Jamil Sayyed to Saad Hariri: You Are Your Dad's Killer till You Punish Forgers

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Jamil Sayyed to Saad Hariri: You Are Your Dad's Killer till You Punish Forgers

30/08/2009 After he was politically arrested by the Lebanese government for four years, Former General Security chief General Jamil al-Sayyed decided to reveal some of what he has against the March 14 and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri along with what he called “corrupt judges” like Said Mirza and Saqr Saqr.

On the 4th anniversary of the political arrest of the four Lebanese generals, and in one of his strongest-worded attacks against the premier-designate and his political and security team, General al-Sayyed lashed out on Sunday at them accusing them of forgery and agreeing to four years of falsification in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL).

In a press conference, Jamil al-Sayyed said, "Saad Hariri lost right in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon when he agreed to falsification and the country's destruction during a period of four years."

He said former premier Rafiq Hariri was murdered three times.

"The first was on February 14 (2005). The assassins remain at large thanks to some officers and politicians surrounding (Saad) Hariri."

"The second time Rafiq Hariri was killed was when the four generals were arrested after false witnesses were told what to say by politicians, officers and journalists.

The third time that Hariri was killed was when the four generals were released," he added.

Sayyed was among four top generals who were released in April after four years in custody in connection with Hariri's assassination, no one has ever been formally charged. The other three are the former head of the presidential guard, Mustafa Hamdan, 53, domestic security chief Ali Hajj, 52, and military intelligence chief Raymond Azar, 56.

General al-Sayyed said the "criminal state keeps among its ranks people like (public prosecutor) Said Mirza." He called on Hariri to hold accountable those who committed forgery such as "Wissam al-Hassan, Said Mirza and Samir Shahadeh."

Addressing Hariri, Sayyed said: "You are your father's killer until you hold them accountable. If you are brave enough you will place a picture of Mohammed Zuhair al-Siddiq next to your father's when welcoming your guests," he said in reference to the main suspect in the investigation into Hariri's assassination.

Mohammed Zuhair Siddiq, a Syrian army deserter often described by the Arab media as the 'King Witness' in the Hariri murder case and arrested in the United Arab Emirates.

Following the Siddiq case, several arrest warrants were issued in Lebanon and Syria against the man for providing false testimonies in the assassination case of Hariri. Siddiq had become a burden on the political sides that at one stage were providing cover for him. Even sources in the Lebanese majority expected Siddiq to be jailed after it turned out that he was a "big lie."

Addressing President Michel Suleiman, al-Sayyed said: "It is a shame that you have been made prisoner. And yes to the amendment of Taef." He added, “I ask President Michel Sleiman to adopt the same strict manner that he used to follow as an army commander or leave his current position.”

He also asked MP Walid Jumblatt "where was your political voice in the international tribunal's file." He said those who take Jumblatt as an ally were committing a mistake.

General al-Sayyed then criticized Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani and asked for an apology to his daughter Sara al-Sayyed for the accusations against her father.

ASHOURI: BELLEMARE WILL RETURN IN A FEW DAYS; LEBANESE POLITICIANS MUST STOP PREDICTIONS

The spokeswoman of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) chief prosecutor Daniel Bellmare dismissed Sunday reports that an "indictment" in the 2005 assassination of Hariri was expected soon.

"Those who are initiating such reports are mere predictors," Radhia Ashouri told BBC in an interview.

She called on Lebanese politicians "not to jump into conclusions, predict dates for an indictment or predict the content of such indictment."

Ashouri insisted that investigations into Hariri's murder were "top secret and the tribunal does not give out information to anyone."

She said that Bellemare was expected back in The Hague in the coming few days. "There is no set deadline for an indictment. But this does not at all mean that the prosecutor does not see a need to inform the Lebanese public on whether there is one or not."

She denied claims the investigation was "politicized" saying "We are not a political side and we have never and will never be influenced by politics."

Sayyed: Hariri’s Team was Behind False Witnesses

12/09/2010 General Jamil al-Sayyed slammed in a press conference on Sunday Prime Minister Saad Hariri asking him to “take a lie detector test to prove that he did not support or fund false witnesses [in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)], and should admit that he sold his father’s blood for four years in order to implement the New Middle East project.”

Sayyed, former head of General Security, was detained from 2005 to 2009 without charges on suspicion of involvement in former Prime Minister Martyr Rafik Hariri’s 2005 assassination. In April 2009, the STL ordered his release due to lack of evidence.

While saying the tribunal knows that Hariri's political, security and judicial team were behind false witnesses in Rafik Hariri's assassination case, Sayyed said Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare should have summoned them and questioned them. He also called on Bellemare and STL President Antonio Cassese to resign “so that they will not [stand] beside counterfeiters”.

Sayyed said that international investigators themselves admitted that some witnesses had changed their testimony or been found to be lying. He indicated that the tribunal doesn't want to prosecute the false witnesses because “big heads would roll.”

“After all you have done to Syria, (Syrian President) Bashar Assad hugged you rather than hanging you to death,” Sayyed said addressing Hariri. “It's not enough for Hariri to admit that he erred, he has to pay the price of his mistakes,” the former security chief told reporters about Hariri's latest statement to pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat. Accusations against Syria were not political, they were crimes of slander that require trial, according to the former general.

In July 2010, the STL held a public hearing over Sayyed’s request for documents related to his imprisonment. He says he was the victim of false testimony.

Sayyed told Hariri that if he does not give him his right, “I swear on my honour that I [will] take it with my own hand,” and called on the people to “revolt against authority.”

Sayyed also warned that he will ask the Syrian government to issue arrest warrants in absentia for Lebanese against whom he filed charges in Syrian courts.