Samaha Arrested

[Laayla]

Samaha says of bomb plots, ‘This is what Assad wants’:

August 10, 2012 10:34 AM (Last updated: August 10, 2012 09:44 PM)

Members of Police's Information Branch storm the apartment building where former Information Minister Michel Samaha lives in Ashrafieh, Lebanon on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (The Daily Star/Mohammad Azakir)

BEIRUT: Police surveillance of recently detained former Cabinet Minister Michel Samaha, including incriminating video footage, was key to unveiling the pro-Assad figure’s alleged involvement in a plot to carry out attacks in Lebanon, security sources said Friday.

“This is what Bashar wants,” security sources quoted Samaha as saying of Syrian President Bashar Assad, in a video shot by a Lebanese undercover agent for the Internal Security Forces Information Branch.

He was referring to bomb attacks meant to be carried out in north Lebanon.

They also said that, in the video, Samaha can be seen and heard saying that Syrian Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk had handed him the bombs in addition to cash to be distributed to would-be perpetrators of the attacks in Lebanon.

Samaha was detained Thursday during a raid on his house in the Metn area of Khanshara-Juwar.

When interrogators screened the video in his presence, Samaha promptly admitted to being the man on film, the sources said.

The man who shot the video, a member of the Kfouri family, was flown out of the country just before Samaha’s arrest over fears for his safety, the sources added.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said in comments to several media outlets Friday that Samaha admitted to his involvement in a “specific security case, but the issue remains undisclosed.”

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi agreed that the probe is top secret and that "no one knows what is inside."

Nevertheless, he warned Friday that authorities will open an investigation to find out who was behind the "leaks."

Security sources Thursday told The Daily Star that Samaha admitted he was involved in the plot to carry out bomb attacks and that he had personally transferred a number of explosives from Syria to Lebanon.

The sources added that “highly effective” bombs ready to explode by remote control had earlier been found in various areas of Lebanon.

The same sources told The Daily Star Friday that after police collected evidence for the case and just before the bombs were set to explode, Acting State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud issued the order to detain Samaha.

The ISF Information Branch seized $170,000 from Samaha’s residence, added the sources.

They said security was beefed up around Hammoud's house in Moseitbeh, Beirut, following Samaha's arrest, as was his official escort.

Further information about the would-be attacks indicated that the planting and the timing of the bombs were designed to coincide with a visit to the northern region of Akkar by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai.

When asked to comment by The Daily Star, Rai declined, but Bkirki issued a statement Friday saying that the patriarch's visit to Tripoli and Akkar would last from Aug. 13 until Aug. 16.

Hammoud briefed Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday on the outcome of the preliminary investigation of Samaha.

Mikati urged Hammoud to carry on with the probe “to uncover the truth behind this case and to achieve justice.”

Also Friday, Future Movement MP Ghazi Youssef hit back at head of the Hezbollah parliamenatary bloc Mohammad Raad, who accused members of the judiciary Thursday of collaborating with “suspicious” security forces against Samaha.

In Hezbollah’s first response to Samaha’s arrest, Raad said Thursday: “We have long experienced such security fabrications; some judges are connected to suspicious security services.”

Youssef told a local radio station Friday: “The facts of the investigation will reveal that Samaha’s arrest is not based on security fabrications.”

He also asked rhetorically why Hezbollah had not accused the ISF's Information Branch of fabricating evidence "when it arrested many Israeli spies, including those who belong to Hezbollah?”

Meanwhile, reactions were divided over the Samaha affair.

Controversial Sidon preacher Ahmad Assir said, “The ISF has offered us a precious gift in the last two days, one that makes us hold our heads high.”

Catholic religious figures expressed disapproval of the way Samaha, a fellow Catholic, was taken into custody.

Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III Lahham denounced the “abusive way in which Samaha was arrested and the lack of respect for the sanctity of the home and the dignity of the family.”

In a telephone call to President Michel Sleiman at his summer residence in Beiteddine, Lahham also said the way Samaha was arrested “tarnishes the reputation of the security institution, which acted in an uncivilized manner."

Zahle’s Catholic bishop Issam Darwish also condemned the manner in which police apprehended Samaha.

“I’m not against any security measures in accordance with the norms of the Lebanese state, but I'm against the way in which [samaha] was detained, regardless of the outcome of the ongoing probe,” Darwish said in a statement.

Others were stronger in their condemnation of the security forces' behavior.

Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, a pro-Assad general detained by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and later released, described Samaha’s detention as a “kidnapping operation.”

