Elias Murr

Murr was born on 30 January 1962 in Bteghrine. He is the son of former deputy Prime Minister and interior minister, Michel Murr.{{cite journal|last=Abdelnour|first=Ziad K.|title=Michel and Elias Murr|journal=Middle East Intelligence Bulletin|date=June 2003|volume=5|issue=6|url=http://www.meforum.org/meib/articles/0306_ld.htm|access-date=12 June 2012}} He holds a master's degree in law.{{cite web |url=http://www.silobreaker.com/biography-for-elias-murr-5_2260572577619509248_4 |title=Biography for Elias Murr |date=15 January 2009 |publisher=SILObreaker |access-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703164154/http://www.silobreaker.com/biography-for-elias-murr-5_2260572577619509248_4 |archive-date=3 July 2009 }} He was married to the daughter of former President Emile Lahoud.

Elias Murr started his political career as the mayor of Bteghrine, his hometown, from 1982 till 1996.{{Cite web|url=https://memim.com/elias-murr.html|title=Elias Murr|website=memim.com}}

From 2000 to 2005 Murr was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, replacing his father Michel Murr.{{cite book|author=Ferran Izquierdo Brichs|title=Political Regimes in the Arab World: Society and the Exercise of Power|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aTMIau_WNxgC&pg=PA220|access-date=17 March 2013|date=27 November 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-24087-4|page=220}}

In 2001 he oversaw the drafting and signature of the International Labour Organization at the convention to execute the Action program to protect working children and to combat and eliminate child labor.[http://www.albawaba.com/news/lebanon-adopt-ilo-project-stop-child-labor Lebanon to Adopt ILO Project to Stop Child Labor] 2 August 2001, Al Bawaba[http://lebanonwire.com/0301/03011501DS.asp/Lebanon to Adopt ILO Project to Stop Child Labor]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. 2 August 2001, lebanonwire.com

During his ministry, Murr was appointed acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.{{Cite web|url=http://nuralcubicle.blogspot.com/2005/07/biography-of-elias-murr-al-mur.html|title=Nur al-Cubicle: Biography of Elias Murr (al-Mur)}}

Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense from 2005 and 2008.{{cite web |title=الوزراء المتعاقبون على وزارة الدفاع الوطني |trans-title=Successive ministers of the Ministry of National Defense |url=http://www.pcm.gov.lb/arabic/subpg.aspx?pageid=2017 |website=pcm.gov.lb |publisher=Government of Lebanon |accessdate=14 August 2020 |language=Ar}}

Murr supports international police cooperation, and served from 2000 to 2004 as president of the Arab Interior Minister Council, which coordinates internal security and crime fighting among Arab nations.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2002/Jan-31/36284-interior-ministers-affirm-arab-standpoint.ashx|title=Interior ministers affirm Arab standpoint|website=The Daily Star|date=31 January 2002}}

In 2009, Elias Murr was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister.Lebanese government of November 2009

In 2010, Murr was a member of the Lebanese National Dialogue committee.[http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/02/28/list-of-participants-in-national-dialogue-meetings/ List of participants in national dialogue meetings] Ya Libnan news, 28 February 2010

In October 2013, Murr was appointed the President of the Board of the Interpol Foundation for a Safer World,[http://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/121258/elias-murr-appointed-head-of-interpol-fund-for-a-s}/Elias Murr appointed head of INTERPOL Foundation for a Safer World] 22 October 2013 which aims to strengthen the capabilities of Interpol to fight money laundering, organized crime and financing of terrorism.

Murr took part in many negotiations with the United Nations,[https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sg2115.doc.htm/ Press release] UN, 2006 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416130819/http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sg2115.doc.htm/ |date=16 April 2012 }} and oversaw the deployment of 25,000 soldiers for the implementation of UNSC resolution 1701, preserving the cease fire mandated by the international community.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}} Elias Murr is an honored officer of the National Cedar Legion and the holder of the Grand Cross of the Order of Spain.

