CNN Breaking: Syrian Interior Minister has committed suicide

[rooboy]

on CNN International via Brent Sadler.

Apparently was linked to corruption allegations. More to follow I'm sure.

[Spinzonner]

1. Did he shoot himself in the back ?

[Last Lemming]

2. Naw, in the head

twice.



(just kidding)

[ET Awful]

4. Maybe it was in the back of the head?

And no gun was found.

[Gman]

7. and used ratshot

[daleo]

31. Yep, the Enron special. n/t

[Dinger]

41. Yup, Clifford Baxter Special (nt)

[Theres-a]

3. We are skeptical

I went to type that,but you beat me to it.

[leftchick]

6. we all are on the same page aren't we?

what a jaded bunch.

[radwriter0555]

13. Twice.

You know, like baxter.

Two bullet rat shot suicide.

A specialty of the regime.

Well, unless you would prefer a heart attack or plane crash *cough*.

[Javaman]

33. oh come one, everyone that shoots themselves, always shoots twice...

Got to make sure! :sarcasm:

[BrotherBuzz]

42. Gary Webb was shot twice - ruled suicide

I'm just saying :shrug:

[Javaman]

43. during morons* tenure there have been several 2 bullet suicides...

They must be using automatic weapons or something...or something.

[punpirate]

54. Well. from what his wife has said...

... he missed the first time--the bullet went through his left cheek. Nearly missed the second time--the second bullet went through his carotid artery.

He was completely despondent and off his anti-depression medication.

Some things are explainable... and some are not.

[BrotherBuzz]

55. I heard his ex-wife interviewed by Christine Craft...

they covered his despondency extensively and left no question in my mind that Gary killed himself, yet the two gunshots were never explained. Thanks.

[Tight_rope]

28. That's what I was going to ask...

And how many times did he shoot himself in the back. :shrug: Most people do it at least 10 times. They want to make sure they do a good job. :think:

[zbdent]

5. Musta been investigated by Scaife's people

[leftchick]

8. AP Link.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051012/ap_on_re_mi_ea/syria_interior_minister;_ylt=Ak6LKBSpo8R4J__N3GHPfXQLewgF

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria's interior minister, who ran Lebanon as security chief until 2003, died Wednesday, and Syria's official news agency said he had committed suicide.


His death was reported days before the expected release of a U.N. report into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

"Interior Minister Brig. Gen. Ghazi Kenaan committed suicide in his office before noon," the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. "Authorities are carrying out the necessary investigation into the incident."

The news agency report did not mention the looming U.N. investigation, but Kenaan was intelligence chief in Lebanon from the 1980s until 2003, presiding over Syria's control of its neighboring country. He reportedly was questioned by U.N. investigators in the probe of the Hariri's murder.

[Poll_Blind]

9. News Agencies link from Ha'Aretz Daily

--snip--
Syria's interior minister, who ran Lebanon as security chief until 2003, committed suicide Wednesday, days before the expected release of a United Nations report into the assassination of a former Lebanese leader, Syria's official news agency reported.

"Interior Minister Brigadier General Ghazi Kenaan committed suicide in his office before noon," the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

"Authorities are carrying out the necessary investigation into the incident."
--snip--


More HERE

PB

[rfkrfk]

10. Colonel Mustard did it

in the kitchen
with the gun

[Zynx]

15. Lol! I was going to say that.

[allemand]

11. Ghazi Kana'an: member of the old guard or ally of Bashar al-Asad?

These quotes from Flynt Leverett's "Inheriting Syria, Bashar's Trial by Fire" (Brookings Institution Press 2005) paint a mixed picture:

A second tool for maintaining Syrian hegemony in Lebanon has been the deployment of an extensive apparatus of Syrian intelligence officers throughout the country. For many years under the command of Syrian military intelligence brigadier general Ghazi Kana'an, this apparatus – and its extension, the Lebanese intelligence and security services – allowed the Asad regime to keep tabs on and influence all important aspects and sectors of Lebanese political, economic, and social life.
p.43
(So, a possible link to the Hariri assassination?)

