Lebanon's Hariri says assassination plot uncovered

[Flabbergasted]

Source: WaPo

Lebanon's Hariri says assassination plot uncovered
Reuters
Tuesday, October 30, 2007; 10:44 AM


CAIRO (Reuters) - The leader of Lebanon's anti-Syrian coalition said on Tuesday he had information about a plot to kill him and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, which he said was planned by a senior Syrian official.

Saad al-Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, said after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Lebanese security agencies are investigating the information in cooperation with other Arab agencies.

Asked whether Assef Shawkat, the director of Syrian military intelligence and brother-in-law of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was behind the alleged plot, he said: "We have information about this, and we're following up on it."

"It is accurate information, but the security agencies are working and there is cooperation between the Lebanese security agencies and Arab security agencies on the attempt to assassinate not just me, but also (Prime Minister) Siniora."



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/30/AR2007103000642.html

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http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20071030-124053-2692r

Hariri, who heads the parliamentary majority, told a news conference in Cairo after holding talks with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak that "this intelligence is correct and our security services are working on it."

A source close to Hariri's March 14 Coalition, who requested anonymity, told The Middle East Times that the Lebanese authorities had gathered evidence of booby-trapped cars being prepared to be planted on the road leading to Hariri's Beirut residence, intended to target Siniora's convoy. He added that some of these vehicles had been found and the evidence contained recorded communication on this matter.

The source, however, refused to elaborate further, insisting the authorities would reveal the details "at the right time."