“The kidnapping of the 11 Lebanese in Syria was carried out by Abu Ibrahim,” he said. “Those in Lebanon are carried out by Abu Mazen [information Branch chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan].”

Hamdan's comments came following a meeting with head of the Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun at the latter's residence in Rabieh, north of Beirut.

Read more: http://www.dailystar...x#ixzz23BPE3eOx

(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

Edited August 10, 2012 by Laayla

[Ya Aba 3abdillah]

hahaha

what a hilarious joke

if "this is what assad" wanted, they would have asked their other political allies in lebanon who are militarily savy, not samaha.

the ISF is still infested with Hariri's goons. if they were going to fabricate something against sme7a, at least make it realistic. as if he can co-ordinate this stuff now. him and aoun are practically only commentators these days. but guess the pen is mightier than the sword. he's been exposing the Hariri mafioso for a while now.

maybe it's time the army raids the ISF offices.

[Laayla]

Bismehe Ta3ala,

Assalam Alikum Ya Aba,

Can you explain, why Haraka and Hizb are silent about his arrest? Jamil as-sayyid is criticizing them for being quiet.

M3 Salamah, FE AMIN Allah

[Ya Aba 3abdillah]

^ they usually release statements once they've done their own investigations and authenticated the truth behind the matter.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Aug-11/184238-hezbollah-will-not-react-after-samaha-arrest.ashx#axzz23Bc9kXjS

[Professor Higgins]

hahaha

maybe it's time the army raids the ISF offices.

What were these ISF officers doing before 2005 ? Were they pro-Syrian back then and changed sides later ?

I am sure Chief Ashraf Rifi couldn't have stayed in his job without Syrian Mukhabarat's approval.

Aren't there any Shia in the ISF ? Why don't they try to sabotage the ISF's intelligence operations against March 8 ?

[Professor Higgins]

Well looks like the guy's case is sealed....Prosecutor-General and Judiciary have admitted the charges and accused Syrian General Ali Mamlouk of planning bombings in Akkar.

Btw was thus guy really as "untouchable" as people claim ? I don't think he was that influential, I think he was just a small-timer. This is the first time I am hearing about this Samaha guy.

[Chris]

I think he is guilty and I am happy they caught him, especially if it is true.

Apparently there is video and even Hezbollah (though this traitor is Christian) has seen it.

Btw was thus guy really as "untouchable" as people claim ? I don't think he was that influential, I think he was just a small-timer. This is the first time I am hearing about this Samaha guy.

He was actually a former Kataeb guy who has been around for ages.

He either switched sides later in the war or was a double agent for Syria.

He was not part of any political party, but he was Bashar Assad's personal "friend" and media secretary. When the Lebanese delegation went to Paris a few years back headed by Michel Suleiman to visit Assad at his Paris hotel, they were "surprised" to see Samaha with the Syrian delegation.

He does not have a political base, not with Hezbollah or Aoun, and certainly not his friends in the Kataeb anymore. He is a loner and he will pay a heavy price, likely life in prison.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Chris

[Martyrdom]

Bismehe Ta3ala,

Assalam Alikum Ya Aba,

Can you explain, why Haraka and Hizb are silent about his arrest? Jamil as-sayyid is criticizing them for being quiet.

M3 Salamah, FE AMIN Allah

Naharnet Newsdesk 2 days ago

MP Mohammed Raad, head of Hizbullah’s

Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, on

Thursday described as “security fabrications”

the arrest earlier in the day of former minister

Michel Samaha on alleged charges of plotting

for bombings.

“We will not remain silent but we will wait for

some time,” Raad said in a speech during a

Ramadan iftar banquet.

“We have experienced these security

fabrications for so long and some judges are

linked to suspicious security agencies,” Raad

added.

www.naharnet.com/stories/en/49552-raad-describes-samaha-case-as-security-fabrications-we-won-t-remain-silent

[Chris]

Hezbollah has disassociated itself from what MP Raad says.

They know that this traitor has treason written on his forehead, and guilt written all over the audio.

I hope this guy and the Syrian terrorists who hired him are all hanged for their crimes.

Had his plot worked, Patrirach RAHI would have been killed in Akkar and a war would have erupted between Sunnis and Christians.

What a low life, a traitor to all Christians, a traitor to the state, and he will pay for his crime. So will the ones who sent him. The Syrians are masters of creating sectarian strife.

