Chamoun murder accomplice held in USA
Lebanon, Judicial, 7/28/1997

A former agent with the Lebanese Forces militia, sentenced to ten years in prison in absentia for taking part in the 1990 assassination of a Christian leader, has been arrested in the United States, judicial sources said on July 27.

The authorities here were informed by the US about the arrest of Elietris Aqiqi, a one-time member of the intelligence services of the now-disbanded militia-turned-political party, and is preparing documents ahead of a formal request for his extradition, the sources added.

Aqiqi, 31, was sentenced in absentia to ten years in 1995 for his part in the assassination of Christian leader Danny Chamoun, his wife, Ingrid, and two of their children 9Tarek and Julian. Aqiqi was found guilty of guarding the entrance of the building where the Chamoun's lived while the assassins stormed the house and committed the killings.

He was also sought in another of the cases against former LF commander Samir Geagea, who is serving life for the Chamoun murders Aqiqi was tried in absentia in the 1991 attempted murder of then defense minister Michel Murr but was acquitted for lack of evidence.

According to law, Aqiqi has the right for a retrial in case of his extradition.

Lebanon and the United States do not have an extradition agreement, but judicial officials said the US message to Lebanon about Aqiqi's arrest "may be a sign of a change in US policy concerning the extradition of people wanted in Lebanon."

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