Bomb Found Near Gemayel”s Home, Phalange Leader Confirms Threats Against him
Security forces defused Tuesday night an explosive device in a vehicle parked near Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel”s home in Bikfaya and arrested its Syrian driver.
The Phalange party issued a statement after midnight, saying Gemayel”s security guards stopped the driver who was carrying explosive devices linked with electric wires and a detonator.
It condemned efforts to "terrorize" people ahead of the parliamentary elections, saying the incident "was a message to (former) President Amin Gemayel and the Phalange party for their attempts to play a national role and run in the elections."
The statement said such "terrorization" efforts will not deter the party from running in the elections, putting its trust in the security forces in revealing who is behind attempts to create instability in the country.
"I have previously received threats from parties that in the past warned about assassinations or assassination attempts," Gemayel told An Nahar daily in remarks published Wednesday.
An Nahar quoted security sources as saying that Gemayel”s security personnel had seen the Honda Prelude in the area in the past two days and when the driver was arrested a hand grenade and electric wires were found in the trunk.
The driver is named Youssef Mohammed al-Mohammed and police found several forged passports with him.
The Lebanese army immediately cordoned off the area and opened an investigation.