Lebanon warned of infiltration by extremists

Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt on Wednesday charged that “the General Security has become a proxy for the Syrian regime,” voicing solidarity with President Michel Suleiman over the issue of administrative appointments. "The General Directorate of General Security has become a proxy for the Syrian regime and it acted foolishly as it could have sent a judicial warrant to (Salafist activist) Shady al-Mawlawi instead of luring him into a trap," said Jumblatt. Local newspapers reported on Wednesday that Western security agencies  warned Lebanese officials that terrorist militants linked to an extremist organisation have recently infiltrated the country to plot political assassinations. Commenting on the reports, Jumblatt said: "Where will they come from? From Beirut airport which is under the General Security’s authority? Or From the borders which are under the army’s authority? This myth reminds me of Abu Adas (The unidentified person reported to have been behind the assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in 2005)." Jumblatt accused the Syrian regime of seeking to end the Lebanese government’s so-called self-disassociation policy towards the crisis in neighbouring Syria saying that they want the government "to support the Syrian policy and to make Lebanon a proxy, and the Syrian ambassador proved that by calling for the implementation of  the Lebanese-Syrian treaty." "They believe that no voice should be higher than that of the Syrian regime," he added. Jumblatt emphasised he would maintain his centrist position as well as his opposition against the violence of the Syrian regime and some of its allies which, he claims, "have started to appear in Lebanon."