Suleiman Orders Police to Join Hands with Ministerial Committee on Abducted Lebanese

President Michel Suleiman demanded on Tuesday security agencies to join hands with a ministerial committee to locate the abductees inside and outside Lebanon.

Suleiman ordered the security agencies to set a comprehensive plan to find the location of the kidnapped Lebanese, set them free and detain the assailants at any price, the National News Agency reported.

Lebanon has been lately witnessing a spree of abduction of wealthy businessmen. The kidnapers are either setting the men free after the payment of ransom or releasing their captives after the mediation of some officials.

“We need to put an end to the abduction operations and the exploitation of the freedom of citizens and security,” the president said.

The cabinet formed in August a ministerial crisis cell tasked with following up the issue of the Lebanese abductees in Syria.

Eleven Lebanese men were kidnapped in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on May 22 while they were returning home from a pilgrimage in Iran.

One of them, Hussein Ali Omar, was set free in August by the rebel Free Syrian Army as a goodwill gesture.

Another Lebanese, Hassan al-Meqdad, was also kidnapped in Damascus last month.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Tuesday 6 people from al-Meqdad family and Syrians with belonging to an armed group and kidnapping people.

The army freed several Syrians and Turkish nationals after the clan went on an abduction spree to avenge the kidnapping of Hassan.