Jabal Mohsen Victims Laid to Rest as Tripoli Leaders Reject 'Any Justification of Terror'

Grief engulfed the Tripoli district of Jabal Mohsen on Sunday during the funeral of nine victims who were killed in yesterday’s twin suicide bombing, as the city's leaders stressed the need to “pursue the criminals” and stand by the state and its security forces.

Head of the Islamic Alawite Council Sheikh Assad Assi led a huge crowd of mourners, only hours after the evening attack on a popular Jabal Mohsen cafe that also left 37 people wounded.

A security-ministerial meeting was meanwhile held at MP Samir al-Jisr's Tripoli residence, in which the conferees rejected “any justification of terror attacks.”

“Tripoli and its residents are committed to the security plan and they believe in the state,” said a statement recited by al-Jisr after the meeting.

“Sunnis believe that punishment is exclusively the responsibility of the state and the rulers and we call on the families (of the victims) to observe patience and not to be dragged into rumors,” he added, in an apparent response to the extremist al-Nusra Front, which claimed Saturday's attack and said it was aimed at avenging “the Sunni community in Lebanon and Syria.”

The conferees also called for solidarity with the army “in order to eradicate terrorism in Tripoli and across Lebanon.”

Addressing the government, they urged efforts to “prevent any security violations and to pursue the criminals.”

“We also urge the relief commission to assess the damages and compensate those affected,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the families of the two suicide bombers Taha Samir al-Khayyal and Bilal Mohammed al-Meraayan issued a statement condemning their bloody operation.

"Those who commit such an act have no family or religion," said the statement.

"The tragedy of Jabal Mohsen's residents is the tragedy of the entire country and may God have mercy on the martyrs," it added.

Y.R.