'Abou Taqiyeh' Mediation Allows Soldier Khoury to Meet Family near Arsal

Abducted Lebanese soldier George Khoury was able to see his family overnight Monday in Arsal's outskirts after Islamist cleric Mustafa al-Hujeiri, aka Abou Taqiyeh, mediated with his captors who belong to the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front.

Hujeiri told LBCI television that he had “accompanied the family of the captive soldier George Khoury overnight to Arsal's outskirts where they were able to meet him.”

The cleric noted that he and the relatives “came under gunfire in the al-Masyadeh area in Arsal's outskirts” on their way back from the unusual gathering.

Abou Taqiyeh, however, stressed that he does not know where Khoury and the rest of the security personnel are being held hostage, noting that “al-Nusra Front chose the place, time and nature of the meeting.”

According to unconfirmed reports, the Front has 18 troops and policemen in its custody. The security personnel were abducted during deadly clashes with the Lebanese army in and around Arsal in early August, which the extremist Islamic State group also took part in.

In another interview with MTV, Hujeiri said he was in contact with “nearly all the families of the abducted troops,” pointing out that he had agreed on the meeting with Khoury's family around ten days ago.

“It was a sad trip on the way back. Troops opened fire at us when we approached a Lebanese army checkpoint in the al-Masyadeh area,” Hujeiri added, noting that “this is not an accusation against the army as its troops might have thought that we were gunmen or something.”

Y.R.