Hariri: We Would Thwart The Syrian Regime”s Attempt to Assassinate Lebanon

 

Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri on Saturday accused Syrian President Bashar Assad”s regime of attempting to assassinate Lebanon, pledging that “We would thwart this attempt.”

 

Hariri, addressing crowds that flooded the Quality Inn hotel to greet him in the northern town of Tripoli, said the Syrian regime “that assassinated (Ex-Premier) Rafik Hariri three years ago is trying to assassinate Lebanon now.

 

“The Syrian people is not to be held responsible … so many Syrian opposition figures have been jailed at a time the regime set free terrorists and sent them to Lebanon and Iraq to kill Muslims at the direct instructions of this terror regime.”

 

Hariri pledged that “we would thwart this attempt, like we thwarted previous attempts and we would not allow them to control our country.”

 

Hariri reiterated that “we want, as soon as possible, to elect Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman president. We ask for nothing more than true partnership.”

 

“We would not surrender Lebanon to Iranian and Syrian dominance,” Hariri pledged and the crowd burst into applause and chants attacking the Assad Regime.

 

Hariri also vowed to protect the Dar al-Fatwa, stressing that “whoever attacks Dar al-Fatwa attacks all the Muslims and attacks me in person.”

 

A group of Sunni Muslim clergymen representing Dar al-Fatwa, Arabic for house of religious ruling, interrupted Hariri”s address chanting Islam”s outcry of Allah Akbar (God is Great)

 

Hariri, in his first visit to predominantly Sunni north Lebanon since the 2005 parliamentary elections, urged supporters to take part in commemorating the third anniversary of his father”s assassination on Feb. 14.

 

The March 14 majority alliance is sponsoring a Mass rally to mark the occasion in downtown Beirut, scheduled for Thursday. 
 
Picture: REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON)