Charbel: MP Khaled al-Daher at Top of Assassination List

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed on Wednesday that al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Khaled al-Daher is at the top of a list of opposition officials who could be targeted in assassination plots.

In remarks to As Safir daily, Charbel said he has received information that four personalities from the March 14 opposition alliance are in danger, adding that al-Daher faces the biggest threat.

“We asked him to take the highest precautions,” the minister said.

Charbel told As Safir the government should make an official request to a private security firm to guarantee the protection of political officials because the capabilities of security forces are limited in that regard.

“We had to empty several police stations to seek the assistance of their members in the missions to protect” the officials, he said.

The minister told al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday that Prime Minister Najib Miqati will hold a meeting with top security officials to discuss the information about assassination plots against personalities from the opposition coalition.

Charbel reiterated that he hadn't received from al-Mustaqbal MP Ammar Houri any list of names of 12 lawmakers from the bloc and three al-Mustaqbal movement officials, who have reportedly received death threats.

Houri had said that Charbel had handed the list to Miqati in November. But the premier’s press office later denied he had ever received the names of threatened officials.

The MP later condemned Miqati's denial, recounting the details of a meeting between a delegation from al-Mustaqbal movement and Charbel on November 16 during which it presented him with the list.