Lahd seeks asylum for his forces in France

Leader of the South Lebanese Army SLA militia Antoine Lahd talked with French officials in order to accept leaders of this militia in France and to give them political asylum.

The Hebrew language Israeli army radio said that Lahd who was, by his turn was given political asylum in France is trying, in coordination with the Israeli embassy in Paris and with other sides, to have the consent of the French authorities to permit leaders of the hireling militias and their families to enter France and settle in it ultimately after they are given the right of political asylum.

In this context, Lahd said in an interview with the French daily Le Monde published on Tuesday that his own power lies in getting a general amnesty from the Lebanese state as well as the amnesty which was announced in 1991 over what happened during the civil war, due to the fact that " the state was absent during that period (of civil war)".

During his interview with Le Monde which was quoted by the Monte Carlo radio Lahd stressed that he asks amnesty or for self-defense as justification for his action if the Lebanese state refuses to give him amnesty.