Ghazi Kana'an, an early supporter of Bashar as successor to Hafiz-al-Asad, was promoted to major general and brought back from Lebanon in October 2002 to head the Political Security Directorate, which is responsible for uncovering organized political activity in opposition to the regime. In October 2004 Kana'an was promoted again, becoming minister of the interior.
p.78

Some observers argue that the appointment of Ghazi Kana'an as interior minister is additional evidence that the old guard is reasserting itself. But it would seem just as plausible that Kana'an's appointment reflects Bashar's interest in elevating an internal security boss who can satisfy the imperative to maintain order when Syria's regional position is under pressure, while doing so in a relatively sophisticated manner that may allow the new architecture of civil society to remain in place. In this regard, shortly after Kana'an's appointment, rumors of the impending restructuring of Syria's security and intelligence apparatus began to appear in the Arab press and Syrian opposition publications. According to the oppositionist online daily Akhbar al-Sharq, Kana'an planned to force into early retirement "tens" of high-ranking officers in the security and police organs. Those to be dismissed are said to be the holdouts who refuse to go along with the interior minister's bid to unify the security services around Bashar's new reformist line.
p.97

[Kagemusha]

16. So it's as likely as anything else that Assad didn't know.

And this guy tried to "take care of the problem" and figured the less Assad knew the better, and now that it's officially coming back to bite them all and possibly lead to Assad's ousting, but absolutely certainly lead to this man's end as a man in power, he "takes responsibility" because prison or humiliation aren't good options a) and b).

And why am I mentioning this theory? Because it's not the one that gets pushed on me every time I read the papers about Syria by US and Israeli sources. Just like how I don't necessarily believe Rove told Bush every little detail of the Wilson/Plame media operation to provide him with that old stalwart of political fiction, "plausible deniability". Which ends up being neither of the two, ultimately. And yet it doesn't prove (in and of itself) that Bush was completely "in" on it.

But then, command responsibility is only for "them" and not for "us" nowadays. i.e. Assad is responsible because he should have known; Bush is not responsible because no one should expect him to know. Which is literally having it both ways.

[MADem]

45. Bashir Assad is an eye doctor, fa chrissake!

Chumpy is rattling the saber at the guy, but he really is not a playa like his daddy Hafez was. He had zero political experience before his daddy died and in essence, left him the post.

It is said that he would prefer to go back to medicine, he just does not have the temperment for Mid East political intrigues.

[RedEarth]

12. Pat Robertson what have you been up too?

[goforit]

47. Yes a prime suspect for mysterious killings of leaders.

[Kingshakabobo]

14. Where was O'Reilly?

[superconnected]

17. how many people actually kill themselves in their office.

Wouldn't that be the last place someone would want to die - at work.

[ozarkvet]

20. The clinton lawyer

The tin-foil republicans always talk about. Fosters? Or I am just thinking about beer?

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

25. Vince Foster -- it was in a park nt

[ozarkvet]

27. Foster/Fosters

At least I didn't call him Heineken or something.

[FlashHarry]

18. did he accidentally brutally cut his head off while shaving?

Mr. E. Blackadder refuses comment.

[shrike]

21. LOL

God, isn't it awful how cynical we've become?

[Twillig]

37. Or fall out of a window

onto an exploding bomb.

[ozarkvet]

19. Syria is about to have a revolution

The Lebanon thing was the harbinger.

Can't say I am too upset about it.

Hopefully, the turmoil will be short and the new boss won't be the same as the old boss, to use an old phrase.

[shrike]

22. Yes, but is it generated by Syria or us?

I've the feeling it's probably both. However, we'll be blamed for anything that goes wrong. Considering our track record, is that surprising.

[IndianaGreen]

23. The alternative to Assad and the Baathists is a Hizbollah government

Remember that the last time the US tried regime change in the Middle East it led to the quagmire in Iraq, and to an Iranian-controlled government.

I personally think the man killed himself because of Lebanon, and the assassination of its former PM.

[shrike]

24. Yep

Like I said, given our track record who'd want us anywhere near their government?

Have no idea why he killed himself, but your theory sounds as plausible as the others I've heard.

[allemand]

30. Syria is 74% Sunni, Hizbollah is a Shia organization.

Perhaps a Muslim Brotherhood government is what you meant?

[ozarkvet]

26. Both

I agree it's both.

Probably a "you do it," or "we'll do it for you" situation.

