LEBANON: ISF COMMANDER REVEALS SYRIAN INVOLVEMENT

S E C R E T BEIRUT 003600 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/MARCHESE/HARDING E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KCRM LE SY IS SUBJECT: LEBANON: ISF COMMANDER REVEALS SYRIAN INVOLVEMENT IN 2005 ASSASSINATION OF POLITICIAN GEORGE HAOUI Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey D. Feltman. Reason: Section 1.4 (b). ¶1. (S/NF) General Ashraf Rifi, Director General of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces, informed the Ambassador in a meeting on November 8 that the ISF had successfully uncovered a key figure involved in the assassinations of Al-Nahar journalist Samir Kassir on June 2, 2005 and communist politician George Hawi, killed by explosives on June 21, 2005. General Rifi believes the successful identification of a culprit was the motive for the assassination attempt on the life of ISF's Deputy Chief of Intelligence Samir Shehadeh on September 5, 2006 just outside of Saida. ¶2. (S/NF) General Rifi is convinced that Syrian authorities are directly responsible for all three crimes. Rifi said the investigation conclusively concluded that Majid Ghamoush, a Lebanese citizen from the Shia community in south Lebanon was responsible for the Hawi and Kassir assassinations. Before the suspect could be apprehended, however, he successfully fled to Syria and is currently believed to be living there under the protection of the Syrian regime. General Rifi stated that Lebanese criminal prosecutors, as well as the UNIIIC investigation of Serge Brammertz, have been given the results of the ISF investigation, along with its supporting evidence. Rifi also stated that some of the evidence indicated "several" of the acts of political violence that were committed in late 2004 and throughout 2005 are connected. The general did not mince words when he stated that Syrian and Iranian involvement is a given. He did not directly implicate Hizballah, but said the fact that a radicalized member of the Shia community from south Lebanon committed the crime indicates Hizballah should have at least been aware of the plan. ¶3. (S/NF) General Rifi credited U.S. technical and training assistance provided to the ISF in 2005 as a primary reason behind the successful investigation. He noted that U.S. assistance was instrumental in allowing the ISF to exploit a "closed cellular network" that was used by the perpetrators of the crimes. Rifi expressed high hopes that U.S. law enforcement assistance would continue and be expanded and offered his support in any reasonable endeavor. He said the ISF was in a race against time in acquiring the necessary skills and equipment that would allow it to defeat a well-financed and highly experienced adversary -- the secret police of Syria and its allies. Despite the serious challenges the ISF faces, the ISF Commander described morale in his organization as very high, thanks to its enhanced responsibilities and new emphasis on initiative. FELTMAN