Islamic National Gathering Calls for Expelling Syria Ambassador, Banning Arab Democratic Party

The Tripoli-based Islamic National Gathering on Sunday held a meeting at the residence of Mustaqbal bloc MP Mohammed Kabbara in the city to discuss the developments “at the political, judicial, security and popular levels,” after at least one resident of the mainly Alawite Jabal Mohsen neighborhood was arrested on charges of involvement in deadly bombings that targeted two Sunni mosques in the city.

The conferees discussed “the security achievement made by the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau, which has arrested a suspect from 'the Assad barracks' in Jabal Mohsen and busted the terrorist cell that staged the terrorist bombings in Tripoli,” according to a statement issued after the meeting.

They called on President Michel Suleiman to “summon the ambassador of the Assad regime and hand him a sharp-toned protest letter, ahead of expelling him when the judiciary convicts the culprits who are linked to the Syrian regime.”

In the statement, which was recited by Kabbara, the conferees also urged caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and “Tripoli's ministers” to refer the case to the Judicial Council and launch an immediate probe into “the setting up of artillery in Jabal Mohsen with the aim of targeting Tripoli.”

They called for “eradicating this armed gang and pursuing its officials, especially after elements belonging to it played a role in the Tripoli bombings,” urging the “disbanding of the Arab Democratic Party, which is distorting the image of our peaceful people in Jabal Mohsen.”

The conferees stressed that they “will not stand idly by regarding any pressures that might be exerted on the judiciary,” calling on the judicial authorities to “unveil all the perpetrators, conspirators, instigators and culprits and bring them to justice, in order to preserve the rights of the victims and the security and stability of Tripoli.”

The also urged Tripoli's residents to “hold onto their civilized stance by rejecting and confronting sedition and leaving things to the security forces.”

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported Sunday that several members of the Arab Democratic Party -- the main political and armed force in Jabal Mohsen -- were behind the August bombings in Tripoli that left at least 45 people dead and more than 500 injured.

Informed sources told al-Mustaqbal newspaper that seven members of the Arab Democratic Party carried out the attack that targeted al-Salam and Taqwa Mosques on August 23.

Youssef Diab was behind the bombing at al-Salam Mosque, while Ahmed Merhi was behind the attack at the other one, they said.

On Friday, armed clashes broke out in Tripoli's areas of Bab al-Tabbaneh, Jabal Mohsen and Syria Street over Diab's arrest, wounding an army soldier and a young man identified as S.M.

On Saturday, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr ordered the arrest of several suspects over their alleged involvement in the bombings.

Saqr charged on August 30 three suspects in the twin bombings of Tripoli in addition to a Syrian army Captain and another Syrian man over the booby-trapped cars.