'War crimes' case against Syrian minister

A Lebanese lawyer said he has filed a lawsuit on Monday against Syrian Interior Minister Mohammed al-Shaar, accusing him of committing war crimes and killing 900 in different areas of Tripoli 20 years ago. Lawyer Tareq Shandab said he filed the case as al-Shaar is currently undergoing treatment at the American University Hospital for back wounds from a December 12 suicide bomb attack on the interior ministry in Damascus. The case accuses al-Shaar, who in 1986 was in charge of security in Tripoli, of "genocide, ethnic cleansing, political assassination and the killing of religious officials and children in Bab al-Tebbaneh, Tripoli"  Shandab said. According to Shandab "all the legal services will be available for the victims' families to guarantee bringing al-Shaar to justice."