Unidentified assailants opened fire on the residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea today.
Lebanese forces thwarted the attempt on Geagea’s life.
Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea waves to the crowds during a rally. Geagea scoffed at Hezbollah claims of victory in its conflict with Israel and avowals that it wanted a strong state in Lebanon.(AFP/Marwan Naamani)
Sad but predictable news is coming out of Lebanon today. There was an attempt on Samir Geagea’s life… Just for the record, all of the assassinations or attempted assassinations in Lebanon in the last year have one thing in common. The politicians were all anti-Syrian!
Naharnet reports:
Lebanese internal security forces have thwarted an attempt by unidentified assailants to open fire on the residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, the LF said in a statement Wednesday.
It said that while Geagea was appearing on LBCI’s “Bi Koul Jour’a” talk show broadcast live from his Bzemmar residence Tuesday night, a vehicle approached the security dragnet and a gunman tried to open fire in the direction of the LF leader’s house.The LF said security forces immediately opened fire at the red ‘VW-Golf’ which sped away to an undisclosed destination.
It was not all that long ago that Geagea was an political prisoner:
Geagea has been in solitary confinement, spending most of the past 11 years in an underground cell at the Defense Ministry. He is the only prominent former warlord to be jailed for opposing Syrian dominance while other ex-militia leaders benefited from an amnesty for crimes committed during the civil war and went on to become lawmakers and Cabinet ministers.
Geagea was released from prison in 2005.
Meanwhile, in Southern Lebanon…
The rest home of the Beirut mayor, Abdel-Monem Aris, was torched earlier in the week. The mayor lashed out at Hezbollah over the attack:
“He who cannot control his supporters should not mobilize the streets and engage in scuffles,” he added. “What happened is a clear message to the citizens of Beirut and the example of coexistence they give to all the Lebanese.”
Aris then read from a note he said was left by those who burned down his business.
“To the agents of Israel: We warn you this land will not be cursed. To the followers of (MPs) Saad Hariri, Walid Jumblatt and (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea: We swear by the blood of the martyrs that if you step on this land one more time you won’t get out of it alive,” it read.
