Awad Ibrahim Returns to Beirut to Hero's Welcome, Receives Phone Call from Hariri
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
A Lebanese pilgrim kidnapped in Syria in May returned to Beirut from Turkey to a hero's welcome on Wednesday night, a day after his release by his abductors.
Awad Ibrahim arrived at Rafik Hariri international airport aboard a Turkish Airlines flight around 8:30 pm accompanied by two General Security and Internal Security Forces officers.
He was welcomed by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim and several other officials and family members.
Charbel told reporters at the airport that Turkish authorities were exerting all efforts in the case of the kidnapped Lebanese because “things are not that easy to resolve.”
He also thanked ex-PM Saad Hariri for his mediation although he did not specify what role the Mustaqbal movement leader had played in the case.
Scores of Ibrahim's relatives and friends also gathered outside his house in Beirut's southern suburbs, cheering him upon his arrival.
He told LBCI there that he hoped the remaining Lebanese men would be set free soon.
He also thanked the Committee of Muslim Scholars, Ibrahim, Hariri and Charbel.
Hariri's press office said the former prime minister telephoned Ibrahim upon his arrival to his house to congratulate him on his return home and hoped that the remaining Lebanese held hostage in Syria would be set free.
Ibrahim was released on Tuesday and crossed to Turkey a month after another Lebanese hostage, Hussein Ali Omar, was released by his kidnappers the same way.
The two men were among 11 Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped by a group that claims affiliations with the rebel Free Syrian Army in the northern province of Aleppo on May 22 while on their way home from Iran.
Its leader has identified himself as Abu Ibrahim.
The pilgrim's arrival to Beirut was delayed for one day over what An Nahar daily said was a General Security request from his family for a passport photo to prepare the document that would allow him to return home.
Charbel told the newspaper that Lebanese authorities haven't stopped their negotiations with Turkish officials to secure the release of the remaining pilgrims.
However, he refused to give more details.
But Abu Ibrahim has announced that he closed the door to further releases over the alleged political and security ties of the remaining pilgrims to Hizbullah.
The abductors have asked for an apology from Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who is Syrian President Bashar Assad's ally.
The abductors have asked for an apology from Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who is Syrian President Bashar Assad's ally.
26 September 2012, 14:59
01
Welcome home and I hope all Lebanese citizens will be freed from all countries...
27 September 2012, 06:09
01
You mean the terrorists, rapists, torturers and murderers aka the SLA? They can go to hell (their final abode) but they are not welcomed in lebanon. Most of them live in the US, Canada and europe now anyways. Why do you want to return? Did you miss their terrorism? Or perhaps they didnt rape enough women last time after being used by israel to do their dirty filthy work? Shame on you for asking for their return. Some patriot you are. The SLA were as brutal as the shabbi7a of bashar. Shame on all lebanese who support terrorists like the SLA or the shabbi7a. Shame shame shame. Your disgusting and should be stripped of your lebanese nationality.
26 September 2012, 21:03
00
"slash" those whom ran for their lives to occupied Palestine do not need permission by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to return. They are wanted by the judiciary system in Lebanon for treason and collaboration with enemy entity. They are free to return at anytime, still they have to face legal system on what role/crimes they committed during Israels occupation in South Lebanon and what crimes they committed towards Lebanese citizens. We all hope that all Lebanese should feel welcome to return back to Lebanon.
