Al-Mustaqbal Condemns Jabal Mohsen Bus Attack, Says Hizbullah's 'Disrespect' of Constitution behind Crisis

Al-Mustaqbal bloc condemned on Tuesday the attack on workers from the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, stressing that the assailants are “saboteurs.”

"We condemn and reject the bus attack in Jabal Mohsen. This is a crime that has nothing to do with the city's ethical values and principals," the bloc said in a released statement after the MPs' weekly meeting at the Center House.

The bloc added: "We call on authorities to prosecute the attackers and refer them to judicial bodies."

"The assailants are saboteurs,” the MPs stated.

The statement remarked that the residents of Jabal Mohsen “have nothing to do with the mosques' blasts in Tripoli.”

“The criminals that planned and executed the crime in Tripoli must be penalized and Jabal Mohsen residents have nothing to do with the incident,” it said.

"We call for peace to prevail all over Tripoli.”

Forty-five people were killed and over 800 wounded in twin bombings that targeted the al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques in Tripoli on August 23.

The Arab Democratic Party has denied any involvement in the attacks and stressed that the suspects are not members of the party while slamming media leaks attributed to the Intelligence Bureau.

However, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged earlier on Tuesday Arab Democratic Party chief Ali Eid and his driver Ahmed Mohammed Ali with helping a suspect in the Tripoli bombings escape justice.

They were charged with helping suspect Ahmed Merhi flee to Syria.

And on Monday, a search and investigation warrant was issued against former MP Eid.

The al-Mustaqbal bloc reiterated that the problems facing Lebanon are caused by Hizbullah's disrespect of the constitution and the National Pact and its involvement in Syria.

"The first problem facing the country is Hizbullah's disrespect of the constitution, the National Pact and of the people's will through its involvement in the battles in Syria,” it said.

The statement noted: “Hizbullah is dragging Lebanon into many problems and creating many enmities.”

The MPs stressed that finding solutions to the current crises in the country would be achieved by committing to the Baabda Declaration.

“Especially Hizbullah must commit the the Declaration and the party must withdraw its fighters from Syria,” they said.

“Then we'll be able to look into forming a national-unity cabinet that is composed of nonpartisans.”

In a separate matter, the al-Mustaqbal lawmakers criticized caretaker Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui for not paying required internet fees on time, “despite reminding him to do so.”

“Not paying the required internet fees by the caretaker minister led to placing Lebanon on the list of failed countries,” they said.

“All of this is due to the minister's negligence and it indicates his failure in the sector.

Lebanon avoided being cut from the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) consortium project after Sehnaoui announced that the country had paid its dues, he said via Twitter on Saturday.

The bloc also condemned the Israeli shelling on military bases in neighboring Syria, questioning the Damascus regime's silence over this matter.

“The Syrian regime only care about staying in power even is this required destroying the entire country,” it said.