Karami insists "conspiracy" behind Tripoli fighting

Source: Daily Star, 30-7-2008
BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Omar Karami said on Tuesday that he believed there was a "conspiracy" against Tripoli" and that a third party was pitting the "sons of one city" against one another "in an attempt to promote sectarian strife." Karami, a native and resident of Tripoli himself, said there was no excuse for the "devastating clashes," in the Northern coastal city over the weekend, which left nine dead and at least 50 wounded. The only solution was to spread state authority, "and the state means the army and Internal Security Forces (ISF)," he added. The former premier said the Lebanese Armed Forces and ISF were the sole authorities capable of bridging the rift between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods in Tripoli. "We call on all our brothers in Tripoli to be aware of the seriousness of what is going on, because sectarian strife only benefits Israel and the enemies of Lebanon," he said. Karami added that he was "surprised" with the "all the flurry surrounding the Arour case," in reference to Mohammad Arour, a gunman arrested at an army checkpoint on Monday. Arour said he was a supporter of Karami, a claim which was strongly denied by the former prime minister's media office. "They are saying that Arour is my military officer; if I have a militia, then where is it?" Karami asked.