Report: Nusra Front Demands al-Rahi's Apology over Burning of ISIL Flag
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Al-Nusra Front is reportedly demanding Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to apologize for the burning of an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant flag by youth in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district.
Sources close to the Muslim Scholars Committee said in comments published in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Tuesday that “the group (al-Nusra Front) will not release the soldiers and policemen without anything in return.”
Media reports have said that the jihadists have a list of demands, including the withdrawal of Hizbullah from battles in Syria, the release of ten Syrian inmates held at Roumieh prison in return for each captive soldier and policeman, an apology from al-Rahi over the burning of the flag and the end of calls by the Free Patriotic Movement to mobilize Christians against the Syrian people.
Islamists have allegedly burned crosses in the northern city of Tripoli in retaliation to the burning of an ISIL flag in Ashrafiyeh's Sassine Square.
Reports said however that the flag was burned last month and not over the weekend.
Several threats were written on the walls of Churches in the northern city of Tripoli, the latest on Tuesday when assailants vandalized the walls of Mar Elias Church.
They vowed to “slaughter the worshipers of the Cross."
Lebanese Forces lawmaker George Adwan had said that al-Rahi “will not address these people,” considering that the apology demand will not occur.
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi vowed to legally pursue the youth who set ablaze the flag, considering it a sectarian incitement. He also called for an investigation to be carried out into the burning of crosses in Tripoli.
For his part, FPM official MP Ibrahim Kanaan said that he will defend the youth who set ablaze the flag.
The Islamic State (IS) jihadist group has prompted widespread concern as it advances in both Syria and Iraq, killing hundreds of people, including in gruesome beheading and mass executions.
H.K.
G.K.
02 September 2014, 09:21
417
Also from a Suni Muslim: I would piss on ISIS flag anytime any where.
02 September 2014, 09:54
84
Its not about the isil flag as a symbol its what is writen on it the words are sacred. Everyone remembers 1991 how saddam hussein added the takbeir on the iraqi flag to protect it from being defiled following his invasion of Kuwait. Its just the aounist media cynically rode it for all its worth
02 September 2014, 17:33
00
Are you kidding or are you confused by the recent rhetoric? Takfiris were not an issue in 1991 Iraq. Unless you believe W Bush and his Saddam + Al Qaeda theory lol.
02 September 2014, 10:03
913
rifi is guily of inciting sectarian hatred against the christians.
he is a very guilty man
02 September 2014, 10:42
15
Nothing is sacred. All religious symbols are manmade including religions, prophets and gods.ISIS flag is no exception. To me it is a symbol of Evil, barbarianism and thuggery and worthy of being burned and spit at. If Allah is affraid about using his name in murders and butchery, then he must intervene and save humanity from his fanatic followers.
02 September 2014, 10:53
68
Beheaders are very sensitive you know, they're fluffy emotional creatures.
02 September 2014, 12:51
66
and what was it exactly that made you think for a second that i gave a rat's .. about what you think?
02 September 2014, 13:50
64
wow you're surpassing yourself here, 3 counts of wrong in 10 words!
02 September 2014, 11:08
116
yeah FT, unity will be brought by you or the likes of you who insult their political opponents 24/7 on this forum!
02 September 2014, 11:11
06
Can't stop thinking of our captive soldiers and servicemen. Look at the Armenian church in Raqqa and they're asking for an apology:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sSjHpJ2hFI8/U_DscFFytXI/AAAAAAAAQKk/V8xTJZH1bGc/s1600/%D9%85-620x241.jpg
02 September 2014, 13:02
17
I totally don't understand those extremists' logic! Killing thousands of people, desecrating churches and other places of worship, burning and pillaging all are fine and are God-mandated. Yet if some people emotionally respond to the atrocities by burning a piece of ugly cloth with some Islamic scripture on it, the terrorists get offended?! Man, AlNusra and their supporters in Tripoli deserve to be impaled for crimes against humanity! and they have the nerve to be offended!?
02 September 2014, 13:27
04
At the moment the most important is to get the kidnapped back to their families safe.we should not be provoking these animals till at least the detainees are released.after that the army should hunt them down one by one.i believe the detainees should be a priority,maybe we should all calm down and leave it for the army to get them detainees back.I HOPE SO...
02 September 2014, 13:36
62
ibrahim Kanaan shoulb act like a smart and keep quit is not his neck under the knife he is acting same way as his boss did when he ran to France leaving the soldiers fighting on the battlefield..
02 September 2014, 14:10
45
i bet if flamethrower were to run in the parliamentary elections, he would win hands down based just on the votes he gets on naharnet.
02 September 2014, 14:36
05
I do not understand why my comment wad deleted when all i said is that we should all calm down and should not provoking these terrorist and prioritise the release of the abducted soldiers!!!!
Any idea naharnet???
02 September 2014, 14:37
64
ok. I'll try again to rephrase so I don't get deleted for a 3rd time... Gabby, do not eat anything unsavoury or bananas and you are not a terrorist monkey or K9, but a respected commentator on this site. Yes, Aoun should apologise and beg for forgiveness to Al Nusra and ISIS for the offence caused by someone burning a black flag in Ashrafieh.
02 September 2014, 15:25
20
Christians in Iran and arab Countries (7atta ma yez3al el ghasheem)
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/05/11/us-panels-report-documents-christians-under-siege-in-arab-world/
02 September 2014, 15:42
00
Asif they understand what appology means .They are the ones who should appologise for the families of the beheaded soldier; the american and the thousand other innocent civilians...
02 September 2014, 16:33
00
my post was not posted Naharnet??? Please respect my freedom of speech...
02 September 2014, 17:34
42
Bigjohn do not distort the truth.i am not going to argue with you on whether or not Newmax is zionist website ,the report is a "UN Report".
I hope i did not hurt your feeling or Rouhani s feelings.
02 September 2014, 17:36
32
it is not about Muslims or Islam ,it is about the Government in Iran or Saudi arabia or qatar etc etc
02 September 2014, 17:39
31
Eagle dawn?Is you off your head?Aoun?i would not exchange him bi ishrit basle man ...
02 September 2014, 17:41
02
The Roar though i agree with you but i believe that for now priority should be the safety of our kidnapped soldiers.once back home the army should do anything to take them terrorists down.
02 September 2014, 19:11
02
if we can't burn the flag unless we apologise...may be its a non ecological... can we use it as a mop?
02 September 2014, 19:42
02
hehe know what also? i suggest we ring the church bells 5 times each 24h ... I am tired of being confined in air conditioning, boules quies and sleeping pills...lets share the noises in unisson... and i can predict you that they will complain....
02 September 2014, 19:42
02
hehe know what also? i suggest we ring the church bells 5 times each 24h ... I am tired of being confined in air conditioning, boules quies and sleeping pills...lets share the noises in unisson... and i can predict you that they will complain....
04 September 2014, 00:56
00
RAJEH
Our country does not practice a true freedom of religions any more neither does it teach the values every religion holds. In this regard I feel sorry for the Christians who think that Tayar Party represents them, while this party considers itself and its leaders seculars above all. Secularism is a religion by itself. Can you imagine the communist party representing the Shiaa or the Druze sects. Good luck getting out of this mud in forty years except by new world order.
