1) Out of several reports examined, one indicates that "acting Prime Minister" Selim Hoss, a Sunni Moslem, spoke at the funeral, praising Hassan as "a symbol of wisdom." [ Marwin Naamani, "Lebanese Bid Emotional Farewell to Slain Sunni Cleric," Reuters, 17 May 1989.]

2) No reports consulted indicate whether or not Amal stepped up attacks against Sunnis after Hassan's funeral. There is a small Sunni militia in the port of Sidon, but Sunnis reportedly "have not played a significant military role in the [Lebanese] civil war." According to Reuters, south Lebanon is controlled by a number of contending militias, including the Sunni Popular Liberation Army and Amal. [ Zina Hemady, "Moslems Mourn Slain Cleric for Second Day," Reuters, 18 May 1989; Ihsan A. Hijazi, "One Less Moderate in An Immoderate Land," The New York Times, 21 May 1989.]

A November 1989 report in The Globe and Mail indicates that the Shia Amal leader, Nabih Berri is a minister in Hoss's cabinet. In addition, both Syria and the Sunni prime minister are in favour of the Taif Agreement of October 1989, which provides proposals for a new Lebanese constitution. Syria is also Amal's major supporter. [ "New Lebanese President fires Aoun's interim military cabinet," The Globe and Mail, 25 November 1989, p. A6; "Aoun fired as Lebanese armed forces chief," The Globe and Mail, 29 November 1989, p. A16; "Israeli attacks reported in Lebanon," The Globe and Mail, 28 December 1989, p. A12.]

In addition, please find attached a copy of a previous information request done by the IRBDC.

3) The IRBDC has no publicly available information at this time, regarding whether or not Ali Dik spoke at Hassan's funeral.

9 February 1990

Lebanon:1.Who currently controls the Beirut Airport?
From:

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre, Ottawa
Keywords:

air transport / airports / Lebanon / conflict / armed forces
1.

The international airport is situated in southwest Beirut, in territory under Muslim control. [ "Christians in Lebanon Blockaded by Moslems", Globe and Mail, 22 March 1989.] The Amal militia was briefly in partial control of the region surrounding the airport until the Syrian Army stepped in to prevent the Amal battle against Palestinian militias in the camps in the Beirut suburbs from spilling over. According to an Arab-Canadian well acquainted with the situation in Lebanon, the Syrian Army is still in effective control of the region surrounding the Beirut Airport to prevent battles from local militias (e.g. Amal-Palestinian) from disrupting the operation of the Airport. [ Malek Khouri, 9 February 1990.] The government of President Hrawi is responsible for internal security for the facility, which is carried out by the Lebanese Security Forces or government troops.

The international airport in Beirut has been alternately opened and closed during most of the civil war. Brief closures of the airport have taken place as a result of fighting between rival militias and for repairs necessitated by heavy shelling which occurred during these battles. The international airport was closed on 11 March 1989 because of fighting in the area; [ "Christians in Lebanon Blockaded by Moslems", Globe and Mail, 22 March 1989.] the facility reopened in the last week of September 1989.

According to one source, internal control of the airport facilities has traditionally rested with the Lebanese Security Forces (LSF). [ The following information on the control of the airport is from the Malek Khouri.] The Lebanese Security Forces (LSF) don't play an important military role; they tend to be apolitical, and the various factions have an understanding that it is in the best interests of all to keep the airport open using the Lebanese Security Forces for internal security functions. The LSF tends to cooperate with whichever militia is in control of the territory surrounding the airport, which currently is the Syrian Army. Except for a brief period in the early 1980s when the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were in control of the region, Muslims - the Amal group in particular - have retained control. Militias have occupied the airport at various times, but they usually withdraw, leaving the actual running of the airport to the Lebanese Security Forces.

The information on the current control of the airport could not be corroborated by written sources.