After Meeting Son in Arsal Outskirts, Hommos Declares Nusra's 'Terms' for Visiting Captives

Sheikh Hamza Hommos has retracted his remarks that the Army Command was not informed of his visit to his captive son Wael, one of the servicemen who are being held by the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front in Arsal's outskirts.

The Sheikh revealed a list of terms for the families who are seeking to visit their sons, following a “goodwill” initiative by al-Nusra's leader in Qalamun Abou Malek al-Talli.

“The army was informed of my visit to Arsal's outskirts and the soldiers on the Wadi Hmeid checkpoint allowed my entry,” Hommos said in an interview with MTV in the afternoon.

He therefore retracted remarks he had made earlier in the day to Voice of Lebanon Radio (100.5), in which he said “the Army Command was not informed of my visit to my son.”

“Because the army was informed of my visit, passing through the Wadi Hmeid checkpoint was not hard and after that al-Nusra gunmen arrived in a 4x4 vehicle,” LBCI quoted Hommos as saying.

He revealed to LBCI the “terms” set by al-Nusra for families who are willing to visit Arsal's outskirts to meet their loved ones.

They must be “close relatives and the visit duration cannot exceed 25 minutes,” Hommos added.

"It is prohibited to bring any clothes or shoes or similar items,” he stated.

“They can bring precooked food or homemade food,” Hommos said, noting that the families are also allowed to give the kidnapped money “in order to fulfill their needs, but the amount must not exceed 500 dollars.”

Hommos also reassured that “the captives will not be harmed after today,” citing remarks by the captors.

Hommos met Thursday with his son for around an hour and a half in Arsal's outskirts.

“Al-Nusra Front is demanding the release of fifteen names held at the Roumieh prison,” Hommos told VDL.

He revealed that the group expressed hope that the state will soon appoint a negotiator to mediate the release of the abducted soldiers and policemen.

This was the first time since Wael's abduction in August that his father meets him.

Wael reportedly urged his father to press the state to carry out serious and swift negotiations with al-Nusra Front to wrap up the case.

The Lebanese policemen and soldiers were taken hostage during deadly clashes in and around Arsal in early August with al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group.

Sixteen policemen and soldiers are still being held by al-Nusra while nine are in the captivity of the IS.

Al-Nusra has said previously that the hostage crisis would end if 10 inmates held at Lebanese prisons would be freed for each hostage or seven Lebanese inmates and 30 female prisoners held in Syria would be released for each abducted soldier and policeman or if five Lebanese and 50 women inmates would be freed.

The group added that the swap with the prisoners held at Syrian prisons should take place in Turkey or Qatar, while the exchange with the Lebanese authorities should take place on the outskirts of the town of Arsal.

H.K./M.Y.

Y.R.