Can't happen to a nicer bunch of guys, although I agree whomever steps in may be worse. Lebanon is vaguely encouraging.

But momma always told me, "you can't polish a turd," so I don't have much hope.

[eissa]

51. I hope to God you're wrong

my in-laws live in Syria and visit us often. They love it there. They said if Iraq is a democracy they want no part of it. They said although a dictatorship is far from an ideal form of government, they enjoy the secular nature of the government and the fact that they have security and peaceful relations among the various ethnic/religious groups. Just because we don't like a certain government doesn't mean their people don't.

[emad]

29. In the 'God's Banker' Suite of the Ambrosiano Hotel, Damascus?

Let's hope he's at least got ONE Marcinkus-style alibi who can get Poppy to whitewash any murder investigation...

[emad]

34. BBC coverage:

Syria's Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan has committed suicide, the official news agency in Damascus says.

He was reportedly questioned by a UN investigator last month over the murder of ex-Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri.

For many years Kanaan was Syria's powerful intelligence chief in Lebanon, which was dominated by Syria until its military withdrawal earlier this year.

Hours before his death, he said he had served Lebanon with honesty, adding that this interview may be his last.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4334442.stm

[Gloria]

56. Part of the tension between Syria and Lebanon--see this article I

2//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, October 12, 2005
posted yesterday to the World Media Watch...


http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=19252



SYRIA WARNS ‘GATES OF HELL WILL OPEN’ IF U.S. ATTACKS

By Leila Hatoum, Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: In the latest official Syrian comment on the increasing pressure on Damascus, Premier Naji Otari said "all the gates of hell will open on the U.S. if it attempts to attack Syria." Otari was replying to a report this week in Newsweek magazine revealing that Washington had debated launching military strikes inside Syria against camps used by insurgents operating in Iraq.



(SNIP)



Otari also accused Lebanese officials of being unable to make an independent decision, saying they were answerable to the French and U.S. ambassadors to Lebanon.



Addressing his Lebanese counterpart Fouad Siniora, the Syrian premier said: "Apparently Siniora forgot all of what we have discussed when he visited Damascus after his recent return from a visit to the U.S."



Siniora had held talks with several officials in Damascus to resolve a border dispute between the two countries in June.



Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported yesterday Otari had refused to answer repeated phone calls from Siniora on Monday.



The paper quoted unidentified "informed Syrian sources in Damascus" as saying the Assad regime believes Siniora has reneged on promises he made to the Syrian president during a visit on July 31.



The regime is particularly outraged over Siniora's allegation in a recent interview with The Washington Post that all of Lebanon is convinced that Syria engineered the Hariri murder.

MORE

[olddad56]

32. Was it suicide, or CIAicide.

[Pachamama]

36. Suicide or was he suicided?

:eyes:

[Zynx]

40. Mukhabaraticide, most likely.

[goforit]

48. Or PNACide

[Megahurtz]

50. Hmmmmmm I wonder. n/t

[brentspeak]

35. Some people here need to include the tin foil hat smiley

in their posts.

[goforit]

49. Right on!

:tinfoilhat:

[StaggerLee]

38. Mebbe it was the almighty Clenis that got him

Two slaps to the back of the head

Fin

[CottonBear]

39. Al Jaezeera has a report on the suicide:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5EA9584E-9949-4A49-BF5F-1E79D7490688.htm

[go west young man]

44. Thats quite convenient for the U.S. who only last week was

saying they need an attitude adjustment there.

[goforit]

46. OMG!!!!!!!!

[lovuian]

52. Minister of Interior in Syria commits suicide

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=caf05bb531704756


Syria says its interior minister has committed suicide, just days before a U.N. investigator is expected to release a report on the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister.

Syria has denied connection to the killing, but Damascus is still bracing for the chance that the report will implicate high-ranking Syrian officials.

Syria's official news agency says Interior Minister Ghazi Kanan killed himself in his office, and authorities are investigating.

Mr. Kanan is one of several high-ranking Syrian officials interviewed by the U.N. team investigating the car-bomb assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The investigators are expected to hand their report on the killing over to the Security Council as early as next week.
more...

WHOAH!!!

[lovuian]

53. He was probably a Double Agent!!! His cover discovered!!!

Its getting ugly!!!