Naharnet

Arslan 'Congratulates' ISF, Jumblat on 'Shameful' Raid

Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan on Sunday slammed the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch and Druze leader Walid Jumblat over Saturday’s confrontation in the Chouf town of Jahliyeh.

“I congratulate the Intelligence Branch on this shameful bravado that took place yesterday in Jahliyeh and I congratulate the person who issued the absurd order. What a pitiful and disgusting farce,” Arslan tweeted.

“I also congratulate Walid Jumblat on the violation of Mount Lebanon and its villages under the slogan of enforcing the law in a selective manner,” the Druze politician added.

“Delivering a judicial writ at the hands of hordes of security forces is unjustified at the judicial level, despite my open condemnation of the lowly political rhetoric we are witnessing,” Arslan added, referring to the size of the elite force that raided Jahliyeh on Saturday to inform Wahhab of the need to appear before the Intelligence Branch.

In an interview on al-Mayadeen TV, Arslan said Wahhab “was not on the run in order to be notified in that reckless manner.”

“Our families and honor in Mount Lebanon cannot be violated by anyone and the state must shoulder its responsibilities,” Arslan added.

“If Walid Jumblat is the protector of Mount Lebanon, then we can only mourn Mount Lebanon’s security,” the politician went on to say, lamenting that some security agencies have become “partisan and politicized.”

A Wahhab supporter was killed Saturday as gunfire erupted during an attempt by the Intelligence Branch to find the ex-minister in order to arrest him or notify him of the judicial writ.

Wahhab had been summoned by the Branch in connection with a lawsuit filed against him by a number of lawyers over insults he addressed to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and his slain father ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

The Chouf region had on Friday witnessed a standoff between supporters of Wahhab and Jumblat after the ex-minister’s supporters took to the streets in armed convoys.


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