Raad Denies Hizbullah Adopting 'Autonomous Security' in Dahieh
Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad accused on Thursday the Mustaqbal Movement and some members of the March 14 alliance of creating incitement against Hizbullah over the security measures it has taken in and around its stronghold of Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs.
He said in a statement: “Their claims over the alleged autonomous security in Dahieh are part of an ongoing campaign against the resistance, its people, and supporters.”
“The inciters are using all possible means against the resistance, including harboring some takfiri terrorists who threaten the security of civilians, plant booby-trapped vehicles, and carry out bombings in residential neighborhoods in a delusional hope that they can change the convictions of the people,” he declared.
He therefore denied claims that Hizbullah is adopting autonomous security, saying: “The noble citizens of Dahieh and other areas had repeatedly urged the state's security forces to assume their duties in protecting them, but these demands have not yet been fulfilled.”
“The state and its security forces are responsible first and foremost for protecting the people,” Raad added.
“The measures that were taken directly after the terrorist Ruwais bombing were limited to medical first aid before the official state's agencies arrived at the scene of the blast,” he explained.
Hizbullah had set up checkpoints in and around its stronghold of Dahieh in light of a bombing the Ruwais area.
Twenty-seven people were killed and 280 wounded in the bombing that took place on August 15.
In late August, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Beirut filed a complaint to the Foreign Ministry after Hizbullah members stopped an embassy vehicle in the Gallery Semaan area near Dahieh.
The members recorded the names of the embassy employees before allowing them to continue on their way.
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri condemned the incident at the time, saying that such a development leaves a “negative impression” before the public and noting that “no one has the right to perform the duties of the state.”
He hoped that the incident would not be repeated, because it violates diplomatic norms.
Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel urged on Wednesday the people to attend to Lebanon's security, but rejected the phenomenon of autonomous security.
He said: “All forms of autonomous security are rejected by the state.”
He stressed that only the state's security agencies are entitled to set up checkpoints.
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