charging his attempts to shore up Syria's allies in Lebanon as a major factor contributing to the assassination of An Nahar's columnist Samir Kassir.

Marwan Hamadeh, in a long interview with Future TV network said over slain ex-Premier Hariri's Future TV network: "Yes, definitely we have expelled Gen. Aoun and his Free Patriotic Movement."

Hamadeh's statement followed a declaration after an anti syrian opposition meeting held in the Bristol hotel Thursday afternoon in which Aoun was formally proclaimed a renegade, citing his electoral coalition pacts with "the lingering symbols of Syria's tutelage over Lebanon."

Aoun was not present at the Bristol meeting, but his brother -in- law, Gebran Bassil was there but left before the meeting ended.

Aoun has attacked the opposition leaders on several occasions and has aligned himself with Syrian loyalists, such as the staunch pro syrian ally Talal Arslan. Arslan defamed and slandered Walid Jumblatt, the anti Syrian opposition leader, after the attempt on Marwan Hamade's life which was also blamed on the Syrians.

The opposition meeting also resolved to oust President Lahoud from power, calling him one of the last vestiges of Syria's reign of terror in Lebanon.

The opposition blamed Syria and Lahoud for the assassination of Journalist Samir Kassir. As in the past incidents, Syria, in an official statement by by its News agency Sana, denied any involvement in Kassir's assassination.

Picture of MP Marwan Hamade shown.

Sources: Future TV, Al Nahar, Ya Libnan