Legislator Edmond Naim, a member of Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces bloc in parliament, died Monday of old age. He was 88.

Naim was elected to parliament in 2005 and was the most senior member of the legislative body.

Born in Beirut's Shiah district in 1918, Naim received his law degree in 1941 from the French Law Faculty. He became head of the Lebanese University in 1970 and remained in this post for seven consecutive years, the National News Agency said.

Naim's funeral service will be held at Mar Mikhael Church in Shiah on Wednesday. He will then be buried in his hometown of Deir al-Kamar in the Chouf mountains.

The late legislator headed Geagea's defense team when the LF leader was accused of being behind the 1994 bombing of "Notre Dame de Delivrance" Church north of Beirut.

He forged a close friendship with Druze leader Kamal Jumblat and was involved with the founding of the Progressive Socialist Party. However, he later withdrew his membership from the party, the NNA said.

In 1985, Naim was appointed Central Bank Governor by former President Amin Gemayel.

Naim wrote many essays including one comparing Lebanese law with the French legal code and one on socialist ideology as it is applied in Lebanon. (Naharnet)