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Visitor Count in the Works as Security Council to Probe into Disappearance of 7,000 Gulf Nationals in Lebanon

The General Security Directorate was preparing a count of all visitors – Arabs and Westerners – who entered Lebanon during the summer and are feared to be still in the country illegally.
The count outcomes are set to be revealed within a few days.

Lebanon's Central Security Council is slated to hold a meeting on Tuesday under caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to discuss this issue.

President Michel Suleiman, meanwhile, expressed concern over reports that 7,000 Gulf nationals who came to Lebanon this summer belonged to fundamentalist groups.

The unconfirmed reports had said police were tracking down those who are still in the country illegally.

"The issue has been exaggerated quite a bit," Baroud said in remarks published Monday by the daily As-Safir.

Baroud was confident that security forces were "fulfilling their duties to the fullest extent," adding that he personally does not pay attention to rumors.

A high-ranking security official, meanwhile, said there is no truth in the rumor that a large number of Gulf citizens were still in Lebanon.

The official explained that security authorities gave Gulf nationals this year a six-month entry visa instead of three due to the coincidence of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays.

He said Lebanese intelligence have advance information on the suspects via "Interpol" and other security services Lebanon cooperates to combat terrorism.

The official said security services have managed to arrest a number of suspects and wanted men this summer, including Gulf citizen known as "Abu Talha."

Caretaker Tourism Minister Elie Marouni condemned the report.

"Rumors that Gulf citizens were settling down in Lebanon are nothing but a new attempt to sabotage tourism in Lebanon," he told Future News TV on Monday.

Beirut, 05 Oct 09, 08:38


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