Faisal Karami Urges State to Fight Arms Proliferation
Youth and Sports Minister Faisal Karami urged the state on Saturday to put an end to arms proliferation following an attack on his convoy in the northern city of Tripoli.
In remarks to visiting delegations, Karami played down Friday's assault that erupted after gunmen from the neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh demanding the release of Islamists held in Roumieh prison clashed with his bodyguards and then tossed a grenade at the convoy, setting a four-wheeler on fire.
The incident left 11 people, including four of his bodyguards, injured.
Karami reiterated that he wasn't the target of an assassination attempt and stressed that officials should seek for the stability and security of Tripoli.
He praised his father former Prime Minister Omar Karami for announcing on Friday that the family did not hold any grudges against anyone.
Karami the elder “was able to contain the shock,” the minister said.
The state “should learn a lesson from yesterday's incident and put an end to arms proliferation,” he said.
According to LBCI TV, Karami has vowed to cover the medical expenses of his bodyguards and the Bab al-Tabbaneh protestors who were injured in the clash.
On scores of Islamists held in Roumieh, Karami said they are captives and not prisoners.
The gunmen who attacked the convoy were on Friday heading to Tripoli’s Abdul Hamid Karami square to stage a sit-in after prayers in solidarity with the inmates.
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