديرية التوجيه ان “صباح اليوم، تعرضت قوة من الجيش لإطلاق نار من قبل مسلحين أثناء قيامها بملاحقة مطلوبين للعدالة في محلة البساتين – بعلبك، كما تعرضت بعض مراكز الجيش أيضا في محلة حي الشراونة لإطلاق نار، ما أدى إلى إصابة أحد العسكريين بجروح غير خطرة، وتضرر عدد من الآليات العسكرية.
وردت قوى الجيش على مصادر النار بالمثل، وفرضت طوقا أمنيا حول المناطق المذكورة، كما نفذت عدة عمليات دهم أسفرت عن ضبط معمل لتصنيع حبوب الكبتاغون المخدرة يحتوي على كمية كبيرة منها، وسيارة جيب عائدة لأحد المطلوبين وبداخلها كمية من الذخائر الخفيفة، فيما عثرت على جثة مواطن في محلة الكيال مصابة بطلق ناري، حيث تم نقلها إلى أحد مستشفيات المنطقة.وتستمر قوى الجيش في تعقب مطلقي النار لتوقيفهم وإحالتهم على القضاء المختص”.
14 January 2016, 19:59
910
In Lebanon only confessions extracted under torture by the general security and military intelligence count. Voluntary confessions at one's home and video taped are deemed irrelevant to the Lebanese justice system. A revolution and a violent one is needed, indeed.
15 January 2016, 01:00
85
Hello terrorist, how are you? If I were you, I'd stay in the gulf with your brothers at Nusra and Isil. Here in the Watan, we like and welcome patriots, the kind that can and will liberate every inch of filth in this country. I'm talking about the M8 folks if you know what I mean!
