BEIRUT: An investigative judge on Wednesday sued Lebanon’s police chief after accusing him of preventing security forces from bringing in for questioning the central bank governor, who is accused of corruption.
The move by Judge Ghada Aoun came a day after she said that a police force prevented members of State Security, an intelligence agency, from bringing central bank governor Riad Salameh from his home for questioning.
Aoun said Tuesday that she has sent a formal letter to Internal Security Force chief Maj. Gen. Imad Osman, asking for an explanation regarding the incident. She said fighting authorities and preventing the implementation of a judicial order as Osman did, is an offense.
It was not immediately clear if Osman will show up for questioning by a Lebanese judge next week.
Salameh, who is accused of corruption and dereliction of duty during Lebanon’s historic economic meltdown, is being sued by a Lebanese anti-corruption group. The value of the national currency has plunged, foreign reserves are running low and the highly indebted government has been unable to agree on an economic recovery plan.
Salameh is also being investigated in several countries including Switzerland, Luxembourg and France for potential money laundering and embezzlement.
The division between Internal Security Forces and State Security mirrors the rivalry between the country’s politicians. Osman is considered close to former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who quit politics last month, and was a main opponent of President Michel Aoun, who backs the head of State Security.
The judge has been also been blamed of being close to the president. They are both from the same family but not related.
Lebanese judge sues police chief over central bank governor
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Lebanese judge sues police chief over central bank governor
- Aoun sent a formal letter to Internal Security Force chief asking for an explanation regarding the incident
- It was not immediately clear if Osman will show up for questioning by a Lebanese judge next week
Bridge over Euphrates reconnects Syrian villages in Deir Ezzor
- Temporary crossing will aid movement for people of Marat, al-Mari’iyah
- Many bridges were destroyed during Syria’s civil war
LONDON: Syria’s Defense Ministry has opened a temporary bridge over the Euphrates River to ease people’s movement and reconnect villages in eastern Deir Ezzor.
The Syrian army took control of the region from the Syrian Democratic Forces earlier this month.
Deir Ezzor Gov. Ghassan al-Sayyed Ahmad and Brig. Gen. Ahmad Mohammad al-Jassem, commander of the army’s 66th Division, supervised the opening of the bridge, which links Marat and al-Mari’iyah.
Bridges along the Euphrates in eastern Syrian Arab Republic are vital for connecting communities. During the civil war, many were destroyed by militias, forcing residents to rely on boats to cross the river.
Officials said the project was part of broader initiatives to restore infrastructure and improve living conditions in regions affected by years of conflict, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
On Monday, Syrian authorities reopened Al-Mansour Bridge in Raqqa after completing rehabilitation work. About 60 bridges were destroyed between 2014 and 2017, when the city was under the control of Daesh, which regarded it as its capital.
