Wissam al-Hassan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wissam al-Hassan
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|---|---|
| وسام الحسن | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 April 1965 Btouratige, Koura District, Lebanon |
| Died | 19 October 2012 (aged 47) Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon |
| Cause of death | Assassinated |
| Spouse | Anna al-Hassan |
| Children | Majd Mazen |
| Occupation | Chief of Information Branch |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Lebanon |
| Branch/service | Internal Security Forces |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
Wissam Adnan al-Hassan (Arabic: وسام عدنان الحسن, romanized: Wisām ‘Adnān al-Ḥasan; 11 April 1965 – 19 October 2012) was a high-ranking officer in Lebanon's security forces. He was a brigadier general and led the Lebanese Information Branch, which is a key intelligence part of the Internal Security Forces (ISF). Many saw him as an important leader for the Sunni community in Lebanon. He also played a big role in the March 14 alliance, a group that opposed certain political views, even though he didn't hold a political job himself.
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Early Life and Career
Wissam al-Hassan was born in a Sunni family in Btouratige, a town in northern Lebanon, on 11 April 1965. Some reports, however, say he was born in Tripoli.
From 1992 to 1995, al-Hassan worked as an official guard for the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri. He later became Hariri's chief of protocol in 1995, managing official events and meetings. He then led Hariri's office from 1998 to 2000. He continued to work closely with the Hariri family, serving as head of Rafik Hariri's personal guard detachment until 2004. During this time, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. After Rafik Hariri, he worked for his son, Saad Hariri, leading his office from 2004 to 2006.
Rafik Hariri's Death Investigation
On 14 February 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a large car bomb attack in Beirut. Wissam al-Hassan would normally have been in Hariri's motorcade that day. However, he had taken the day off to take a university exam, which saved his life.
Later, in 2010, investigators from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon looked into the assassination. They examined al-Hassan's alibi (his explanation of where he was). However, Rafik Hariri's son, Saad Hariri, always said he fully trusted al-Hassan. Wissam al-Hassan was never officially charged by the tribunal. Instead, the tribunal later sought to arrest four members of the Hezbollah group in connection with the assassination.
Leading the Information Branch
Wissam al-Hassan was appointed as the head of the Information Branch of the ISF on 19 January 2006. His main task was to lead the investigation into Rafik Hariri's death. He worked under the ISF's director-general, Ashraf Rifi. Under al-Hassan's leadership, the Information Branch greatly improved its ability to handle both regular criminal cases and important security issues in Lebanon.
His intelligence unit was seen as being supported by the March 14 alliance. It acted as a balance to the intelligence unit of the Lebanese Armed Forces, which was thought to have close ties to Syria. Members of al-Hassan's team faced several attacks and attempts on their lives. One of the branch's important jobs was to uncover and stop networks of spies in Lebanon. This led to the arrest of over 100 people suspected of working with Israel.
Some members of the March 8 Alliance criticized al-Hassan. They claimed he focused his investigations mainly on people who supported Syria or were part of the March 8 Alliance. In August 2012, al-Hassan gained public attention for an investigation that led to the arrest of former information minister Michel Samaha. Samaha was accused of bringing explosives into Lebanon with the help of Syrian Security Chief Ali Mamlouk. This was allegedly an attempt to cause instability in the country. Al-Hassan had proof that Samaha was directly connected to high-ranking Syrian political and intelligence officials. Lebanon's Interior Minister, Marwan Charbel, reported that al-Hassan received threats because of Samaha's arrest. After al-Hassan's death, Colonel Imad Othman took over as the head of the ISF's intelligence bureau on 21 October 2012.
Political Involvement
Wissam al-Hassan also acted as a go-between for Saad Hariri and Hezbollah. He was also believed to support the Syrian opposition during the Syrian civil war. It was said that he helped money and weapons flow from Gulf states and Western countries to the Syrian opposition through Lebanon. While he wasn't directly involved in fighting, his actions allowed weapons to be smuggled from Lebanon into Syria for opposition forces. He also provided a safe place for Syrian defectors in Lebanon and allowed the Syrian opposition to use bases in Lebanon to plan attacks into Syria.
Al-Hassan was considered a possible person for negotiations by the Free Syrian Army. This happened after Syrian rebel fighters kidnapped 11 Lebanese Shi'a pilgrims in August. Wissam al-Hassan was also seen as an ally of the United States.
Death and Funeral
On 19 October 2012, Wissam al-Hassan died in a large car bomb explosion near the Achrafieh area of Beirut. Seven other people, including his driver, also died, and nearly eighty people were injured in the huge blast. It is widely believed that al-Hassan was the main target of this attack. He had just returned to Beirut from abroad the day before, on 18 October 2012.
A state funeral was held for him in Beirut on 21 October. Many important political figures and thousands of people attended the ceremony. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman honored al-Hassan by awarding him the National Order of the Cedar, a high honor. Wissam al-Hassan was buried next to former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a cemetery near the Mohammad Amin Mosque.
Personal Life
Wissam al-Hassan was married to Anna al-Hassan. They had two sons, named Majd and Mazen.
See also
In Spanish: Wissam al-Hassan para niños
- Future Movement
- Lebanese–Syrian Security Apparatus
- 2011–2012 conflict in Lebanon
- Lebanese Information Branch
- List of assassinated Lebanese politicians