I am not looking forward to the mujahideen prevailing in Syria, but I will enjoy watching the Assad regime face a very harsh form of justice for the atrocities they have committed and continue to commit in Lebanon. Assad is on a short leash, even his agents in Lebanon know it. If he wasn't on the verge of defeat, Samaha would have never been arrested and an indicement could never have been issued for the Syrian criminal who is the top General in Assad's govt

Edited August 12, 2012 by Chris

[5a49]

Bismehe Ta3ala,

Assalam Alikum Ya Aba,

Can you explain, why Haraka and Hizb are silent about his arrest? Jamil as-sayyid is criticizing them for being quiet.

M3 Salamah, FE AMIN Allah

Jamil L Sayed said he rather seesm Samaha be held with Army Intelligence than the Information branch, him saying that means there is something about Samaha.

Now if there isnt anything, you can never know what Hezb and Amal are doing, Sayed Hassan doesnt have to go on tv and talk about it.

Or you can say that what Samaha was arrested for is true, and Hezb and Amal cant say anything yet because they will get themselves and the Shia community into alot if problems.

Do you know what it means to make explosions and assasinate Khaled Daher and Salafi leaders in the North, it means there wont be a safe Shia Masjid or Husayniya, because they wil be under terrorist attacks, heck notmeven Dahye would be safe..and then Ahmad Aseer will unleash his terrorist to South Lebanon.

Nothing is clear yet, if he is innocent or not Allah knows.

Its better we keep our emotions aside, and trust Hezbollah and Amal.

If you realize most people condemned the way he got arrested.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

But then kept quite on the rest

Nothing is clear yet

Edited August 12, 2012 by RoAcHy

[Ya Aba 3abdillah]

Had his plot worked, Patrirach RAHI would have been killed in Akkar and a war would have erupted between Sunnis and Christians.

What a low life, a traitor to all Christians, a traitor to the state, and he will pay for his crime. So will the ones who sent him. The Syrians are masters of creating sectarian strife.

I haven't yet heard the audio. But this seems very convenient. The Christian Tayyar block was growing stronger each day, especially since Jmayyil was showing signs of leaning away from Geagea because of the onslaught of Salafist Takfiri Terrorists in Syria, and what they're doing to the Christians there. The 'Sunnis' were becoming marginalised. But now because of this 'plot', what, now the Christians are going to hate Bashar and align themselves with the Hariri Mafioso crew?

[Chris]

I haven't yet heard the audio. But this seems very convenient. The Christian Tayyar block was growing stronger each day, especially since Jmayyil was showing signs of leaning away from Geagea because of the onslaught of Salafist Takfiri Terrorists in Syria, and what they're doing to the Christians there. The 'Sunnis' were becoming marginalised. But now because of this 'plot', what, now the Christians are going to hate Bashar and align themselves with the Hariri Mafioso crew?

Yes, there are Salafist Takfiri terrorists fighting Bashar in Syria but both Geagea + Aoun's side have been victimized by the Syrian side as well as between themselves. I am not a fan of either of them, I consider them both idiots, I fear the fundamentalist Sunnis as you do but I don't support Assad. His regime terrorized Lebanon and caused thousands of death through trickery, deceit, turning sides against either other, planting bombs in Christian areas and blaming Muslims, tainting the justice system, undermining sovereignty, and probably extorting the country amongst other things.

Anyways, I questioned the evidence myself when I first heard it but apparently it is concrete. If it wasn't concrete I doubt they would have made such a high profile brazen arrest the way they did, there is something about Samaha that has guilt written on his forehead. He was hanging out with Bashar and running his office, yet this traitor is apparently Lebanese. Yet this guy went from an anti-Syrian Kataeb guy to a pro-Syrian Assadist sleeping in the Baathist regimes office, even traveling with the Syrian president himself rather then with the Lebanese.

I think the relevance of being with Geagea or Aoun, Hariri or Nasrallah is becoming niller and niller each passing day. Once Assad falls, the situation in Lebanon will change dramatically.

I think with Samaha's arrest, it signifies the beginning of the end of Syrian interference in Lebanon. The Lebanon judiciary has put out an arrest warrant for a top Syrian general, the Lebanese President has praised the ISF for arresting Samaha, and Miqati thanked them for preventing a terror plot.

Lebanese government has taken the first step to disassociating itself with the Syrian regime - very wise move. You will see more and more disassociating inside of Lebanon from the Syrian regime as Assad continues to become weaker and weaker. Hezbollah knows he will fall, eventually they will try to wash their hands of Bashar himself when the situation becomes crystal clear. If not, I think they will pay a heavy price for sticking with him amongst their own people.

