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Syria Security Chief Refuses Summons to Lebanese Military Court

Syrian security services chief Ali Mamlouk refused on Monday a summon by a Lebanese military court that is tackling the case of former Information Minister Michel Samaha on terror-related charges. Mamlouk, a member of Syrian regime head Bashar Assad's inner circle, was accused in 2013 by Lebanon's government of "attempting to murder politicians and other citizens, and carrying out terrorist acts". Samaha was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was caught transporting explosives from Syria for use in attacks in Lebanon. He had admitted early on in his trial that he was plotting the attacks with Mamlouk's help. Since 2013, Lebanon has had an arrest warrant out for Mamlouk, 72, and has been serving subpoenas to Syria in his name, but it was unclear if he was receiving them. Monday's hearing marked a rare acknowledgment of an attempted delivery. "During a hearing by the military court on Monday, the subpoena returned (from Damascus) without the accused's signature," a court source told AFP. "But it included a note saying the accused would only agree to appear in court in front of a commission made up entirely of major generals," said the court source, speaking on condition of anonymity. Without Mamlouk's signature, the subpoena could not be considered successfully delivered by the court, which set a new hearing for October 29. Mamlouk has rarely traveled outside of Syria -- or even appeared publicly -- since the conflict in his country erupted in March 2011. He was appointed as the head of national security in 2012 after a major explosion in Damascus killed four top security officials. Another legal source told AFP it would be impossible to honor Mamlouk's request to appear before a special military court. "It would require a special law, and there aren't seven major generals in Lebanon. Only the heads of security agencies have that title," the source said.
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