Daily Star - Appeals court adjourns Karam retrial until Dec. 20, November 25, 2011

BEIRUT: The military appeals court Thursday adjourned the retrial of retired Brig. Gen. Fayez Karam to Dec. 20 when the court is expected to announce its verdict. In September, Karam’s lawyer, Rashad Slaameh, appealed the sentence of two years with hard labor and requested a retrial, which was accepted by the presiding judge on Oct.28. On Sept. 4, Karam was sentenced to two years with hard labor after being convicted of providing the intelligence agency Mossad with information about the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah, as well as information about other Lebanese parties, in return for money. During Karam’s questioning Thursday by presiding Judge Alice Shabtini, he insisted he was innocent and denied allegations against him. In response to a question regarding 14,000 euros ($18,600) which he allegedly received from the Mossad, Karam said he had made it up under duress during preliminary interrogations by the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces. Karam, a leading figure in the Free Patriotic Movement of MP Michel Aoun, was charged in August 2010.