[Professor Higgins]

If the target was really the Batrak then this is very serious. Something is definitely not right. For the first time in 30 years Lebanese State officials have openly pointed fingers at a Syrian General. Something is definitely happening.

[5a49]

The target were Salafi leaders such as Khaled Daher, and other Syrian Opposition leaders....supposedly..

Till now you dont know if its true or not...everything is still vague

[Martyrdom]

Hezbollah has disassociated itself from what MP Raad says.

They know that this traitor has treason written on his forehead, and guilt written all over the audio.

I hope this guy and the Syrian terrorists who hired him are all hanged for their crimes.

Had his plot worked, Patrirach RAHI would have been killed in Akkar and a war would have erupted between Sunnis and Christians.

What a low life, a traitor to all Christians, a traitor to the state, and he will pay for his crime. So will the ones who sent him. The Syrians are masters of creating sectarian strife.

I am not looking forward to the mujahideen prevailing in Syria, but I will enjoy watching the Assad regime face a very harsh form of justice for the atrocities they have committed and continue to commit in Lebanon. Assad is on a short leash, even his agents in Lebanon know it. If he wasn't on the verge of defeat, Samaha would have never been arrested and an indicement could never have been issued for the Syrian criminal who is the top General in Assad's govt

Brother can you show me were HizbAllah dissociated itself from what MP Raad said?

Edited August 12, 2012 by Martyrdom

[south-lebanon]

The following is a section from Robert Fisks latest article on the samaha situation, it adresses the same question most skeptics on this issue have been asking, and for good reason too,

. One of the few journalists to object was Scarlett Haddad of L'Orient Le Jour. When Lebanon is awash with explosives, guns and missiles, she asked, why would Syria need to import bombs into Lebanon? And why would a figure like Samaha, who has warned against any sectarian conflict in northern Lebanon, lend himself to such a plot? Indeed, why should a well-connected man get mixed up in the dirty business of handling bombs, a task normally assigned to voyous, or "street kids"? A report that Assad personally phoned the Lebanese President, Michel Suleiman, to intervene was denied by Suleiman.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/robert-fisk-in-the-end-all-israel-and-her-western-allies-want-to-do-is-to-break-iran--via-syria-8037174.html

[Abu 3antar]

I am not looking forward to the mujahideen prevailing in Syria, but I will enjoy watching the Assad regime face a very harsh form of justice for the atrocities they have committed and continue to commit in Lebanon.

You do realize that the "Mujahideen" will commit far greater atrocities towards the Lebanese people right? You are chanting for your own destruction.

[Martyrdom]

Report: Milad Kfouri... ISF or Mossad Agent?!

"As-Safir" Lebanese paper reported Monday that "former Minister Michel Samaha's defense team, which is composed of lawyers Youssef Fenianos and Malek as-Sayyed, will initiate what looks like the counterattack in the Samaha case."

"The lawyers will build their defense strategy on the theory that Samaha was lured into transferring the explosive devices in order to frame him," it clarified.

In this context, "ad-Diyar" daily unveiled the agent Milad Kfouri is a friend to the head of the Internal Security Forces Information Branch Wissam Hassan."

The paper also pointed out that " the man visited the Zionist entity from Cyprus many times using a foreign passport," as it highlighted that " Kfouri has close ties with the "Israeli" Mossad secret service since the days of the late minister Elie Hobeika."

"Kfouri's work with the "Israeli" Mossad is of very high level," it highlighted and alluded to the possibility that "the "Israeli" security apparatus revealed some of its agents to Hassan to cover up their link to Kfouri."

"Will the crisis over the agent Kfouri lead to the sacking of the head of the ISF Hassan or immobilizing his work because it has led to a huge crisis – a crisis the size of Lebanon and Syria – after Hassan provided Kfouri with political asylum, just as the case with false witness Mohammad Zuheir Siddiq?" the daily wondered.

It stated " the ISF paid 5 million dollars to Kfouri, to take all the information from Michel Samaha on President Bashar al-Assad and General Ali al-Mamlouk and what all he know about Hizbullah."

"The money have been transferred from one account to another via a European bank to be later set in Kfouri's wife's account," "ad-Diyar" learned.

It also emphasized that "a week ago, Hassan has safeguarded the travel of Kfouri's family to Europe in coordination with an external security device."

Source: Aa-Diyar

[Chris]

Brother can you show me were HizbAllah dissociated itself from what MP Raad said?

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/49707-report-hizbullah-does-not-adopt-raad-s-comment-on-samaha-arrest