5 Days on Show of Force; No Arrests Yet!

08/02/2008 Al-Manar TV
Five days have passed on the show of force made by the February 14 militias in Aramoun, south of Beirut, yet it show did not provoke the media horns that have been used to laud sovereignty and the country of law. Five days and the concerned political sides are still absent; something the Aramoun municipality finds odd.

The head of Aramoun’s municipality Sheik Fadeel el-Jawhari, who has been making hard efforts to maintain civil peace among residents from various confessions in the region, found himself facing a ‘scene of terrorism’ wondering “where did they come with all these weapons?”

Al-Manar Channel contacted the Defense Minister in the unconstitutional government Elias Murr who said that he has called the commissioner in the Military Tribunal Magistrate John Fahed who responded saying: “Since what happened was not a confrontation with the security forces then this issue isn’t the military judiciary’s jurisdiction, however it is the jurisdiction of the general prosecution and the Interior Ministry.”

Last Sunday at dawn, the residents of Aramoun woke up on sounds of intense and mysterious gunfire that lasted for over 60 minutes. One pro-February 14 report said that a Progressive Socialist Party (headed by MP Walid Jumblatt) official came under fire and was injured along with two of his comrades and then a gin fight ensued. It was later understood that the injured was mistakenly shot by one of his comrades. The mayor of Aramoun said that what really took place was a show of force made by dozens of armed men with very well known affiliations. Al-Manar broadcast footage that shows a show of force which included random shooting from automatic rifles at buildings, homes and cars to terrify the residents.

The question remains: Why didn’t the competent judiciary authorities arrest any militiaman that was involved in Sunday’s show of force till now?