Phalange Party official MP Sami Gemayel slammed on Friday the Lebanese authorities for not suspending diplomatic ties with Syria after the judiciary sought the death penalty for 2 Syrian security officials.
Gemayel wondered how the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, wasn’t expelled or summoned.
Gemayel comment comes after State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr referred on Thursday a death penalty sought against ex-Minister Michel Samaha and Syrian security officials Ali Mamlouk and his aide Adnan to the military court to kick off trials.
The criminal court of cassation confirmed earlier on Friday receiving the file.
Gemayel addressed in his statements President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour, demanding an explanation.
“The Syrian regime is protecting them ” Gemayel said in reference to Ali Mamlouk and his aide Adnan
“We either respect our judiciary or we don’t,” the lawmaker added, stressing that the death penalty request requires the implementation of certain diplomatic measures concerning the relations between the two countries.”
Earlier this week, First Military Examining Judge Riyad Abu Ghida indicted Samaha, and the 2 Syrian officials on terrorism charges.
The indictment charges the three men of holding a meeting under Mamlouk at the National Security office in the Syrian capital Damascus and plotting to assassinate Lebanese figures who are opposed to the Syrian regime .
According to the indictment, the Syrian officers handed Samaha explosives. It also charged Samaha of transporting the bombs in his car from Syria to Lebanon.
The former minister was also charged with summoning Lebanese police informer Milad Kfouri, handing him the explosives and ordering him to blow up Iftar gatherings in Lebanon.
“It’s all right: kill them,” Samaha was quoted as telling the police informer when the latter informed him that religious figures would be attending the Iftar dinners, according to the indictment.
The three could face the death penalty if convicted.
Abu Ghida also approved a request made last week by State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr to issue a search warrant to identify the Syrian colonel known only by his first name Adnan.
On August 9, Lebanese security forces arrested former Lebanese minister Samaha, who has close ties with Syria’s regime.
According to Lebanese security sources, when asked why he would do such a thing, the former minister replied, “This is what Bashar wants.” In a possible reference to the embattled Syrian president Bashar al Assad.
Following the discovery of the explosives that were transported from Syria by former Minister Samaha , Suleiman congratulated the Internal Security forces and announced that he is waiting for a phone call from President Assad about Syrian General Ali Mamlouk’s alleged participation in a terrorist plot with Samaha. Suleiman is still waiting.
The current cabinet of PM Nagib Mikati is dominated by Hezbollah and was reportedly ‘made in Syria’. Hezbollah has been supporting the Syrian regime in its crackdown against the pro democracy uprising . Over 70, 000 have been killed so far mostly civilians.
Foreign minister Mansour who is a member of the Amal movement, a close ally of Hezbollah has been accused on several occasions of acting on orders from Syria, but since Hezbollah dominates the cabinet PM Mikati cannot fire him.
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