MPs Seek Answers as Lebanese Military Judiciary Investigates Abduction of Syrians

Opposition MPs will ask the government to release an investigation report written by Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi about the alleged involvement of the Syrian embassy in the disappearance of Syrian opposition members, a parliamentary source told An Nahar daily on Saturday.

The lawmakers will inquire the government about the kidnapping of four Syrian brothers from al-Jassem family, Syrian opposition member Shebli al- Aisamy and Middle East Airlines engineer Joseph Sader, the source said.

Rifi told the parliamentary human rights committee on Monday that the ISF collected "dangerous information" linking the Syrian embassy to al-Aisamy’s disappearance.

An Nahar’s parliamentary source said the March 14 MPs will ask the government to release Rifi’s report to make it available to the public opinion.

Al-Aisamy, 86, is a co-founder of Syria's ruling Baath party who fled his native country in 1966 over political differences. He was last seen in May in the eastern region of Aley.

Sader, an official at Middle East Airline's IT department, was kidnapped in February 2009 near Rafik Hariri international airport by unidentified assailants who sped away in a Sports Utility Vehicle.

A member of the human rights committee told An Nahar that Rifi referred his report to the military judiciary. In it he said that the Syrian ambassador, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, has turned deaf ears to the kidnapping of al-Jassem brothers.

The report also drew similarities between their abduction and the alleged kidnapping of al-Aisamy. It quoted his daughter as saying that the Syrian ambassador in Washington had contacted her father, urging him to make a stance in support of President Bashar Assad but al-Aisamy rejected.

Ali on Friday denied reports that his embassy was behind the disappearance of Syrian opposition members who have gone missing in Lebanon, calling such accusations "unfounded."

The ambassador demanded that the evidence be made public.

MP Sami Gemayel, who is a member of the parliamentary committee, challenged Ali, telling An Nahar that “there won’t be any diplomatic immunity for crimes committed on Lebanese territories.”

He stressed however that the Lebanese authorities should first investigate the alleged involvement of ISF officers guarding the embassy in the kidnapping of Syrian opposition figures.

Gemayel was referring to the head of the Syrian embassy guard unit, First Lt. Salah Hajj, the son of former ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj, who was reportedly questioned about al-Jassem brothers case.

Media reports had said that Salah Hajj kidnapped one of al-Jassem brothers in February.

General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza should take the necessary measures, Gemayel said, adding that he was amazed how the judiciary hasn’t acted on the issue yet.