Saniora latest Lebanese on 'assassination list'

The head of the Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Fouad Saniora has received warnings from regional and western powers urging him to be wary of plots to assassinate him “in order to create strife in Lebanon,” reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday. Sources from the former premier told the daily that the information was received from powers that enjoy logistic and security capabilities. The news of the potential assassination intensified during the past few days, they added. “These plots are linked to the regional developments,” they revealed. Furthermore, the sources said that the assassination warnings were also issued to other figures in Lebanon, including four from the North. The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat meanwhile reported that the some five or six Lebanese leaders are potential assassination targets. Sources told the daily that further details will be disclosed “when the time is right.” Speaker Nabih Berri was the first speak of an assassination list in Lebanon. He said on May 31 that the targets are facing a “serious threat from extremist forces.” Lebanese authorities received warnings from a number of countries saying that fundamentalist forces had infiltrated Lebanon to assassinate a number of Lebanese figures. In April, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea was the victim of a failed assassination attempt at his Maarab residence. Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel had also recently revealed that he too was victim of a failed attempt on his life.