Lebanese Phalangists party tries al-Jumeyal at defaming charges

The political council of the Lebanese Christian Phalangists party decided to remove the former Lebanese President Amin al-Gemayel from the party which was founded by his father and to sue him in court on charges of "defamation," according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Lebanese dailies.

The party in a statement explained that its political bureau decided to cancel the membership President Amin al-Gemayel from the party and considers his actions as having no direct or indirect link to the Phalangists. The party which is currently presided over by Karim Baqradouni decided to "file a case before specialized courts against al-Gemayel under crimes of defaming and threats."

The party's political council called on the ministry of the interior to take necessary measures in order to protect the name of the Phalangists and to prevent the use of its name by any person or group that have no legal status unless having a prior license from the chairman of the party or its secretary general according to the constitution of the party.

Al-Gemayel, in vain tried during the recent elections to cling once again to the party. He called for boycotting these elections and unify the ranks of the opposition in the context of carrying the name of: the Phalangists base. The political bureau justified these decisions to the fact that al-Gemayel showed "deliberate persistence to get out of the party and disassociating from it."