First Name: Elias
Title: Minister of Defense
Date of Birth: 30/01/1962
Place of Birth: Bteghrin
Lebanon.
Family: Elias father,
Michel Murr was born in 1932 to a Greek Orthodox Christian family in the Metn village of Bteghrine,
Michel Murr distinguished himself as an engineer during his twenties and became a successful contractor. He spent much of the 1960s living in
West Africa and made a sizable fortune there in the construction industry. After returning to
Lebanon, he was elected to parliament in 1968. Following the outbreak of the 1975-76 civil war,
Michel Murr backed the Phalange militia and its successor, the
Lebanese Forces (LF), but gravitated toward its "Arabist" camp, along with
Karim Pakradouni. In the mid-1980s, he backed the pro-Syrian LF faction of
Elie Hobeika and participated in the negotiation of the Tripartite Accord, an agreement that would have legalized the Syrian presence in
Lebanon. Following
Syria's takeover of
Beirut in October 1990,
Michel Murr was richly rewarded for his loyalty to the Syrians and assumed the post of defense minister. Like many other pro-Syrian politicians in
Lebanon,
Michel Murr sealed his political ties through marriage - in 1992, his son
Elias Murr (b. 1962) married Carine
Lahoud, the daughter of Army Commander at that time
Emile Lahoud, the current President. After serving as defense minister for several years, in the fall of 1994
Michel Murr was
appointed interior minister - a much more lucrative and politically powerful cabinet portfolio.Source:
Middle East Intelligence Bulletin (2003-06) and Arab Decision (2003-04-01)
Spouses: Married to Carine Lahood, president's daughter.Source: Arab Decision (2003-04-01)
Children: 3 children - Michel, Maria and Emile.Source: Lebanonwire (captured 2004-08)
Education: Graduated from the Liman Institute, Switzerland, with a Higher Degree in Law in 1982 (member of the Beirut Bar Association)
Languages: ArabicEnglishFrench
Interests: Lawyer with activities covering
Beirut,
Paris and
Geneva; Chairs more than 20 Corporations in
Lebanon and abroad dealing in finance,
real estate, engineering, freigh and media, tourism, business and construction works.Source: Lebanonwire (captured 2004-08)
CV: Lawyer & Businessman (Lebanon) Member of the Council of Ministers (Lebanon) Minister of Interior and Municipalities (Lebanon) Current:Minister of Defense Deputy Prime Minister
Misc: Greek Orthodox Source: Arab Decision (2003-04-01) Outgoing Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr was wounded today, Tuesday July 12th, by a carbomb targeting his convoy in the Rabiyé of northeast Beirut, not far from his residence. The extent of his wounds is unknown. The blast caused major damage judging by images broadcast by al-Arabiya TV.