Al-Sayyed's Body Handed Over to MSC, Any Swap 'Won't Involve' Convicts
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Muslim Scholars Committee was on Monday handed over the corpse of Sergeant Ali al-Sayyed who had been reportedly taken hostage by Islamic State militants, as the government seemed inclined to swap non-convicted Roumieh inmates for the security personnel who are still in the captivity of jihadist groups.
Al-Sayyed's body was handed over in the outskirts of the Bekaa border town of Arsal and the Red Cross transfered it to the military hospital in Beirut.
The army issued a statement saying "the Intelligence Directorate has received the body of one of the missing soldiers and it will be transferred to the central military hospital for DNA testing."
Members of al-Sayyed's family confirmed to Agence France-Presse that relatives had been summoned to the military hospital in Beirut to provide DNA.
Meanwhile, sources informed on negotiations told LBCI TV that “there is agreement, in principle, to the proposal of swapping” prisoners for the captive troops.
But the sources noted that “should an exchange occur, it won't be for Roumieh prison convicts.”
“It is out of the question to release Islamist convicts or inmates detained over the issues of Nahr al-Bared, Fatah al-Islam and the bombings, even if they have not been convicted,” the sources added.
“It is possible to discuss and negotiate the release of those who were arrested during Arsal's battle or the detainees who have not been convicted until the moment,” the sources said, noting that “the judiciary absolutely does not accept to set free dangerous convicts.”
Later on Monday, Turkey's Anatolia news agency quoted informed sources as saying that “the Lebanese government is inclined to release Islamist detainees in a legal manner in return for the security personnel held by al-Nusra and the IS.”
But the sources noted that “the number of released inmates won't be as high as being circulated and the process won't happen with the expected speed.”
According to LBCI, the militants of the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front have put at the top of their demands the release of jihadist leader Imad Jomaa, who had pledged allegiance to the IS prior to his arrest but who still enjoys popularity among the ranks of the Front, to which he belonged in the past.
Al-Nusra is also demanding the release of Jumana Hmayyed, who is accused of transporting bomb-laden cars from Arsal's mountains to the Bekaa, in addition to "around 15 Syrian militants."
On August 2, gunmen belonging to the two aforementioned groups overran Arsal as clashes erupted with the Lebanese army, killing 19 troops and kidnapping around 35 soldiers and policemen.
Al-Nusra later released 10 hostages before freeing five "Sunni" troops and policemen on Saturday. However, 18 captives are reportedly still in the group's custody.
The IS for its part has 10 hostages in its captivity in addition to an unidentified corpse other than al-Sayyed's.
The sergeant had appeared in a video posted on YouTube on August 4, in which he appeared to be forced to declare his defection from the Lebanese army.
And on Thursday, the IS published grisly photos apparently showing a militant cutting off al-Sayyed's head, whose authenticity was initially questioned by military sources.
Y.R.
M.T.
01 September 2014, 19:59
54
Southern
Anyone who will celebrate the passing of our soldier Al Sayed is nothing but a criminal and a coward who deserves to be lynched. The late el sayed is a martyr whose death came too early
May he rest in peace and may his family and comrades from the LAF find peace and the courage to heal and move on
01 September 2014, 20:00
45
Moreover there should be no negotiations and no release of criminals currently detained in prisons.
PERIOD
01 September 2014, 20:09
35
Time to take some decisions there.
No exchange with any convicts over naher el barred and so, exchange with syrian millitants captured by LAF maybe but no exchange with extremists convicted in previous crimes (this said, time to trial them, walla 3eb for years trial was delay bc the courtroom
Is not bog enough, samer hanna assassin got convicted, trialed and freed in 6months, found guilty for assassination of a lebanese officier while on dury on a lebanese army hellicopter, tayeb haydda mich jarimeh?
Time also to get all on the same wave, we ahould all help in defending our country, and hezbos cannot go launch war for any reason, now they are in irak, yemen and god knows where... Enno this is normal?
But no swap with inmates of naher el barred, this would open pandorra's box...
I think today i'll go hv some chupachups...
01 September 2014, 23:38
22
Is there really a diff between nahr barid fighters and the other Islamist fighters? They're all part of diff groups by diff names at diff times. They're all the same. Honestly I think they should just be killed after captured, cause they will keep fighting till they become a shaheed.
