Habib Tanious Shartouni
Encyclopedia
Habib Tanious Shartouni (born April 24, 1958) is known to be the assassin of the Lebanese president-elect Bachir Gemayel
.
Mount Lebanon
. In the early 1970s, only few years before the outbreak of the civil war, he was inspired and became affiliated ti the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
(SSNP). When the Lebanese Civil War
broke out, he volunteered to serve in one of the SSNP stations in Aley.
Few months later, he was advised by his parents to flee Lebanon
to Cyprus
then to France
where he attended a university in Paris and obtained a degree in business.
He had spent his first year in Paris
away from politics, until the late summer of 1977 during which he officially joined the SSNP upon his first visit to Lebanon and became an active member ever since.
Upon his return to France, he carried all the necessary contacts pertaining to the party's delegates in Paris and started attending some of their secret meetings, wherein he met Nabil Alam, the chief of interior of the party at the time. Alam made a significant impression on Shartouni, which paved the way for Bachir's assassination
's assassination, knowing that Shartouni used to live on the third floor of the building where the Kataeb
headquarter was located.
Subsequently, he was advised by Alam to carry the explosives from his place in West Beirut to the other end in Achrafieh
, in the eastern side of the city, above the Kataeb headquarter. After he had carried all the necessary explosives, he received the detonator from Alam and managed to carry it safely to his aunt's place in Achrafieh, few miles away from his place.
Shartouni had finally made up his mind to carry out the operation. On the night of September 13, 1982, he sneaked onto the second floor of the building housing the Kataeb Party
Office in Achrafieh. His behavior did not arouse suspicion since he lived on the third floor of the same building with his sister and grandparents. He got into the room right above the platform on which Bachir and his companions would be seated and stashed about 40 to 50 kg of high explosives.
The next afternoon Shartouni stuck around the place, where Bachir was supposed to deliver a speech to greet his old companions, until he made sure Bachir had arrived. He walked out of the building and ran to the sector of Nasra, where he had kept the detonator. Ten minutes after Bachir had started his speech, Habib pressed the detonator. The sound of the explosion was heard all over Beirut. Right after the blast he walked back to the premises to check the result.
. Stating with no regrets or fear, the 24-year-old Shartouni confessed at a press conference before being handed over to the Lebanese Justice by the Lebanese Forces, he called Bachir a traitor and accused him of selling the country to Israel. Shartouni confessed, "I was given the explosives and the fancy long-range electronic detonator in West Beirut
’s Ras Beirut neighborhood by Nabil El Alam, Chief intelligence of the Party. "Alam" had close ties to the Syrian Intelligence Services and right after the assassination fled to Syria and vanished.
Shartouni was handed over to Lebanese justice. Amine Gemayel
, Bachir's elder brother, succeeded him to the presidency seat right after his assassination. Habib had spent eight years in Roumieh prison without an official trial, until October 13, 1990 when he escaped during the final Syrian offensive in Lebanon that was aimed at wiping out the government headed by Michel Aoun
.
Bachir Gemayel
Bachir Gemayel was a Lebanese politician, militia commander, and president-elect...
.
Early life
Habib Tanious Shartouni, a Maronite, was born in a small village called Shartoun in AleyAley
Aley is a picturesque town in Mount Lebanon. It is located 17 km uphill from Beirut, just south of the summer resort of Bhamdoun and north of the strategic town of Souk El Gharb.-Demographics:...
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
. In the early 1970s, only few years before the outbreak of the civil war, he was inspired and became affiliated ti the Syrian Social Nationalist Party
Syrian Social Nationalist Party
The Syrian Social Nationalist Party , is a secular nationalist political party in Lebanon and Syria. It advocates the establishment of a Syrian nation state spanning the Fertile Crescent, including present day Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, the Palestinian Territories, Israel, Cyprus, Kuwait,...
(SSNP). When the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
broke out, he volunteered to serve in one of the SSNP stations in Aley.
Few months later, he was advised by his parents to flee Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
then to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he attended a university in Paris and obtained a degree in business.
