Suleiman Meets Security Officials, Stresses Need to Reveal Truth behind Syrian Abductions

President Michel Suleiman held separate talks on Wednesday with a number of security officials, urging them to intensify their efforts in maintaining Lebanon’s security given the current situation in the country, reported the daily An Nahar Thursday.

He held talks with General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, Internal Security Forces chief Ashraf Rifi, Military Intelligence Director Edmond Fadel, and General Director of State Security George Qaraa.

The daily said that the president requested from the officials that they submit “clear and complete reports” on the kidnapping of Syrian opposition members in Lebanon.

He stressed the need to unveil the truth and facts of these developments.

On Tuesday, the Syrian opposition has urged authorities in Lebanon to act over reports that more than a dozen of their members have been kidnapped.

"The executive board of the Syrian National Council has expressed its concern in a letter sent to Prime Minister Najib Miqati in light of reports by rights groups that 13 Syrian nationals have been kidnapped," the opposition group said in a statement.

It said that among those kidnapped was Shebli al-Aysami, 86, who was last seen in Lebanon in May.

"The Council is very worried that opposition members are being handed over to the Syrian security services and as such risk death," the statement said.

Aysami is a co-founder of Syria's ruling Baath party but fled his native Syria in 1966 over political differences with the group. He was last seen in the eastern Lebanese region of Aley.

Three Syrian brothers also went missing in March after one of them was seen in Beirut distributing tracts for a demonstration against the regime in Damascus.

According to Lebanese authorities, some 5,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon since the outbreak of the revolt in Syria last March.