Cabinet appoints Abbas Ibrahim as Lebanon security chief

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As expected the cabinet on Monday approved the appointment of deputy military intelligence chief Brig.-Gen. Abbas Ibrahim as the new director-general of the General Security Department. Ibrahim was also promoted to the rank of Major General to qualify for the appointment.

The position was most recently held by the late General Wafik Jezzini, a Shiite who passed away last March after suffering from a terminal illness. Jezzini like his predecessor Jamil Al Sayed was very closely associated with Hezbollah . Sayed , who is also a Shiite was one of Syria’s top operatives in Lebanon from 1998-2005, when he was imprisoned in connection with the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri .

Ibrahim , like his predecessors is closely associated with Hezbollah. According to Al Manar he played a key role in coordinating army activities with Hezbollah during his previous posts.

Earlier today State Minister Salim Karam, who represents the Marada movement in the cabinet said that he has reservations over the proposed appointment of Ibrahim to the post of General Security chief.

“I was surprised when this item was proposed in the previous cabinet meeting, … we had agreed to specify the cabinet’s agenda four or five days prior to its meeting, so that the ministers could study and agree on the items” he told Voice of Lebanon in reference to the appointment of a new General Security chief

“We were notified that this matter was included in today’s session… even though it was not set in the agenda.”

The March 8-backed minister also rejected holding a national-dialogue session, calling instead for dialogue to be held in the parliament.

According to unconfirmed reports, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai, President Michel Suleiman and Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun were working on granting the Security position to the Maronites after it was taken from them and granted to the Shiites by former president Emile Lahoud in 1998, for the first time since 1943.

The cabinet also appointed on Monday acting General Security chief Brig.-Gen. Raymond Khattar as director-general of the Civil Defense Department to replace Brig. Gen. Darwish Hobeika.

Information Minister Walid al-Daouq quoted quoted Prime Minister Najib Miqati following the cabinet meeting as saying that “the approved appointments as well as those that will be approved in the future do not represent a victory for one camp and a loss for another.”

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12 responses to “Cabinet appoints Abbas Ibrahim as Lebanon security chief”

  1. george_shalhoub Avatar
    george_shalhoub

    Let me rephrase that by saying the Cabinet was forced at Gunpoint to elect him because HA and Amal wanted him plain and simple. These two terrorists organizations knows the only way to get they want is thru the use of their guns.

    1. antar2011 Avatar
      antar2011

      and the problem the new opposition is just full of talk and no real show.

      the new opposition should really learn something…anything…from the syrian pple…next door.

      i guess it is more disappointing to see the mismanagement and the lack of direction from the new opposition…it is actually a bigger insult to those who revolted in 2005.

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Let me rephrase that by saying the Cabinet was forced at Gunpoint to elect him because HA and Amal wanted him plain and simple. These two terrorists organizations knows the only way to get they want is thru the use of their guns.

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      and the problem the new opposition is just full of talk and no real show.

      the new opposition should really learn something…anything…from the syrian pple…next door.

      i guess it is more disappointing to see the mismanagement and the lack of direction from the new opposition…it is actually a bigger insult to those who revolted in 2005.

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Sneaking another one in … for ‘intelligence’ …

  4.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Sneaking another one in … for ‘intelligence’ …

  5. antar2011 Avatar
    antar2011

    after this, if anyone has even a tiny doubt that Hizbollah is not going to take over the country, then think again.

    this is to put the nail in the coffin sort of thing, to seal the coup that was made in january this year.

    i just hope that Bashaar won’t stay for long so that we won’t go back to pre2005.

    ba3den, i do not think HA is waiting for Bashaar to survive, he can take care of things by himself…the thug!

    this is just a big slap in the face to the pple that made the cedar’s revolution….as if nothing had happened in 2005…no one died, no one revolted, no other martyrs fell to keep the revolution alive…

    1. dm9076 Avatar

      I think they did already. Perhaps we are waiting for other shoe when they will start prosecuting the folks who went against them. Abbas will rubber stamp things.

      1. antar2011 Avatar
        antar2011

        i agree.
        i just feel sorry for every lebanese who thought things would be better.

        el 3ama kinna 3aysheen bi 7elem and someone rudely awoke us up from it!

  6.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    after this, if anyone has even a timy doubt that Hizbollah is not going to take over the country, then think again.

    this is to put the nail on the head sort of thing, to seal the coup that was made in january this year.

    i just hope that Bashaar won’t stay for long so that we won’t go back to pre2005.

    ba3den, i do not think HA is waiting for Bashaar to survive, he can take care of things by himself…the thug!

    this is just a big slap in the face to the pple that made the cedar’s revolution….as if nothing had happened in 2005…no one died, no one revolted, no other martyrs fell to keep the revolution alive…

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      I think they did already. Perhaps we are waiting for other shoe when they will start prosecuting the folks who went against them. Abbas will rubber stamp things.

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        i agree.
        i just feel sorry for every lebanese who thought things would be better.

        el 3ama kinna 3aysheen bi 7elem and someone rudely awoke us up from it!

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