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Saqr Confirms Leaked Audio Recording on Arms Deal, Says Ready to Lift Off his Immunity

Al-Mustaqbal MP Oqab Saqr admitted on Monday that the audio recording that was circulated in the media last week, during which he was carrying out a weapons delivery deal with the Syrian opposition, was true.

“Yes this is my voice, and these are my own words,” Saqr told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He said that he is under the law and agrees to lift his parliamentary immunity if other “suspects,” who are involved in the developments in Syria, do the same.

“I am solely responsible for my acts... Let the jurisdiction carry out its tasks,” Saqr said.

The MP, in his most recent interview on Future TV on November 7, rigorously denied any involvement in arming the Syrian opposition, demanding his accusers “to sue him if they find any evidence proving his engagement is such activities.”

Saqr pointed out in comments published in Asharq al-Awsat that he will explain everything clearly “soon.”

“I will appear in a live broadcast and reveal everything I know,” Saqr told the newspaper.

Asked about the role of ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri in the issue, the MP said that the premier tasked him to only offer the Syrian people with all the necessary humanitarian, political and media support.

“The campaign targeting me right now is to blur, deform and distort this role,” Saqr stated.

Al-Akhbar newspaper unveiled last week a taped conversation between Saqr and Abou Nehman, a “leader in the armed Syrian opposition”, who were carrying out an arms deal.

"Please help us, we need weapons,” Abou Nehman told Saqr in the audio recording.

"Tell me exactly what do you want and the quantities,” Saqr answers.

Abou Nehman requests 300 RPGs, 250,000 Russian bullets and 300 guns among other things to be delivered to Aazaz, Tal Refaat and Aleppo's countryside.

The two men then agree to, “as usual,” hand the weapons to Syrian opposition members that go by the names of Abou Baraa and Abou al-Nour.


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