Kidnappers of Estonians Go on the Offensive as ISF Closes in
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi confirmed that the armed ambush of two ISF officers in the Bekaa Valley on Friday was made by collaborators of a member of the group that kidnapped the seven Estonian tourists in March.
In remarks to al-Joumhouria daily published Saturday, Rifi said Friday’s confrontation between the ISF Intelligence Branch patrol and the members of the kidnapping gang at a bridge that connects Shtaura to Jlala was the second in less than a week.
Two officers were injured in the ambush by the three armed men driving a stolen Mercedes at dawn Friday. The vehicle was later in the day found set ablaze near Jeb Jenin.
Rifi said the gunmen who opened fire on the ISF patrol are collaborators with al-Hujairi who on Sunday clashed with security forces in Ersal. “We received information that he was badly wounded but his death is not confirmed.”
“It seems that the security measures we have taken against the terrorist group have put it in a direct confrontation with us,” Rifi said. “We look at (Friday’s) attack as an attempt by this group to move from a defensive to an offensive position.”
He warned that the ISF was closely monitoring the network and would do all it can to arrest its members and refer them to judicial authorities.
The Estonians were freed in July almost four months after armed men abducted them as they entered the country on a bicycle tour from neighboring Syria.
High-ranking security forces confirmed to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat that the Intelligence Branch is seeking to arrest the remaining members of the network that kidnapped the tourists.
It had arrested 9 people a few days after the abduction and later another person.
More than 17 people are members of the “secret organization” that carried out the kidnapping, security sources told al-Liwaa newspaper.
17 September 2011, 10:53
02
strike them hard burn those terrorists
credit goes to the ISF
17 September 2011, 11:19
30
Chances are the so called kidnappers will all be killed mysteriously and not caught so that rifi can cover the tracks of yet another one of his crimes.
17 September 2011, 12:19
04
It is ironic how when a couple of MPs highlighted some of the army's intelligence practices in the Akkar area, all the political thugs of M8 and their uncles barked for a week or two on how it is a crime to criticize the army as it is sacred in their opinion. In doing so, they forgot they and their thugs are the ones who violated the army, its pride, and its presence. Where are these dirty hired voices when the ISF is attacked, pelted with stones, or ambushed...? Perhaps, the ISF (to them) is not part of the security agencies they have been able to control and that explains their repeated fierce attacks against this security institution.
17 September 2011, 13:32
20
Dear Major General Rifi, seems that lately you're so good at capturing terrorist groups! What about those who are behind all the terrorist murders of some of our best political and intellectual figures, such as Jibran Tueni, Pierre gemayel, Samir Kassir, to name but a few? Or maybe you're just showing "muscles" now to avoid being outsted by the new majority for all the law infringements you made during the previous years of your reign????
17 September 2011, 17:18
02
The ISF should be supported at all levels, since it has proven even with the criminal supporting so called "politicians" of M8 trying hard to cripple it from performing its duties, the ISF has its heart in the right place, I salute all the brave men in the ISF that are doing and will keep on doing their duties in protecting the people from the Iranian and Syrian regimes sponsored criminal gangs that are well known by everyone. I just wish the Army would stop being the subordinate watchdog of the Subordinate Iranian criminal organization Hezbullah. I'm sure there are a lot of good people in the Army that do not approve of this Hijacking of their Army to serve the Iranian agenda against Lebanon and the Lebanese people freedom and sovereignty and interrests. Time will only tell when this Army will come around and join the ISF in defending their real employers, the Lebanese free people, from Lebanon's real enemies in Damascus and Tehran.
17 September 2011, 17:45
01
rifi is after the baathis and pro bashar...and moukhabarat el jaysh is after passing arms to the "terrorists" in syria who happens to be the syrian people.
