Hariri Rejects AMAL-Hizbullah Security Committee … Opposition, Majority Trade Accusations
Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri has rejected the idea of holding a coordination meeting along with Hizbullah and AMAL Movement at the headquarters of the Lebanese army intelligence to deal with security breaches and called for referring the matter to the Central Security Council.
Hariri believed the coordination committee was an attempt to portray Mustaqbal Movement as a "militia."
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri promptly summoned army intelligence chief Brig. Gen. George Khoury. He also contacted caretaker Interior Minister Hasan Sabaa and urged him "to take any measure without reservation," stressing that he was talking on behalf of himself as well as Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The Central Security Council on Thursday decided to upgrade police deployment in Beirut and ordered the removal of posters and party flags in an effort to contain the tense situation.
The council also called for halting agitation campaigns by the various feuding factions and urged citizens, who had fled during recent clashes, to return to their homes in contested areas of Beirut.
The council met after Hariri vowed to suspend cabinet line-up talks in protest over an attempt by assailants wearing Parliament police uniforms to assassinate Beirut citizen Imad Zaghloul.
Sources close to Berri said investigation into the security breaches "should take its course," adding that security authorities will arrest those involved, particularly after description of the car had been given.
The sources confirmed there is "no political cover-up" for the criminals.
Parliament Police also issued a statement on Thursday denying any relation to the shooting.
The statement also said "the incident was being politically manipulated by some parties."
"We care to clarify that Parliament Police members do not have special uniforms … their uniforms are nothing but those of the Internal Security Forces (ISF)," said the statement.
It urged media outlets not to publish any news about the force without verifying it.
Meanwhile, Hizbullah and AMAL leaderships accused some leaders from the pro-government March 14 ruling majority of "trying to torpedo the positive atmosphere that had prevailed following the Doha agreement."
They cited "personal as well as other reasons related to the new cabinet line-up within this (majority) team and their desire to obstruct implementation of the rest of the terms of the Doha agreement."
They also accused some March 14 leaders of "continuing their campaign aimed at instigating sectarian strife as the opposition is handling this matter with ultimate responsibility."
A March 14 source, however, swiftly hit back, accusing the opposition of seeking to hinder the Doha settlement by not respecting the security part of the agreement.
The source said that more than 300 pro-Mustaqbal families had fled their homes in Beirut and the mountains during the May battles over fears for their lives.