Rifi Skeptic about Islamist Prison Break from Roumieh, Says Precautions Taken
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said on Monday that it's normal that justice palaces and security facilities would become the target of terrorist plots, doubting that extremists would be able to free Islamist inmates from Roumieh prison.
“We have taken our precautions and Lebanon doesn't harbor such ideologies,” Rifi said in an interview with al-Joumhouria newspaper.
He urged “prisoners not to dream about their freedom,” noting that the trials of Islamist inmates over their alleged involvement in the clashes between Fatah al-Islam and the army will be carried out swiftly.
The minister expressed relief over the security situation in Lebanon and the northern city of Tripoli in particular, ruling out that any Salafist leader might pledge allegiance to the newly established Islamic State.
He noted that threats by the so-called “Free Sunnis Brigade” are “suspicious” as Sunnis in Lebanon never used such idioms and logic.
“We want to live together as Muslims and Christians.”
The “Free Sunnis Brigade” had vowed last week to task gunmen to attack churches in Lebanon and in the eastern Bekaa valley in particular.
Following these alarming tweets, Lebanese authorities contacted Twitter's administrators to communicate these threats with them and try to identify who is behind the account.
In the same context, the Internal Security Forces' cyber crimes bureau announced on Friday that the Twitter account of the vague Brigade is under investigation.
According to the bureau, two fake names have operated the account and they are Omar al-Shami, a former Syrian inmate who died in the Adra prison in the neighboring country, and Saifullah al-Shayyah, who does no exist.
Rifi stressed that Lebanon will not be able to completely safeguard itself from the repercussions of the Syrian and Iraqi turmoils, however he hailed the security and military capabilities that reached a “very acceptable” level.
“We are part of the inflamed region... We should have had elected a new president on May 25 but we fell in a huge gap now.”
He told his interviewer that Hizbullah made a mistake when the party engaged in battles in Syria, calling on it to withdraw its forces from the neighboring country to protect the Lebanon.
Rifi also stressed the importance of controlling the country's border with Syria to avert any possible threats.
“Only the state safeguards us and not Hizbullah,” the March 14 official said.
He lashed out at the party for attracting extremists into Lebanon.
Hizbullah had announced more than one year ago that its fighters are taking part in the ongoing war in neighboring Syria to defend the country against the Takfiri threat.
Rifi, who is also a member of al-Mustaqbal movement, denied that the March 14 alliance is seeking to normalize the relations with Hizbullah, saying that Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet came in an attempt to lessen the tension among the factions.
“Hizbullah is not our enemy, we are only rival parties... We are against the Persian plot in the region and we will resist it until the end.”
The minister said that he remains the target of a terrorist scheme, saying: “I cannot guarantee my life just like no one else can guarantee his.”
Asked about Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun's proposal, Rifi considered it “meaningless.”
Aoun suggested last week direct presidential elections on two rounds and called for the adoption of an electoral draft-law that would allow each sect to elect its own representatives.
The row over presidential elections is ongoing among the rival Lebanese parties after President Michel Suleiman left Baabda Palace on May 25, leaving the country's top Christian post vacant.
The majority of the March 8 alliance's lawmakers, including members of Aoun's bloc, have been boycotting parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president under the excuse of lack of agreement on a compromise candidate.
The FPM leader has said he would only announce his candidacy if there was consensus on him. But the March 14 alliance has kept its support for Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's candidacy.
The LF chief expected the security situation in Lebanon to be “generally stable” despite the latest suicide bombings that targeted the country.
Concerning fears over the extension of the parliament's term, Rifi said that the assembly would lose its “prestige.”
In May 2013, the parliament voted to extend its own mandate for 17 months after the rival political parties failed to reach a new electoral law.
Around 100 MPs from all blocs, except the Change and Reform bloc, voted to extend parliament's term until November 20, 2014.
The decision marked the first time that parliament has had to extend its term since the country's own 15-year civil war ended in 1990 and underlines the growing turmoil in Lebanon spilling over from the conflict in its neighbor.
Rifi ruled out any personal rift with his March 14 ally Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, describing ties as “normal.”
The official added that he would run for parliamentary elections according to circumstances.
“I don't want posts and I will not fight to be appointed.”
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