Report: Hariri Threatens to Halt Funding Syrian Revolution if 11 Pilgrims Not Released
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri proposed to pay a ransom to the abductors of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims in exchange for their release, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Monday.
The daily said that Hariri’s proposal facilitated negotiations with the kidnappers.
He stressed to the Turkish authorities that he considers the incident as a “national Lebanese issue that should be resolved to maintain the civil peace,” the report added.
Hariri also allegedly threatened to stop funding the Syrian revolution.
Sources told al-Akhbar that the Turkish government and Hariri are exerting efforts to release the 11 men.
The pilgrims, who were snatched in northern Syria last week, were reported as having arrived in Turkey on Friday.
However, conflicting reports emerged about the whereabouts of the abducted men as they were expected to arrive in Lebanon on Friday but an unclear problem occurred and halted their release.
The kidnappers of the pilgrims also are still unknown as the Syrian opposition and the regime exchanged the blame.
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