Al-Shehabi left for the US
Syria, Politics, 6/7/2000

Well-informed sources told the London-based al-Hayat daily that former Syria army chief of staff retired Lt. Gen. Hekmat al-Shehabi left Beirut on Tuesday for the US after information leaked proving his " involvement," together with some of his children in corruption cases in Syria.

Meantime, the same sources told al-Hayat there are " big question marks" on the source of wealth of a high ranking Syrian army officer who was serving in the Syrian army in Lebanon and he was - just few weeks ago - brought back to the Syrian army formation in Syria. The sources said that this army officer sold several days ago " a palace at one of Damascus's resorts for US $ 1.2 million."

The sources said that retired Lt. Gen. Shehabi made before leaving to the US medical checks at the American University in Beirut and headed for Los Angeles to stay with his son Hazem who was an " honorary Consul " for Syria there.

The sources continued that investigations revealed " al-Shehabi's involvement in big deals signed which he was in the post of the army chief of staff between 1974- 1998, besides his children having huge assets, using their father's position."

Worthy mentioning al-Shehabi held military negotiations with Ehud Barak when he was the army chief of staff by the end of 1994. Shehabi also met with the former Israeli army chief of staff Amnoun Shahak in June 1995. He also had signed, on behalf of the Syrian side the truce agreement ( disengagement agreement ) between the Syrian and Israeli armies in 1974.

Previous Stories:
  Measures are expected against former Syrian army chief al-Shehabi   (6/6/2000)
  Syria prepares its internal house for post- peace era   (6/5/2000)
  Damascus bans from traveling abroad some 32 former officials and their children   (6/2/2000)

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