Rifi Criticizes Arrest of Women, Children as Nusra Says Crisis Cell Endangering Lives of Captives
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
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.
09 December 2014, 08:52
710
I agree with Rifi. The women and children of our armed forces will become a target for 1.5 million syrian refugees living in Lebanon.
09 December 2014, 09:07
77
So kidnapping Firemen and Policemen is fair on the part of Nusra Front and ISIL? This is a war against terrorism and we should not be so sensitive about our values because the opposing force has none.....
09 December 2014, 10:05
67
So we should act like those savage...
Indeed "the independent" let's lash out on women and children just bc they are relatives of those retards. If people comited crime they should be punished but u dont get arrested bc ur father, uncle, husband is a criminal...
This is not being sensitive this is being civilized, but yes since u agree on hezbos go fight a war dating back to middle age in irak yemen syria and god knows where for hussein ali and the rest of the guys (cause that what it is) if u agree on this retarded way of thinking and cheering for guys who want us back to stoneage let them be al baghdadi, khomaiini or any other illuminated i cannot expect better from someone like u....
Man go have some chupachups amd think of what is civilisation....
09 December 2014, 14:02
34
I guess after thinking deeply in this issue I agree with you Imagine_1979. Women and Children are out of the war unless women did get involved themselves.
09 December 2014, 10:05
67
Remember how it all started independent. Your army arrested every syrian activist and allowed your hizballah to do what it likes. The army was attacked when your army arrested Jomaa. Your army cannot side with hizballah who is sending thousands of terrorists to kill syrian people and expect the syrians to spare it. Now, you kidnap their women and children, they will kidnap your women and children. Understand habibi? I hope so
09 December 2014, 10:51
76
Any soul related to those terrorist/s should be arrested and dealt with.
Why should we lebanese, whether gov, private ect.. have any mercy regarding the terrorist/s, when we see them day in and day out executing our soldiers/servicemen with cold blooded hands..
We need to start executing their arrested people in the same way...
09 December 2014, 14:09
46
when your army acts and behaves like a national army then open your mouth and speak. Your army has been supporting and aiding a terrorist militia go to syria and kill its people which makes it an enemy and legitimate target of the syrian people. Stop burying your head in the sand and pretend like this situation was born out of vacuum.
09 December 2014, 11:44
46
RIFI surrender yourself to these terrorists that you consider your allies and release our soldiers
09 December 2014, 13:06
100
Rifi's comments reflect a profound division within our government and one that is definitely causing us the kind of hurt that should and must be averted. Personally I've simplified my sentiments over this issue, for me all that matters is what the Army says and does. I look at it this way: The army is now a cohesive force, united and is doing a very credible force, maybe it is still under the dictates of the civilian administration, but when I compare united military to fragmented civilians I without hesitation opt for the army. Surely once we have a new president, he should immediately form a new cabinet, or delegate the PM to do so, all this business of unity government is a sheer waste of time and resources, let's reshuffle.
09 December 2014, 15:08
23
Well well, Dam you and what you are and what you are made from, dam your children and women, dam your evil brains, dam your extreem sectarian rotten old lebanese minority in a small country thinking that Lebanon is the Center of Universe and that these idiots like you are from special breed of people. You are not ... you are as common as all of us, people in syria women and children if innocent, and most are, shouldn't be your target. Stop the twisted thinking you are a minority in an ocean of people Likr Riffi, just by him playing nice it does not mean you have the right to atrack him. You will not be spared our criticism because you opened the door Defarto.
09 December 2014, 16:35
63
@de Facto
I agree 100% on your above comments. Hariri stole Beirut he bought the real estate under the solidere and paid one cent for 410,000. He ripped off the Lebanese merchants
Solidere should be nationalized and the land should be returned to its rightful owner(s)
09 December 2014, 17:34
33
Your GhizEbola are the eternal terrorists with nusra and isis ans ASSad and traitor general.
09 December 2014, 18:15
72
Your beloved Rifi, that denied ISIS/Nusra existence in Lebanon. Salafimarch
09 December 2014, 18:41
23
Your Ghizebla are the main cause of terrorisim, before 1979 no one heard about islamic terrorisim until your beloved khkhkhaminai came to existance and start training anyone that is willing to buy into your btwisted Islamic regyme and later all the GhizEbola andvits likes mushroomed. NOT isis nor nusra are match to RevGuards favorate monster GhizEbola. ALL are made to serve on we purpose and all rejected. And for you to praise GhizEbola will nwver make them less terorist, kidnapainh of foreigners, killing and extortion of politicians well then killimg them in masses idiot, having weaponsbto scare citizens and push them to just leave, aid dictators, distroy local economy and run their own telephone structure make pledge ane accept Iran khaminai as their leader instead of a lebanese pewsident, make teerorists a a their ideals and make them herros even if they know they are filthy terrorists.
09 December 2014, 19:05
31
You belong in an asylum, takfirimarch. Nobody cares about your Saudi words here, only your M14 minions does. To us, it is pure garbage, just wanted you to know.
09 December 2014, 19:16
22
You and you ideal nasrallah are the garbage it self, they represent, just like Isis and nusra, the backwardness in yoir btains, where for people like you it is ok to kill innocent people, it is ok to trach your kids hatred of other, it is ok to destrou Lebaron or any plave your like exist to spread the culture of us or no one else. For sub humans like you it is ok if you aid a dictator and it is fine if you undermine other people who do not agree with you.
09 December 2014, 19:19
22
Be proud that you put a picture of a terrorist on your Avatar, you low life.
