Moqbel Approves Appointment of New Intelligence Chief, Jumblat Slams Move

Defense Minister Samir Moqbel on Tuesday approved a recommendation to appoint Brig. Gen. Camille Daher as military intelligence chief to replace Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel, state-run National News Agency reported.

The proposal to name Daher was submitted to the minister by the army's six-member Military Council, NNA said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat criticized the move in a series of tweets.

“The appointment of the new intelligence chief today did not respect the principles of professionalism or the minimum level of discipline and ethics,” said Jumblat.

He also slammed the Military Council, claiming that it acts under the influence of certain political parties.

Jumblat also criticized the Army Command for “changing the judges of the Military Court,” suggesting that its move facilitated the release from prison of ex-minister Michel Samaha under a controversial Military Court ruling.

“It was the scandal of the century but we only witnessed 'percussion bombs' and (Justice Minister) Ashraf Rifi's resignation,” added Jumblat.

The issue of military appointments had paralyzed the cabinet's work for months. In early February, an agreement was reached among the political rivals to fill the vacancies of the Military Council by appointing three new members.

However, differences over the posts of high-ranking officers were not totally resolved despite the Military Council's appointments, An Nahar daily reported on February 3. The newspaper said at the time that a new clash was expected to erupt in March over the intelligence chief post.

Fadel's extended term expires this month.

An Nahar said that former president Michel Suleiman was seeking through his representative in the cabinet, Defense Minister Moqbel, to push for the appointment of Brig. Gen. Wadih Ghafari as Army Intelligence chief.

Ghafari is the head of the Presidential Guard Brigade.

But Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji was backing Brig. Gen. Camille Daher, said the report.

Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun was likely to reject the officers named by Moqbel and Qahwaji because of his differences with them, An Nahar added.

Y.R.