March 14: A State that Contacts Ali Mamlouk Does Not Respect Itself or the People

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The March 14 General Secretariat hailed on Wednesday the release of the nine Lebanese pilgrims who were held in Syria's Aazaz region, but questioned how negotiations were carried out with Syrian security chief Ali Mamlouk in the case.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “A state that meets and negotiates with Mamlouk, who is wanted by Lebanon's judiciary, is not a state that respects itself or its people.”

General Security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim, who played a major role in the release of the pilgrims, had contacted and met with Mamlouk as part of negotiations to free the captives.

Mamlouk and former Minister Michel Samaha are wanted by Lebanon on charges of transporting explosives to the country in order to carry out terrorist attacks.

Moreover, the General Secretariat condemned the “scandalous” popular reception for the pilgrims that took place at the Rafik Hariri International Airport on Saturday, saying that it is a sign that Hizbullah is still in control of the facility.

“A state that respects itself would hold an official welcome for the pilgrims at the airport, while leaving the popular ones for the streets,” it remarked.

A raucous reception was held for the pilgrims by their loved ones at the airport after they were released from captivity that last 17 months.

Addressing the release of the pilgrims, the March 14 General Secretariat hoped that their release will pave the way for tackling the case of “all prisoners and captives unjustly held in Syria.”

The manner in which the pilgrims were released “demonstrated once again that those who possess illegitimate arms and are capable of kidnapping innocents with total disregard to the state's agencies, are able to ensure the release of their loved ones,” it noted in reference to the abduction of two Turkish pilots in Beirut in August in retaliation to the pilgrims' kidnapping.

“Those banking on the rule of law, judiciary, and government will however have to wait a long long time for the release of any loved ones,” it remarked.

The Turkish pilots were released soon after the pilgrims were freed.

“The General Secretariat is committed, now more than ever, to the state and the implementation of laws and it will never cease demanding that Hizbullah, similar to all Lebanese, abide by the laws of Lebanon and not the other way around,” it declared.

“The release of the pilgrims however will not be complete without the release of Bishops Youhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi and all Lebanese journalists, including Samir Kassab,” it stated.

The General Secretariat questioned how national, regional, and international efforts are exerted to release certain captives and not others.

The two bishops were kidnapped in Syria in April, while Kassab, his Mauritanian colleague Ishak Moctar and their Syrian driver, went missing in Syria's Aleppo region last week.

Comments 12
Thumb geha 23 October 2013, 14:50

although it is simple, but m8 brainwashed do not understand it:
Mamlouk is wanted by the Lebanese judiciary. Mamlouk is behind the bombing attacks in the Samaha case and probably others.
how is it possible that a high ranking officer meets with such a criminal?

Thumb bronco 23 October 2013, 16:09

although both camps are worst than each other ( 14 & 8), but i'd pick the common sense of the "pathetic" M14 rather than walk the walk of the criminal M8's

Missing imagine_1979 23 October 2013, 15:09

U r perfectly right, ali mamlouk is just accused of ploting bombs in lebanon, he might have also sonething to do with the explodion in tripoli with sll the martyr then and this not so long ago and is wanted for hearing by our judiciary system... Yes probably u r right it is a good thing that our general security chief meets him... If he could only ask him to keep it low on the bombs for now it would have been nice to....

Missing imagine_1979 23 October 2013, 15:10

That is all u could understand????

Missing ArabDemocrat.com 23 October 2013, 18:08

You must forgive Southern. He has only one track mind: m8 good, m14 bad.

Thumb lebanon_first 23 October 2013, 16:33

Sorry FT. You are wrong. M14 did hail the release of those so called pilgrims, however, they have reservations.

There are lines that were crossed that shame lebanon.
1- negotiating with terrorist Mamlouk. (I am not saying the end does not justify the means, but come on, this man's job description is to make a civil war in lebanon)
2- Ridiculous popular reception for these people who think they own the state.
3- Release of the kidnapper of turks with a bail of 300 dollars.

These things are a shame. And M14 is right to say so.

Thumb lebanon_first 23 October 2013, 17:07

FT. You didn't read my post. You answered what you think my post would be.
Concentrate and read before throwing cheap accusations.
Your apology is accepted.

Thumb eli-g 23 October 2013, 16:50

why would mamlouk have any ties to the terrorist that kidnapped the 9 Lebanese? why did he have leverage on them? aren't the two at odds and a civil war is raging between them? I am confuuuuuuuused.

Thumb arzak-ya-libnan 23 October 2013, 18:14

Wow. You're becoming more and more like the people you claim to hate. You have ZERO understanding of law and politics.

Missing peace 23 October 2013, 19:54

they have the hypocrisy of saying that M14 collaborated under the syrian occupation while they STILL do what they criticize M14 of doing...
they deliberately forget that M14 did not exist and that present M8 and M14 were at the orders of syria or else they d die. but M14 it was bad but for M8 heroic! LOL

while M14 now , freed from the orders of syrians, refuse to collaborate with regime that harmed lebanon more than isral ever did, M8 STILL collaborate with them and defend this regime like they suffer from the stocholm syndrom.. but M8 perfectly know that their survival depends on the baath regime... and they pretend to want lebanon independent and sovereign? LOL
hypocrits they are and will remain....

Default-user-icon Casterzo Pandofli (Guest) 23 October 2013, 22:15

Strange that those who made of the Syrian occupiers' laps their crib AT THE HEIGHT OF THE OCCUPATION now pontificate on sama rabna about the BAAAAAAD Mamlouk & Co.. wlak ste7o wa rou7o ntammo ya bala akhle2

Thumb eli-g 24 October 2013, 14:19

thank you anonymetexasusa for the clarification. now I am less confuuuuused ;-)