Rifi Criticizes Arrest of Women, Children as Nusra Says Crisis Cell Endangering Lives of Captives
The crisis cell tackling the case of the Arsal captives focused during its latest meeting on the arrest of women and children linked to the Islamist kidnappers, reported As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi told the daily: “I was clear that I am against the arrest of any man, woman, or child. I support the arrest of a perpetrator no matter who he may be.”
He added that he will not divulge further details of the crisis cell talks in order to maintain the secrecy of the government efforts to release the soldiers and policemen abducted from the northeastern border town of Arsal in August.
Meanwhile, the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front, one of the groups behind the servicemen's kidnapping, announced via Twitter on Monday that the crisis cell “is claiming that it seeks to save the lives of the captives.”
“The cell however is starting to head down a path that may threaten their lives due to its excuses over the so-called dignity of the state,” it added.
The government has so far refused to hold direct negotiations with the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front to release the detainees.
A Muslim Scholars Committee delegation had held talks on Monday with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan to tackle the case of the captives.
It had requested that the government officially task it with negotiating the release of the detainees, while demanding that direct negotiations be held.
Daryan told As Safir that the Committee's initiative should be presented to cabinet in order to avoid “losing the plot” over how to tackle the affair.
The issue should be proposed to cabinet and the crisis cell, he added, while voicing his solidarity with the families of the captives and urging intensifying efforts to release them.
Sources monitoring the situation told An Nahar daily Tuesday that consensus will not be reached at cabinet over the Committee's request therefore ruling out the possibility that it will be officially tasked with tackling the affair.
It also ruled out the possibility that “an open swap would be held, especially since the kidnappers are demanding the release of dangerous terrorist detainees, such as Omar al-Atrash and Naim Abbas.”
The Muslim Scholars Committee is meanwhile scheduled to continue its talks with officials by meeting with Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Rifi, General Security chief General Abbas Ibrahim, and head of the Military Tribunal Khalil Ibrahim.
Ministerial sources had revealed to An Nahar that Prime Minister Tammam Salam is likely to chair an extraordinary cabinet session to address the Arsal captives case ahead of his planned trip to Paris on Wednesday.
Lebanese authorities have arrested a divorcee and child of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They have also apprehended the wife and two children of another militant commander in Syria, Abu Ali al-Shishani.
M.T.
H.K.
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