Syria seeks arrest of Lebanese ex-PM

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BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Syrian President Bashar Assad has lost authority, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Wednesday after learning of a Syrian warrant for his arrest.

Syria charged Tuesday that Hariri, his parliamentary ally Oqab Saqr and Louay Meqdad, a member of the Syrian opposition, have supplied arms to "terrorist groups," the Daily Star of Beirut reported. Saqr said he was honored to be on "the list of those wanted by the regime of criminality."

Hariri, whose father Rafiq was killed in 2005, allegedly by assassins with links to Syria, had harsh words for Assad.

"Bashar al-Assad has all the characteristics of a monster," he said in a statement, adding that the Syrian leader has "lost moral, humanitarian and political authority and he will sooner or later stand before the justice wanted by the Syrian people."

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the warrants arrived Tuesday in Beirut and appeared to have been sent to all countries in the region.

A judicial source told the Star that Lebanon is likely to ignore the warrants. He pointed out that Hariri and Saqr have immunity as members of Parliament.