Franjieh Gives Ultimatum to Government on Bsrama Shooting Attack
Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh on Wednesday gave an ultimatum to the Lebanese government on the Bsarma shooting attack in north Lebanon.
"I give the government a 15-day to 1-month ultimatum to reveal the truth behind the shooting incident in Bsarma," Franjieh told a news conference.
His ultimatum came a few hours after two people were killed and three wounded in clashes between the Lebanese Forces and Marada Movement in the town of Bsarma in the northern province of Koura.
"What a coincidence that Youssef Franjieh was killed in the shooting attack, only two months after he announced on O.T.V. that he had opened fire on Samir Geagea during the Ehden Massacre," the Marada leader said
Lebanese Forces supporter Pierre Ishaq was killed and three wounded in an armed ambush at dawn Wednesday by Marada Movement in the town of Bsarma in the northern Lebanese province of Koura.
Clashes erupted when supporters of Suleiman Franjieh”s Marada Movement in Bsarma tore down banners the Lebanese Forces had put up for a ceremony commemorating the Lebanese Forces martyrs on September 21.
Lebanese Forces members returned to replace the shredded banners when they were "surprised by an armed ambush that targeted them followed by heavy gunfire."
Pierre Ishaq was killed and three bodyguards of Lebanese Forces official Farid Habib were wounded in self-defense. Those injured have been identified as Mansour Tawk, Elie Bou Habib and Michel Michael.
Youssef Franjieh, head of Marada”s Bsarma office, was also killed in the heaving clashes that proceeded.
Press reports said security forces raided the house of Syrian Social Nationalist Party member Ghassan Ghazi — suspected of causing the Bsarma clashes – and arrested him.
The force – made up of police and army troops — confiscated a collection of weapons from his house.
The SSNP, however, denied in a statement that Ghazi had been arrested for this reason.
The statement said Ghazi was detained against the backdrop of a lawsuit filed by Lebanese Force”s Bsarma official accusing him of making threats against him.