Report: At Least 18 Lebanese Figures Face Assassination Threat
Several Lebanese figures are targets of possible assassinations, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.
A widely informed western diplomatic source told the daily that at least 18 Lebanese officials are being monitored, urging them to take the greatest precautions to protect themselves.
It explained that these figures not only include prominent officials, but others that do not enjoy as much influence and media exposure.
He said that the targets include Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora, former Defense Minister Elias al-Murr, Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi, MP Butros Harb and a number of Mustaqbal lawmakers, most notably the Sunni ones and former MP Fares Soaid.
In addition, said the source, every potential presidential candidate from the March 14 camp who enjoys strong popular support is also an assassination target.
The source revealed that it had relayed this information to one of Lebanon's politicians, requesting that it in turn be relayed to the potential targets in order for them to take the necessary precautions.
It warned that the assassins may resort to new murder techniques that had not been adopted before, such as booby-trapping an elevator as had happened in the failed assassination attempt against Harb in July.
Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan was killed in a car bomb on Friday, raising fears that the phase of assassinations in Lebanon had returned.
The March 14-led opposition and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat blamed Syria for Hasan's crime.
Geagea was the victim of a failed attempt on his life in April and Murr was the victim of a failed attempt in July 2005.
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