Syrian authorities handed over its first official arrest warrant to Interpol, since it recently lifted its ban on Syria, against Samir Geagea, chairman of the Lebanese Forces party.
According to the warrant issued by the Syrian authorities, Geagea is wanted under a “red” international warrant issued by Interpol’s office in Syria on several charges.
Various accusations
The Syrian government accused Geagea, in his role as head of the Lebanese Forces party, of attacking hundreds of Syrians living in Lebanon. Geagea allegedly attacked the Syrians as they traveled to the Syrian embassy to participate in the recent Syrian presidential elections.
The warrant also accused Geagea of “conspiring with, inciting, and communicating with “terrorist” organizations against the Syrian regime and its security forces; attempting to overthrow the regime; smuggling weapons and financing subversive groups inside Syria; and harboring and facilitating the trafficking of Syrian and Arab “terrorists” to and from Syria.”
The attack on Syrians in Lebanon stemmed from a social media attack in late May.
Read Also: Opposition Build Follow Up Team on Interpol Decision to Readmit Regime
Syrians supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were beaten by Lebanese mobs on election day.
At the time, some Lebanese said that Syrians walking in the streets of Lebanese cities in support of al-Assad and chanting his name were provocative to those who suffered violations by the Syrian Army during its stay in Lebanon from 1975 to 2005.
Syria-Interpol contact returns
In October, Interpol decided to lift what it described as the “corrective measures” it had imposed on the Syrian government in 2012.
Interpol said that Syria’s membership within its network has not stopped since Syria joined the organization in 1953. Interpol pointed out that the corrective measures imposed on Syria limited the country’s access to the databases, but did not cancel its membership.
Remarks by the Observer: Tensions between the Christian-majority Lebanese Forces and the Shia-majority Hezbollah, a key ally of the Syrian regime, are at their highest after clashes between armed men of the two parties occurred in Beirut last week.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
