Rifaat Eid Says Ahmed Ali's Confessions Obtained under Torture

Arab Democratic Party Secretary-General Rifaat Eid accused on Saturday the Internal Security Forces and the judiciary of “torturing” suspect Ahmed Ali to admit that he had smuggled a suspect with links to the twin mosque bombings in the northern city of Tripoli.

During a press conference he held in Tripoli, pro-Assad Eid mockingly dubbed military prosecutor Saqr Saqr as a “hero,” saying he transferred Ali to the ISF Intelligence Bureau after he was tortured during investigation.

But Eid said Ali, who is his father's driver, was not assaulted by the Intelligence Branch, which only used “psychological” torture against him by showing him torture equipment.

The bureau forced him to sign a document that he had smuggled Ahmed Merhi, who is the suspected driver of the explosive-laden vehicle that blew up near al-Taqwa mosque, to Syria, Eid claimed.

The twin car bombings that targeted the Sunni al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques on August 23 have left hundreds of casualties.

First Military Investigation Judge Riyad Abu Ghida issued on Thursday a subpoena against the head of the Arab Democratic Party, Ali Eid, who is from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Alawite sect.

He has been charged along with his driver Ali with helping Merhi escape justice.

Abou Ghida also issued arrest warrants against Ali and Chehade Shdoud, who was arrested on Tuesday at the Abboudieh border-crossing for smuggling Sukeina Ismail to Syria.

Ismail is charged with transporting the two cars that were used in the bombings from Syria to Lebanon.

“Ali Eid will never go to the ISF Intelligence for questioning,” his son, Rifaat said at the press conference he held on Saturday.

Eid urged caretaker Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi to unveil the circumstances of the “fabrications” against his party.

“We will act only in accordance to the law,” he said although he made a veiled threat that killing ISF members was permissible.