February 24, 2010 - Naharnet - Syria Threatens to Try Lebanese Officials in Absentia over Sayyed's Case if They Don't Show Up In Damascus Court

Syria has threatened to try Lebanese political and security officials in absentia over a lawsuit filed against them three months ago by former head of Lebanon's General Security Jamil Sayyed.

The threat came in a formal letter sent by Syrian judicial authorities to the Lebanese judiciary asking about the fate of the summoning orders issued three months ago against a number of Lebanese political and security officials.

A statement issued by Sayyed's press office, said the letter, a copy of which was made available to Sayyed's attorney in Damascus, reaffirmed the "need to inform them (sued persons) to appear before the first investigating judge in Damascus."

The letter stressed that "if Lebanese authorities insist on not responding, the defendants will then be informed through a notice posted on the Justice Palace bulletin board in Damascus in line with norms, after which we will go ahead with the case in absentia, including the prosecution of defendants in absentia."

Legal expert Shafiq al-Masri, however, said diplomatic norms should be taken into account.

He told al-Akhbar in remarks published Wednesday that the orders of summonos in Sayyed's case should go through diplomatic channels, and not directly via court.

Sayyed accused Prosecutor Saeed Mirza and Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar of putting the the orders of summons on hold.

The daily al-Akhbar on Wednesday said both Mirza and Najjar declined comment.

It said MP Marwan Hamadeh and police chief Ashraf Rifi also refused to comment.

Hamadeh, who is also a former Cabinet minister, is among the officials included in the order of summons.

The others are:

- Former Cabinet ministers Charles Rizk and Hasan Sabah
- Ex-MP Elias Atallah
- Judges Saeed Mirza, Saqr Saqr and Elias Eid
- Police chief Ashraf Rifi as well as police officers Samir Shehadeh, Hossam al-Tannoukhi and Khaled Hammoud
- Retired army Brig. Gen. Mohammed Farshoukh
- Journalist Fares Khashan, Hani Hammoud, Omar Harqous, Abdel-Salam Moussa, Ayman Sharrouf, Hasan Sabra, Zahra Badran, Nadim al-Munla, Hamid al-Gheryafi and Nuhad al-Ghadry
- Former ambassador Johnny Abdo
- Lebanese citizen Adnan al-Baba
- Two witnesses in the case Murad Akram, Ibrahim Jarjoura