BEIRUT, Lebanon, Sept 30 (Lebanonwire) -- French intelligence sources informed some Lebanese politicians temporarily living in France of the existence of a list containing some 20 names and/or organizations targeted for assassination, including politicians, media and journalists, Al Siyassah online daily reported Friday.

The same sources said that a previous list had been shelved when a number of politicians fled Lebanon, while others hunkered “in underground hiding places.” They said that Lebanese authorities did not take the list seriously when Gulf intelligence operating in Lebanon made their original discovery and informed them of its contents.

The list contained the names of nine journalists, eight “second-tier” politicians which the sources describe as “easy targets” and three non-Lebanese media publishers, namely the heads of Kuwaiti Al Siyassah and Public Opinion and Jordanian Al Dustoor (the Constitution). The Lebanese journalists included two chairmen of satellite televisions, three publishers and four TV or newspaper analysts or commentators.

The daily said that Lebanese publishing houses had been subjected to rocket attacks and bombing attempts foiled at the last minute, while many publishers fled abroad fearing for their lives, “even Al Siyassah received a mail bomb addressed to its publisher Ahmad Aljar Allah, which exploded when his office secretary opened it last December, injuring him in the face.”

Lebanese media circles told Al Siyassah that a number of publishers and editors who prior to Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s murder been defending Syria and making regular visits there, suspended their visits when they began receiving threats after they started writing articles siding with the public’s wish to find Hariri’s killers, although the articles did not accuse Syria directly.

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