Security leaders at the command of the political authority
Lebanon, Politics, 4/23/2005

The director general of the internal security forces in Lebanon lt. gen. Ali al-Haj followed Lt. Gen. Jamil al-Sayyed and put himself at the disposal of the new government during the investigation carried out on the assassination of the former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

In a special statement, the internal security forces directorate stressed that al-Haj sent a book to the prime minister Najib Miqati putting himself at the disposal of the government "on facilitation of the work of the international investigation committee until the end of its mission."

For his part, Jamil al-Sayyed said after his meeting with Miqati "in line with the report of the UN facts finding commission which includes a recommendation that it is inappropriate to continue work during the investigation period, for all these reasons, I applied to put myself under the disposal of the Cabinet during the period extended from the date of starting the work of the international investigation committee in Lebanon until the end of the work of the committee."

Miqati described these developments as a step which will facilitate the work of the committee which was eventually requested by the UN Security Council in order to investigate in the assassination of al-Hariri. He stressed after the meeting of the Cabinet that the government is committed to the situation to putting the leaders of security forces into disposal.

The chairman of the military intelligence Maj. Gen. Rimond Azar, who supports Syria had taken a one month leave.

In its first reaction, the opposition in Lebanon welcomed by Atif Majdalani this step. He said "we demand their resignation but the situation to put them at the disposal is an interim step to this objective. This step facilitates the work of the investigation committee and this is what we want."

Previous Stories:
  First political appearance for Saad Hariri   (4/22/2005)
  Miqati government starts mission   (4/22/2005)
  Lebanese stress cling to resistance's weapon   (4/22/2005)

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