Lebanon's security services are in a mess, says el-Murr
Beirut (AsiaNews) With his attempt to form an all-party government on the rocks, Prime Minister-designate Fuad Siniora is falling back on a cabinet whose members will not come from the parties represented in Lebanon's National Assembly.
Meanwhile, a day after his attempted assassination, outgoing Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Elias el-Murr says that the country's security services are in a mess.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Mr el-Murr revealed that as late as last week he warned the Chief Military Prosecutor that he had received information about a possible attempt against his life. He made pointed accusation against the security services "which are not doing their duty".
"Security issues should not be politicised as they have been in recent weeks with accusations flying in every direction after each attack. This only encourages the criminals," el-Murr said.
"If the various services work together as they did when I was in charge, they could pre-empt some attacks," he added.
"I felt that something was going to happen," Mr el-Murr said from his hospital bed. "A month ago, I got information by chance through state security that something was being planned against me in the Naccache-Rabieh area. But nothing was done in all this time. So just about a week ago I told the Military Tribunal's Chief Prosecutor Jean Fahd; I made it clear to him that state security was responsible for anything that might happen to me".
In response to some questions, the Minister said he had "no specific information" about the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, but perhaps his attackers thought otherwise since he was Hariri's friend and, for four years, his Interior Minister.
Still the attack against el-Murr has had an unexpected twist. In just 24 hours, it brought President Émile Lahoud, lawmaker Saad Hariri and Minister Marwan Hamade somewhat closer. For now though, this has not led to any concrete political step.
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