Franjieh Demands Lebanese Trial for Majed Al-Majed: Handing Him Over Violation of Sovereignty
Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh demanded on Thursday trying the reportedly held “emir” of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, stressing that handing him over to another country is a “flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty.”
"A country that respects its sovereignty and its laws does not give both of them up in response to another nation's request, especially if the detainee is a dangerous person that wanted to incite strife,” Franjieh said in a released statement, soon after reports said several regional countries asked for handing Majed al-Majed over.
He added: “Handing al-Majed over is a dangerous precedent and is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty that defeats the achievement made when he was arrested.”
"We call for respecting our sovereignty and for trying al-Majed in Lebanon.”
Franjieh explained that this would preserve “what is left of Lebanon's prestige and sovereignty.”
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri expressed relief on Thursday over the arrest of the "emir" of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, the al-Qaida linked group that claimed a double suicide bombing at the Iranian embassy in November.
“If DNA tests prove that the person detained is al-Majed then we're extremely thrilled,” Asiri said.
He also added: “It's normal to coordinate with the Lebanese authorities to continue the required legal measures in order to hand him over to Saudi Arabia if his identity was confirmed.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Rokn Abadi announced that his country has officially asked Lebanon to participate in the investigation with al-Majed, as he is accused of being behind the blasts that targeted Iran's embassy in Beirut.
In 2009, a court ruled that al-Majed is involved with Fatah al-Islam who battled the Lebanese army in the northern Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in 2007.
He is also wanted by Saudi authorities “for being affiliated with al-Qaida.”
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