Samir Geagea, the only Lebanese warlord jailed for crimes during the 1975-1990 civil war, was amnestied by parliament on Monday after 11 years in jail. Backers of the former anti-Syria Christian Maronite danced and waved flags of his banned Lebanese Forces outside parliament and in Christian streets of Beirut.
In his northern mountain hometown of Besharre, supporters fired bursts from assault rifles in celebration minutes after the news of his amnesty.
He has been jailed since 1994, serving four life sentences including three murders of political rivals, among them a prime minister, and one failed attempt to kill a minister.
He has said that the sentences were politically motivated by the then pro-Syrian authorities.
"What happened today is a very big dream that we have been awaiting for 11 years and two months," Geagea's wife Strida, an MP, told reporters outside parliament.
"I want to thank my fellow MPs ... who expressed the will of the Lebanese people to turn the page of the war for good and to move to comprehensive national reconciliation," she said.
Comments
Comments are closed.