Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hinted on Sunday that the rocket attacks on the Baabda presidential area last Thursday came from a Hezbollah stronghold and accused the party of declaring war on the state of Lebanon,its people and institutions .
“The rocket attacks came the same day of the president’s speech on Army Day. They were launched from areas that come under the military control of a certain party.” Geagea said un reference to Hezbollah.
He said that the rockets were probably placed on trucks in the areas of Dohat Aramoun and Bshamoun, since the military experts haven’t found the launchpads.
“Who has the ability to move freely” in those areas? Geagea wondered, saying he would leave it to the Lebanese people to decide on the answer, in a hint to Hezbollah’s involvement in the attacks.
Geagea called for “strong judicial measures” to arrest the perpetrators.
On Thursday, two rockets were fired at the Baabda area .
One landed within the security perimeter of the Presidential Palace and the other within the security perimeter of the Army headquarters .
The attack came hours after President Suleiman gave a speech during the ceremony marking the 68 the Army Day.
Lebanon’s Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel condemned on Saturday the Thursday rocket attacks , declaring that they clearly targeted the Lebanese army and the presidency and stressing that President Michel Suleiman’s speech on the Army day was not targeting the resistance.
In his interview with Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) on Sunday Geagea called for support to President Suleiman and defended his speech at the army day as purely constitutional.
“Suleiman’s speech on Army Day was purely constitutional.” Geagea said stressing that for the first time in 25 years he feels Lebanon has a president .
“For the first time in 25 years we feel that we have a president,” Geagea said about Suleiman, who on his Army Day speech stressed that it was time for the state to become the sole-decision maker on the use of force.
Suleiman, who has been calling for national dialogue to discuss Lebanon’s defense strategy , based on the Baabda declaration criticized in his speech Hezbollah’s role in defending the Syrian regime.
“It has become urgent to study a defense strategy especially that the resistance’s arms have gone beyond Lebanon’s borders”. Hezbollah is usually referred to as the resistance.
“The army’s mission would be impossible if a party or more from Lebanese people get involved in wars outside Lebanon ”, Suleiman stressed in another reference to the thousands of Hezbollah fighters who have been fighting alongside the forces loyal to Syrian president Bashar against the rebels seeking to end his family’s four-decade rule.
Geagea stressed during the interview that it was a waste of time to hold dialogue with Hezbollah, which he described as “totalitarian.”
“It is a totalitarian party with its own ideology and strategy ” which is “launching war on the state of Lebanon,its people and institutions,” he said. “As a Lebanese citizen, I don’t accept for the party to take any strategic decisions on my behalf.”
“Dialogue with Hezbollah means that we agree to its proposals,” he added. “Let those who want to try it out take such a move.”
Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group slammed on Friday reports linking President Suleiman’s speech to the rocket attack.
“Linking the president’s statement to the attack is a despicable and blatant attempt.” Hezbollah said in a statement.
But Hezbollah friends in the media attacked President Suleiman. An Al Akhbar editorial told Suleiman” Get out”. “Who convinced him that he is Lebanon’s top statesman ? Who convinced him that he is Lebanon’s savior ? Who convinced him that the country will abide by what he says ? “Said Ibrahim al Amine the editor of the article .”
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