With the latest security incidents shaking the country’s stability and dealing a serious blow to the slogan of firm security emphasized over the past three years, the country’s intelligence bodies are determined to produce results to counter recent accusations of deficiencies in their performance.
The country was thrown into turmoil by the kidnapping and murder of Lebanese Forces official Ramzi Irani and the assassination of Jihad Jibril, the son of PFLP-GC chief Ahmed Jibril, despite assertions by security officials that such incidents were difficult to predict or prevent.
The Central Security Council held an urgent meeting on Tuesday to discuss the two incidents at length.
A security source said the Irani case was taking a “personal turn,” which contradicted speculation that his assassination may have been connected to his political affiliation. However, this line of speculation remains unproven, with a source maintaining that “nothing is final yet.”
In addition to an urgent need to restore their credibility, security sources were reportedly
notified by Damascus that they had three days to discover those responsible for Irani’s killing,
a deadline that was judged unrealistic by sources close to
the investigations.
The source said the reported ultimatum emphasized the seriousness with which such security incidents were taken.
A statement by the Central Security Council emphasized Syria’s interest in the case, asserting Damascus’ readiness to put the skills and means of its personnel at the disposal of the Lebanese authorities.
Syria’s concern with learning the truth about the Irani case appeared to stem from a desire to prove wrong theories according to which Damascus may have been involved in the incident.
By helping disclose the truth about Irani’s death, Syria would also prove its good intentions toward all Lebanese factions and political groups, including the LF. Moreover, Damascus may also be trying to avoid criticism that its presence in Lebanon for security needs was unjustified.
A source close to investigations into Irani’s case said the young man, who was kidnapped about 13 days ago, was killed around seven days ago, based on medical reports. The car in which the body was found was rather clean, with little dust on its surface. Taking into account rainfall in the days that followed his disappearance, these elements indicated that his car had been placed in a covered parking area.
Security sources said it remained unclear how the car reappeared close to the day Jibril was killed, and whether the two incidents were connected.
Another striking element was the absence of any reports about a violent scene or even verbal altercation on the road where Irani was kidnapped, leading investigators to believe that he was not physically forced to follow his kidnappers.
Jibril’s assassination, on the other hand, appeared more complicated, which may be why security forces are spending more effort on the Irani case to quickly produce results that would ease domestic tension.
Security sources said the precision with which Jibril’s assassination was executed pointed to a conspiracy involving people from Jibril’s personal guard or immediate entourage.
They said the small (2 kilograms) amount of explosives placed in his car proved that he alone was targeted, as with the blast that killed former Minister Elie Hobeika in February.
The booby-trapped car that killed Hobeika was placed on an isolated road to minimize damage, just as the amount of explosive in Jibril’s assassination was calculated in a way to reduce casualties, the sources said.
The two killings have left a strong impression that civil war accounts remain unsettled, requiring serious efforts by the government to prevent further incidents or at least conduct serious investigations to discover the culprits.
The violent events are likely to harm the country’s economy as well, on the eve of a promising summer tourist season.
Also notable was the absence of any public appearance by officials to comment. While some expected Interior Minister Elias Murr to hold a news conference after the Central Security Council meeting, a concise statement was issued instead, indicating that the authorities were determined to avoid any false steps.
The statement said there was “some information” in the Irani case that would ultimately lead to the truth, and stressed the need to quickly wrap up the Jibril investigation, which would help “dissipate the prevailing atmosphere of anxiety.”

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