Berri Says AMAL Awaiting Judicial Ruling as General Security Clarifies Tarras Arrest

Speaker Nabih Berri announced Wednesday that his AMAL Movement is “awaiting a judicial ruling” in the case of the bombing that was aimed at targeting AMAL convoys in the Zahle region, while slamming the political uproar that accompanied last week's arrests.

During his weekly meeting with lawmakers in Ain el-Tineh, Berri called for “keeping security measures and achievements away from political overbidding,” al-Jadeed television said.

“Let us allow security agencies and the judiciary to work away from this overbidding because they are a shield that is protecting everyone and preserving the country's stability and safety,” Berri was quoted as saying.

Referring to the Zahle bomb attack, Berri said “the victims remained silent while the killers were not satisfied.”

“AMAL Movement, which was targeted by this bombing, is awaiting the ruling of the judiciary,” the speaker added.

The bomb attack left an elderly woman dead and at least ten people wounded.

The explosive device that was placed at a busy roundabout was targeted against AMAL Movement convoys that were carrying supporters to a rally commemorating Imam Moussa al-Sadr in the southern city of Tyre, Berri said a day after the attack.

Other vehicles were hit by the blast shortly after AMAL buses passed by the roundabout, reports have said.

Several suspects were arrested by the General Security last week in connection with the case.

Former Rashaya mufti Sheikh Bassam al-Tarras was among those arrested and he was eventually released amid protests by the influential Muslim Scholars Committee and a number of Islamic activists.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, General Security said Tarras was interrogated after his name was mentioned by a number of suspects held in the case.

“Tarras was asked about his meeting in Turkey with the detainees A. Gh. and B. Kh. and a fugitive called Abou al-Baraa,” General Security said, adding that “the detainee A. Gh. confessed that Abou al-Baraa had tasked him with the bombing and that the latter had ties to Sheikh Bassam Tarras who asked him to do whatever Abou al-Baraa requests from him,” General Security added.

“During interrogation, Sheikh Tarras revealed Abou al-Baraa's real identity,” General Security clarified, noting that Abou al-Baraa is wanted over the booby-trapped car that was discovered in Naameh in 2013.

The car was rigged with 250 kilograms of explosives.