Arab Democratic Party Denies Leader Fled to Syria

Arab Democratic Party Secretary-General Rifaat Eid denied on Wednesday that his father and the party's leader and ex-MP, Ali Eid, had fled to the neighboring country Syria.

“My father is practicing his normal life in Hikr al-Dahri town in (the northern district of) Akkar,” Eid said in comments to LBCI.

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported earlier on Wednesday that ex-MP Eid escaped to Syria after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

“We were created to confront others not to run away,” the party's Secretary-General said, addressing former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

In November, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr issued a search and investigation warrant against former MP Eid.

The Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau had summoned Eid to question his alleged involvement in the August double bombing in the northern city of Tripoli.

But the northern leader said he was willing to appear before any security agency except for the Intelligence Bureau.

Eid's driver Ahmed Mohammed Ali is being held by the Intelligence Bureau on charges of smuggling to Syria Ahmed Merhi, one of the main suspects in the bombings against al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques in Tripoli on August 23.

On October 14, seven people involved in the August bombings were charged, including three in custody. The majority are from the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen.

Forty-five people were killed and over 800 wounded in the twin bombings.

However, the Arab Democratic Party has denied any involvement in the attacks and stressed that the suspects are not members of the party while slamming media leaks attributed to the Intelligence Bureau.