On 12 July 2005, Murr was targeted by a circa 20-kg improvised explosive device in the city of Antelias, 5 km north of Beirut. 12 people were injured, and one person was killed by the explosion that almost took the life of the Deputy Prime Minister at the time.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jul/12/syria.lebanon Lebanese minister hit by car bomb] 12 July 2005, The Guardian Murr said that he knew an attempt on his life had been planned for months, and had informed the state security services.[http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=14002 Targeted Elias Murr tells of attack foretold] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112014218/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=14002 |date=12 January 2016 }} 13 July 2005, Middle East Online According to various sources, the assassination attempt is linked to Hezbollah's assassination squad - Unit 121.{{Cite web |date=2005-07-13 |title=Murr Survives Assassination Bid |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/269981 |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Arab News |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Chidiac |first=Emad |date=2022 |title=Lebanon's Unsolved Political Killings: A Brief Recent History |url=https://iranwire.com/en/world/103366-lebanons-unsolved-political-killings-a-brief-recent-history/}}

In parallel with his political endeavors, Murr spent the past twenty years at the helm of "Group Murr", founded in 1957 by his father as a construction company operating in the public works sector.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lebweb.com/site/lebanon-groupemurr-34706/|title=Lebanon Link|website=lebweb.com}}

Group Murr is featured in Forbes' "Top 100 Making An Impact in the Arab World" list.{{Cite web |url=http://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/en/lists/people/pname/group-murr-holding/pid/77851/ |title=Group Murr Holding - Top 100 Making an Impact in the Arab World - Forbes Middle East |access-date=2 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702155501/http://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/en/lists/people/pname/group-murr-holding/pid/77851/ |archive-date=2 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}

In 2015, the group holds more than 25 companies,[https://web.archive.org/web/20131014175454/http://www.securities.com/Public/company-profile/LB/Murr_Group__%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A9__en_3251486.html Murr Group (المر القابضة) | Lebanon | Company Profile] operating across three continents and a wide range of segments of the international market, including: Construction, real estate and resort development, engineering, consumer products, aviation services, security, commercial services for the shipping industry.{{Cite web|url=http://www.groupmurr.com/|title=Group Murr|website=Group Murr}}

Murr also serves as the chairman of the board of the Al Joumhouria News Corporation,{{Cite web |url=http://lb.kompass.com/live/en/LB017660/al-joumhouria-news-corp-sal.html#.Ulr12GQ7kkc/ |title=Al Joumhouria News Corp. Sal (Metn, Zalka (Metn)) - General information |access-date=13 October 2013 |archive-date=13 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213013905/http://lb.kompass.com/live/en/LB017660/al-joumhouria-news-corp-sal.html#.Ulr12GQ7kkc/ |url-status=dead }} the publisher of one of Lebanon's leading daily newspapers and of several other thematic periodicals.

After stopping publications throughout the Lebanese civil war, under H.E. Murr's leadership the Al Joumhouria newspaper,{{cite web |url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/Mar/01/First-edition-of-Elias-Murrs-Al-Joumhouria-newspaper-hits-Lebanons-newsstands.ashx%23axzz224R9KwVV |title=First edition of Elias Murr's Al-Joumhouria newspaper hits Lebanon's newsstands |website=The Daily Star |date=1 March 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730025204/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/Mar/01/First-edition-of-Elias-Murrs-Al-Joumhouria-newspaper-hits-Lebanons-newsstands.ashx%23axzz224R9KwVV |archive-date=30 July 2012 |url-status=dead}} saw its rebirth in 2011, and became the first Lebanese newspaper to embrace new media, by developing proprietary mobile applications, push notifications, and developing an award-winning website for its digital edition.[http://www.panarabwebawards.org/en/main.php?view=get_list&idpage=12/ Panara Web Awards]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}.

Murr is also the chairman of the board of Pan Arab News; a website currently under construction, marrying innovation and creativity with using smart technologies to offer its users a unique experience. Pan Arab News will tackle Middle East news as well as the latest events in the Gulf Region.{{Cite web|url=http://www.groupmurr.com/media_groups/index/17|title=Group Murr|website=Group Murr}}

In December 2010, a Lebanese Newspaper posted on its website cables from the United States diplomatic cables leak revealing{{cite news|title=Al Akhbar Newspaper publishes US cables |date=3 December 2010 |newspaper=Ya Libnan |url=http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/12/03/al-akhbar-newspaper-publishes-u-s-cables-not-found-on-wikileaks |access-date=12 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210192939/http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/12/03/al-akhbar-newspaper-publishes-u-s-cables-not-found-on-wikileaks/ |archive-date=10 December 2010 |url-status=live }} that Murr had separated the army from Hezbollah if a new war was to erupt on Israel's northern border.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/lebanon-defense-minister-offered-invasion-advice-for-israel-1.328521|title=Lebanon defense minister "offered invasion advice for Israel"|date=3 December 2010|newspaper=Haaretz}}

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Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Matn District

Category:Greek Orthodox Christians from Lebanon

Category:Terrorist incidents in Lebanon in 2005

Category:2005 crimes in Lebanon

Category:Defense ministers of Lebanon

Category:Interior ministers of Lebanon

Category:Deputy prime ministers of Lebanon

Category:Survivors of terrorist attacks