Rifi Promises Shehayyeb to Exert All Efforts to Unveil Fate of al-Aisamy, Sader

Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi has told National Struggle Front MP Akram Shehayyeb that the probe into the disappearance of Syrian opposition activist Shebli al-Aisamy was ongoing, An Nahar daily reported on Wednesday.

Shehayyeb visited Rifi on Tuesday, a day after heated arguments between March 8 and 14 lawmakers during the meeting of the parliamentary human rights committee that discussed the ISF chief’s report on the kidnapping of Syrian opposition members in Lebanon.

According to Rifi’s report, four brothers from the Jassem family were kidnapped in Lebanon by members of the Syrian embassy staff and an ISF guard unit headed by Lt. Salah Hajj in February.

Rifi also drew similarities between the case and that of al-Aisamy’s disappearance in Aley in May.

Al-Aisamy, 86, is a co-founder of Syria's ruling Baath party who fled his native country in 1966 over political differences.

An Nahar said Rifi told Shehayyeb that the investigation was underway “with a high momentum” and that the ISF had found “major leads” in al-Aisamy’s case.

He promised the MP that the ISF will continue to exert efforts “because security agencies should protect Lebanon, its sovereignty and stability.”

An Nahar also quoted Rifi as saying that the investigation into the kidnaping of Middle East Airlines engineer Joseph Sader in 2009 is ongoing.

On the abduction of the Jassem brothers, the ISF chief said that the probe is almost complete based on witness testimony and telecom data.