Son of Mustafa Hujeiri Released by Judiciary

The son of Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri, Baraa, was released by the judiciary overnight, media reports said on Thursday.

His release was met with signs of jubilation in the northeastern border town of Arsal where he hails from.

A delegation of the families of the serviceman, who were abducted from Arsal in August, later headed to the area to congratulate Mustafa Hujeiri on the release of Baraa.

Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri, who is also known as Abu Taqiyeh, is wanted by Lebanese authorities on charges of belonging to the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

Media reports said on Wednesday that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant expressed willingness to release several soldiers and policemen in its captivity in return for freeing three women held in Lebanese prisons along with their children.

According to the relatives of the captive soldiers and policemen, who were taken hostage when ISIL and the Nusra Front overran Arsal, Ahmed Fleiti recently visited the outskirts of the town and met with ISIL officials.

The leaders reportedly informed him of their intention to release four soldiers from different sects as a goodwill gesture to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.

Ad Diyar newspaper said Wednesday that contacts with al-Nusra Front are cut as it set the release of Baraa al-Hujeiri as a condition to resume negotiations.

M.T.

H.K.