He had spent his first year in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
away from politics, until the late summer of 1977 during which he officially joined the SSNP upon his first visit to Lebanon and became an active member ever since.
Upon his return to France, he carried all the necessary contacts pertaining to the party's delegates in Paris and started attending some of their secret meetings, wherein he met Nabil Alam, the chief of interior of the party at the time. Alam made a significant impression on Shartouni, which paved the way for Bachir's assassination
Assassination of Gemayel
After completing his studies in Paris, he returned to Lebanon and became very close to Nabil Alam, who managed to convince him to carry out Bachir GemayelBachir Gemayel
Bachir Gemayel was a Lebanese politician, militia commander, and president-elect...
's assassination, knowing that Shartouni used to live on the third floor of the building where the Kataeb
Kataeb Party
The Lebanese Phalanges , better known in English as the Phalange , is a traditional right-wing Lebanese political party. Although it is officially secular, it is mainly supported by Maronite Christians. The party played a major role in the Lebanese War...
headquarter was located.
Subsequently, he was advised by Alam to carry the explosives from his place in West Beirut to the other end in Achrafieh
Achrafieh
Achrafieh, , is one of the oldest Christian districts of East Beirut, Lebanon.-Overview:It is located on a hill in the eastern part of Beirut alongside the shore. Achrafieh is both a residential and commercial district characterized by narrow winding streets and prestigious large apartment and...
, in the eastern side of the city, above the Kataeb headquarter. After he had carried all the necessary explosives, he received the detonator from Alam and managed to carry it safely to his aunt's place in Achrafieh, few miles away from his place.
Shartouni had finally made up his mind to carry out the operation. On the night of September 13, 1982, he sneaked onto the second floor of the building housing the Kataeb Party
Kataeb Party
The Lebanese Phalanges , better known in English as the Phalange , is a traditional right-wing Lebanese political party. Although it is officially secular, it is mainly supported by Maronite Christians. The party played a major role in the Lebanese War...
Office in Achrafieh. His behavior did not arouse suspicion since he lived on the third floor of the same building with his sister and grandparents. He got into the room right above the platform on which Bachir and his companions would be seated and stashed about 40 to 50 kg of high explosives.
The next afternoon Shartouni stuck around the place, where Bachir was supposed to deliver a speech to greet his old companions, until he made sure Bachir had arrived. He walked out of the building and ran to the sector of Nasra, where he had kept the detonator. Ten minutes after Bachir had started his speech, Habib pressed the detonator. The sound of the explosion was heard all over Beirut. Right after the blast he walked back to the premises to check the result.
Arrest and imprisonment
Two days later Shartouni was arrested by the Lebanese ForcesLebanese Forces
The Lebanese Forces is a Lebanese political party. Founded as a militia by Bachir Gemayel during the Lebanese Civil War, the movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front...
. Stating with no regrets or fear, the 24-year-old Shartouni confessed at a press conference before being handed over to the Lebanese Justice by the Lebanese Forces, he called Bachir a traitor and accused him of selling the country to Israel. Shartouni confessed, "I was given the explosives and the fancy long-range electronic detonator in West Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
’s Ras Beirut neighborhood by Nabil El Alam, Chief intelligence of the Party. "Alam" had close ties to the Syrian Intelligence Services and right after the assassination fled to Syria and vanished.
Shartouni was handed over to Lebanese justice. Amine Gemayel
Amine Gemayel
Amine Pierre Gemayel was President of Lebanon from 1982 to 1988 and is the leader of Kataeb Party.Born in the Lebanese village of Bikfaya, Amine Gemayel is the son of Pierre Gemayel, founder of the Kataeb Party...
, Bachir's elder brother, succeeded him to the presidency seat right after his assassination. Habib had spent eight years in Roumieh prison without an official trial, until October 13, 1990 when he escaped during the final Syrian offensive in Lebanon that was aimed at wiping out the government headed by Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun is a former Lebanese Army Commander and he is one of the allies of Hezbollah. From 22 September 1988 to 13 October 1990, he has served as Prime Minister of the legal one of two rival governments that contended for power. He declared "The Liberation War" against the Syrian...
.