Anyway, back to the article, if we release just one inmate, their tactic will be to kidnap soldiers every time one of their buddies gets arrested. The battle with Isis hasn't begun yet, we cannot show weakness at this stage!
01 September 2014, 20:31
01
dear mowaten, you're in no position to tell anyone what they should do. keep your whining to yourself you're just an annoying background disruptive noise.
01 September 2014, 21:30
01
don't you love it when mowaten pretends to be a hero on naharnet:))
01 September 2014, 23:00
24
Always twisting things huh FT? Surely I mean HA uses the Army at their convenience, but of course won't allow them into their areas without permission. The Army is a National body, HA like ISIS is foreign fueled and equally as manipulative. Again, you use the Army for your own agenda, stop twisting the facts.
02 September 2014, 01:32
33
Than take orders from Lebanon then ;). Stop trying to justify your foreign imposition, and stop deflecting. The matter is: one nation, one army, devoted to one country, not 2...get the hint? Regardless of what you say, you're still a foreign entity regardless of whatever agreement you had put in place by threat, alrighty?
02 September 2014, 02:11
33
I think either you do not understand English, or habitual liar.
I despise any extremist, whether Jewish, Muslim, or Christian who uses religion to kill innocent people. Currently, it has been exemplified by Sunni extremists, Nusra and ISIS. Recent past, by Shiite extremist, HizbSatan. Bil 3arabi el mishanrah, el tatourouf el shi3ee wa el sinni. Fhemet aw dik el mey mey.
01 September 2014, 17:24
54
Shameful for all of us, and the Lebanese government that we negotiate with monsters.
01 September 2014, 17:35
105
I get my stuff deleted too. I never thought I was that controversial or spoke of hate speech.
02 September 2014, 01:21
31
Its usually if I say anything about Saudi Arabia which is weird because I usually thought M14 did not like Saudi Arabia.
01 September 2014, 17:55
01
The FPM is now getting armed and training and will defeat ISIL soon. They support the army and defend the minorities in the east.
01 September 2014, 18:00
01
My brother and I are anxiously waiting for Flamethrower's comments regarding this national matter.
01 September 2014, 18:02
01
Lets hope that DNA testing gives a negative result and that the body releases is not of Sergeant al-Sayyed.
01 September 2014, 20:53
37
Tell that to HA who doesn't even allow them to enter their areas...Stop using our Army.
01 September 2014, 23:44
22
May 7 they took beirut... It's time for a plan, at least, to transition HA like all the militias did. In reality tho, we will have to wait till Iran and Saudi make peace.
02 September 2014, 01:24
13
What I "recall" was less than 2 years ago you brilliant individual ;)
01 September 2014, 18:39
13
الله يرحمك يا علي، الله يرحمهم لكل الجنود، الله يخلّيلنا الجيش...
01 September 2014, 18:46
01
I hope Flamethrower will post soon during his one of his breaks
01 September 2014, 20:45
44
from al nahar
من هو علي السيد؟
هو شعلة الايمان الحق بالله وبالوطن، هو نبراس الاعتدال والمعتدلين، هو الشاهد على قصورنا وعشوائيتنا وفوضانا.
من هو علي السيد؟
هو منظومة الاخلاق ومجموع القيم والمبادئ التي تدعوا الى المحبة والتلاقي والتآلف، التي تشكل "داعش" واخواتها النقيض الطبيعي لها.
01 September 2014, 20:55
36
RIP to a Lebanese soldier not taking orders from outside....please enough with the double standards.
02 September 2014, 01:27
04
Well, no, we're not, but of course you'll try to manipulate more things like a whiny 6 year old :) Go to bed.
02 September 2014, 01:19
04
Of course, as usual, they'll want us to forget about that little fact.
02 September 2014, 07:43
11
Now what ? we give them what we want ,,,,wrong , this is not the way you handle this crisis . The only way to get the message is that if they do not release the soldiers , Lebanon would take a hostile stance on any new and existing refugees they have including closing of all borders . If they don't understand , then be it , consider the rest of the soldiers as Lebanese martyrs and do not release any of their filthy prisoners or listen to their demands . if we do , every terrorist would be blackmailing us in a similar way
02 September 2014, 07:49
12
close the border, LOL. Tell your hizb and see if they accept.
02 September 2014, 08:00
11
eagleyawn : when it comes to Kataeb , They would be the 1st ones to accept , if you are talking about HIZB then this is something his cronies like lamethrower can maybe answer it
