Army Frees Fouad Daoud in Baalbek, Arrests One of his Kidnappers
The Army Intelligence freed Fouad Daoud, a Lebanese man abducted last week for ransom, following clashes with his kidnappers in Baalbek, the military said Wednesday.
“Following a close follow up and monitoring, the intelligence directorate identified the location of the kidnapped citizen, Fouad Daoud, in the area of Tall al-Abyad in Baalbek,” it said in a communique.
“A patrol from this directorate and another army unit was able this afternoon to raid the location and clash with the kidnappers,” it said.
Daoud was freed and one of the abductors was arrested, the army said, adding that it has continued to pursue the remaining kidnappers to seize them and hand them over to the judiciary.
Local TV stations identified the arrested man as Hassan Allaou.
Daoud was on Wednesday night reunited with his family at the Ablah military barracks.
Daoud, who hails from the eastern city of Zahle, was one of several businessmen kidnapped in the country lately.
Ali Ahmed Mansour was abducted Tuesday night by unknown assailants on the junction of the town of Gaza in Western Bekaa, while Youssef Beshara, the brother of the head of the Bakeries Association, was released for a ransom of $400,000, which was paid by his wife near Mar Mikhael church in Beirut's al-Shiyyah district.
Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Najib Miqati headed a security meeting denouncing the increased rate in kidnappings across the country.
“The abduction of citizens undermines state authority and stability... It must not be tolerated under any circumstances,” Miqati told Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi and senior security officers at the Grand Serail.
He called on the competent security agencies to take strict security measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
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