Government Replaces Addoum with Justice Said Mirza, Purge Underway
Premier Mikati's government removed State Prosecutor Adnan Addoum from his post and replaced him with Justice Said Mirza, chairman of the criminal court of appeals in Beirut, beginning a judicial and security purge in the wake of ex-premier Hariri's assassination.
Addoum's removal was decided in the first session the 14-man cabinet held after winning a sweeping vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday. The action came in response to a campaign by Lebanon's opposition to remove Addoum and the commanders of Lebanon's six main security services.
General Ashraf Rifi replaced General Ali Hajj at the head of the Internal Security Forces, while General George Khoury replaced General Raymond Azar as head of army intelligence.
Information Minister Charles Rizk said General Edward Mansour, head of State Security, was removed from office and would be replaced at a future cabinet session.
The resignation last week of Jamil Sayyed, the powerful pro-Syrian General Security chief, was accepted by the cabinet but a successor has not yet been named because of a dispute between the interior and defense ministers whether the replacement should be a Shiite Muslim like Sayyed or a Christian as Defense Minister Elias Murr is insisting.
There was no mention of Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, President Lahoud's aide-de-camp and commander of the presidential guard brigade.
Addoum's removal was decided in the first session the 14-man cabinet held after winning a sweeping vote of confidence in parliament on Wednesday. The action came in response to a campaign by Lebanon's opposition to remove Addoum and the commanders of Lebanon's six main security services.
General Ashraf Rifi replaced General Ali Hajj at the head of the Internal Security Forces, while General George Khoury replaced General Raymond Azar as head of army intelligence.
Information Minister Charles Rizk said General Edward Mansour, head of State Security, was removed from office and would be replaced at a future cabinet session.
The resignation last week of Jamil Sayyed, the powerful pro-Syrian General Security chief, was accepted by the cabinet but a successor has not yet been named because of a dispute between the interior and defense ministers whether the replacement should be a Shiite Muslim like Sayyed or a Christian as Defense Minister Elias Murr is insisting.
There was no mention of Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan, President Lahoud's aide-de-camp and commander of the presidential guard brigade.
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