Officials Say Prison Break Probe Ongoing, Accomplices Will be Punished

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said on Monday that the officers and security members in Roumieh prison clearly neglected their duties when five inmates escaped over the weekend.

“This is proved and doesn’t require any investigation,” Charbel told As Safir newspaper.

He stressed that the decision to punish all those responsible for the break out of the inmates on Saturday has been taken.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr ordered the arrest of two officers and nine guards on Sunday.

“Right now we’re probing whether or not any conspiracy occurred to facilitate the prisoners’ escape,” Charbel said.

The five inmates including Fatah al-Islam terrorist network members escaped the prison by scaling down the building's walls with bed sheets before mixing with visiting relatives and walking out of the compound with them.

He noted that break out schemes of prisons happen; however, the newspaper quoted him as saying: “This time the escape happened in a more comfortable way, which raises many questions that should be answered through the investigation.”

For his part, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi told As Safir he is keen on continuing the investigation until all the details are unveiled.

“I have asked the competent judicial authorities to continue their investigations until we obtain a clear image of what has happened and determine those who are responsible,” he stressed.

The Minister noted that all theories are laid on the table.

Qortbawi told the daily the work is done on two levels; the first is through taking immediate and decisive measures to avoid any future attempts to escape from prison. While the second is through setting an integrated and comprehensive plan which allows transferring the authority of Lebanese prisons from the Interior Ministry to the Justice Ministry.

He said that prisoners should be treated as human beings who need rehabilitation and not just punishment, which requires a specialized and trained staff.

As Safir reported that PM Najib Miqati will head a meeting on Tuesday at the Grand Serail with the Interior and Justice Ministers to discuss ways to handle the prisons case.