It was 1 p.m. when the phone rang in our London office. The secretary heard a man who spoke "Anglo-American" asking to have an interview with the editor. As the latter was absent, he was presented to the person in charge of the magazine. The secretary thought it was an ordinary occurrence, one of the many calls she gets every day. But for us, it was an important call, because it came from a person who was being prosecuted and had been convicted of the death penalty by default for a series of criminal cases. His name is one of the defendants involved in the shooting against president Rachid Karame, whose process is expected to begin before the Court of Justice. However, the accused has benefited from the status of political refugee in the U.S., where he lives under a false name and well protected, not allowing anybody to approach him. He is Ghassan Touma, former head of the security branch of the disbanded L.F. Who wants Touma? And why did he want to have an interview with the editor himself, before he accepted to talk to someone else? He wanted to publish a letter, provided that it be transcribed word by word, without the least change. The man wishes to put an end to the "farce" and make known his intention to give himself up to justice, an initiative he wants to make public with the aid of our weekly magazine, which had granted him his first interview - at the same time as Al-Hawadess - in a bar in the US in July 1996. Touma took the decision to give himself up to the Lebanese justice under one condition, which he considers essential: that the Vatican be the intermediary. He had promised to call back five days later expecting to talk directly with the editor. He fulfilled his promise and here are his declarations.

GHASSAN TOUMA TO “LA REVUE DU LIBAN”: “I PROPOSE TO BE DELIVERED TO THE LEBANESE STATE THROUGH THE HOLY SEE"

Why have you chosen the Holy See? How would the operation be realized, under which conditions, and what would be the price?
The operation should come about with the aid of a third party or a State trusted by me and by the Lebanese State. The idea came to me when the Pope visited Lebanon last May. The State imagines that I will get on the plane directly to Beirut and that I would present myself this way: Ghassan Touma is back; handcuff him and open up the curtains for a series you have invented and whose scenario you built? No, not a chance. The operation must unfold according to a plan, before being the object of a prior agreement. I have cited the Vatican because it is a respected and sincere State. Its dignitaries do not lie and I trust them. I believe nobody disagrees with me. If Lebanon chooses another country, I am not opposed to it, granted that I can put my trust on it because the operation is not limited to giving myself up; Geagea must be transferred from his prison to the country where I would go and that would get me to the Lebanese State. After that, the reopening of the process should take place under control of nationals of the country that acts as intermediary.
After the Lebanese State delivered Dr. Geagea the capital sentence, which was commuted to life in prison and forced labor, the Court justified its argument on the bases that Geagea was omnipotent, and that no mission or operation of the Lebanese Forces could not be carried out without his order. After that, the Court presented Ghassan Touma as the "Lion of Al-Borombo", making him take up the responsibility of planning and carrying out all the crimes... It was said later that Geagea was incarcerated on political grounds. On that case, why keep him arrested?


How do you view the operation of exchange between you and Geagea?
I would present myself to the Vatican and the State would render Samir Geagea to an emissary of the Holy See where he will be placed under house arrest. I would be taken by the same person that escorted Geagea to Rome and would get on a plane with him to Beirut.


And what would happen after that?
I would present myself before the Court of Justice and, if I convince them I am innocent, the case ends. If, on the contrary, I am found guilty, Geagea would be taken from the Vatican to Beirut and we would serve the sentence. If the Lebanese State really wishes to shed light on the crimes perpetrated during those painful events: the attacks against the Zouk church, against Danny Chamoun and his family, the president Rachid Karame and the attempt to murder Michel Murr, it must accept my proposition. The Christians have had enough oppression and difficulties they are forced to go through, and Dr. Samir Geagea should not be kept in a dark cell for the reasons everybody knows. Keeping in mind the injustice committed against my former companions of the Lebanese Forces that suffer in exile.


In a previous interview, you evoked some criminal affairs whose responsibility were attributed to the L.F. Can you tell us about the accusations against you and the L.F. specially regarding attacks against State security and the failed attempted murder on Michel Murr?
We have no relation with those operations at all. We knew about the circumstances and details of the attempt on Michel Murr's life through the media. However, some people that did not see with good eyes the fact that the L.F. helped end the war, assure the success of the Taef agreement and disarm the militias, plotted against Dr. Geagea and his companions, and insisted that they did not want the State to replace the militias and were not willing to stretch a hand to former foes and foster national understanding. Some people told Michel Murr it was organized by the L.F., so Murr demanded that two of our comrades be delivered who were suspected to have executed the attempt. But Dr. Geagea refused to deliver them, even because Murr did not have a judicial order as required by law. That was the disagreement between us. Having said that, I must make clear that the security branch of the L.F. had ended all its activities before the attempt. Later on, we got to know who committed the crime and personally informed Murr about it.


So, who was behind the attempt?
Minister Murr knows the truth; he is free to reveal it or not. Unfortunately, Murr paid attention to those who had an interest in harming the L.F., even because the information leads to some of his friends.


Is it possible that one of Murr's friends planned and executed the attempt on his life?
The booby-trapped car that exploded when he was passing was not targeting him, according to investigations done with our scarce resources, considering our security branch was not active anymore. It targeted ministers Georges Saade and Roger Dib, both of which live in the Metn: the former in Naccache and the latter in Mtayleb. Saade and Dib should take the same route to participate in the first Council of Ministers. So, the Syrian Social National Party (ex-PPS), in collaboration with Elie Hobeika's men, both having the same objectives, did it by mistake.


How did that happen?
At the time, Dr. Georges Saade, leader of the Kataeb, had a blue Mercedes 500, similar to Michel Murr's. On that day, Saade and Dib were called by the president to go to Baabda and talk to him before meeting the ministers. Both ministers took an route they were not used to. So, those who committed the attempt blew up the booby-trap when a blue Mercedes was passing, thinking it was Saade's, although it was Murr's. But Murr did not believe in our version.


If that is so, who could have taken the life of President Rachid Karame, blowing up the helicopter that was taking him back from Tripoli?
If some intelligence services have the ability and the "talent" to set up such well conceived elaborate scenario, as well as making up heroes in advance, would I be naive enough to reveal the truth before the opening of the process? Fortunately I was not in Paris the day when princess Diana died in a car accident, but they would put the blame on me...



Taken from RDL
Translated by Youssef Cherem