Mustaqbal Slams Govt. 'Silence on Syrian Dissidents Kidnap'

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday strongly condemned what it called “the Lebanese government’s deafening silence” over the alleged “abduction of the two Syrian dissidents belonging to the al-Jassem family and similar cases related to other Syrian citizens who were abducted in Lebanon, including Mr. Shebli al-Aysami.”

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc also slammed the “suspicious idleness and flagrant indifference of some judicial authorities concerning this issue,” holding the government responsible for addressing the disappearance cases.

“The bloc, which is keen on reaching solid and positive ties between Lebanon and sisterly Syria that are based on mutual respect and parity, condemns these rejected acts that are harmful to the aspired relations between the two countries,” it said in the statement.

It deplored “the recurrent security violations of (Lebanon’s) northern and eastern borders, the involvement of the Syrian embassy security staff in abduction and assault operations against citizens and foreign residents, and the irresponsible stances and remarks recently voiced by the Syrian ambassador to Beirut.”

Addressing the issue of the U.N.-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the bloc stressed that “the decision to finance the tribunal, which is included in the (draft) state budget, … is not a technical issue, but rather a political and national issue par excellence that is directly linked to … the principle of justice and the protection of public freedoms.”

“Those who side with the financing of the tribunal will be siding with justice, truth and the protection of freedoms in Lebanon. But those who side against the financing of the tribunal will be choosing to side with the criminals and murderers,” the bloc said.