Arslan Says to Hand Over Wanted Men 'When Things Take Right Judicial Course'

Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan on Friday announced that his party will hand over any wanted persons “when things take the right judicial course” regarding the deadly Qabrshmoun incident.

“A small number of (Progressive Socialist Party) fugitives has been handed over and what happened was not a clash, (but rather an ambush), seeing as a public road was closed in the face of a minister and his private car was hit with 19 gunshots and all cars in the convoy were hit with bullets,” Arslan said after meeting Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail.

He was referring to State Minister for Refugee Affairs Saleh al-Gharib, who accompanied him to the meeting with Hariri.

“We are open to all solutions, but this does not mean that we will allow the martyrs and those who escaped death to be subject to political bargaining at the judicial and security levels,” Arslan added.

“Hariri is keen on the role that Maj. Gen. (Abbas) Ibrahim is playing and we hope results that fulfill justice will be reached,” he said.

“We support the correct judicial course which entails referring the case to the Judicial Council,” Arslan went on to say, slamming the PSP for “downplaying” and “ridiculing” the incident.

Two of Gharib’s bodyguards were killed and a third was wounded in a clash with PSP supporters in Qabrshmoun. The minister escaped unharmed as a PSP supporter was injured.

The two parties have traded blame over the incident, with Gharib and Arslan describing it as an ambush and an assassination attempt and the PSP accusing the minister's bodyguards of forcing their way and opening fire on protesters.

Arslan has insisted that the case should be referred to the Judicial Council, a top Lebanese court that looks into national security crimes, a demand opposed by the PSP and other forces.