Public Prosecutor Adnan Addoum Tuesday formally requested the death penalty for the former leader of the banned Lebanese Forces militia, Samir Geagea, and his accomplices in the 1987 assassination of then-Prime Minister Rashid Karami.

Mr. Addoum, who made his request to the Judicial Council, said in his 4-hour closing arguments that Geagea had orchestrated Mr. Karamis assassination, saying that defense lawyer Karim Pakradounis claim that the assassination was the result of Israeli infiltration of the LF was false.

Geagea and 16 others are on trial in the case; Geagea, Brigadier Khalil Matar and 3 others are in custody. The others have fled the country. Geagea ordered this heinous crime for personal reasons. It was not a political crime, and was not the result of any alleged Israeli infiltration of the LF, which was at the time under the direct control of Geagea and was very powerful and hard to infiltrate, Mr. Addoum said. The decision was taken after the LF launched a media campaign against Mr. Karami. Geagea planned the assassination and Ghassan Touma carried it out after receiving from Geagea all the needed funds and means, he added. The prosecutor also accused Brigadier Matar of having carried out the assassination under Geageas orders.

Brigadier Matar was an important accomplice and had close ties with Geagea and the head of his intelligence service, Ghassan Touma, the public prosecutor said.

Prosecution lawyer Bassam Dayeh asked the Council to issue the death sentence for all of the defendants in the case.