LEBANON: A former Lebanese Maronite Christian warlord was freed yesterday after serving 11 years in prison for crimes committed during the country's 15-year civil war.
Samir Geagea, who had been convicted of murdering prime minister Rashid Karami and Danny Chamoun, a prominent politician, as well as of killing scores of Lebanese, was pardoned by parliament on July 18th.
Although Dr Geagea, a medical doctor, was originally included in a 1991 amnesty which covered all other militia leaders, he was re-arrested in 1994 and sentenced to three terms of life imprisonment for involvement in a church bombing. He was released with the aim of promoting post-war national reconciliation.
Dr Geagea was taken from his cell to the airport where he met members of his disbanded Lebanese Forces militia before departing for medical treatment in Europe.
During an emotional televised address, he said Lebanon had escaped from a "big prison" when Damascus withdrew its military and security presence at the end of April and Syria's departure had enabled him to leave his "small prison". The Lebanese Forces allied itself with Israel during its 1982 invasion and occupation of Lebanon and carried out the massacre of Palestinians at the Sabra and Chatila camps.
While the group remains banned, several of its members were elected to parliament in the spring poll. Dr Geagea said he intends to return to Beirut and resume political life.
His main rival, Elie Hobeika, was assassinated in 2002.
Dr Geagea is the second former warlord to benefit from the dramatic political changes which followed the February 14th assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri. The first beneficiary was Gen Michel Aoun, the army chief who seized power in 1989 and attempted to oust the Syrian army which had entered Lebanon in 1976 to stabilise the country.
Troops loyal to Gen Aoun and Dr Geagea's militia - then allied to Syria - battled it out in Beirut during 1990, devastating the Christian sector of the capital and killing hundreds of people until Damascus intervened and defeated Gen Aoun.
He was permitted to return in May from exile in France and to stand for parliament, where his followers won 23 of the 128 seats. His faction forms the opposition to the government led by Fuad Siniora, the candidate of the largest bloc, headed by Saad Hariri, son of the slain premier.
