Mustaqbal Urges Govt. to Summon Syrian Ambassador over Shaaban’s Death

The Mustaqbal bloc condemned on Tuesday that murder of al-Jadeed cameraman Ali Shaaban on Monday, calling on the government to summon the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali over the incident.

It said after its weekly meeting: “The government’s leniency over Syria’s violations against Lebanon have led to a number of deaths along the border.”

It added: “Ali should then be charged with sending a strongly-worded complaint to the Syrian government.”

Furthermore, it urged the government to take “all the necessary steps to protect the Lebanese people, Lebanon, and its independence against Syria’s ongoing violations.”

The bloc blamed the Syrian regime for Shaaban’s death, saying that the shooting “was solely aimed at killing and terrorizing.”

Shaaban was killed on Monday in the northern border area of Wadi Khaled when he and two of his colleagues came under gunfire from the Syrian side of the border.

Reporter Hussein Khreis and cameraman Abed Khayyat managed to escape unharmed.

The TV network said the crew was in the area with the aim of filming a report about the situation there.

The Mustqbal bloc noted Syria’s failure to commit to international efforts to end the crisis, saying that the international community must take the necessary measures to end the “ongoing massacres in order to protect Syrian and Lebanese civilians.”

The Syrian people launched protests against the ruling regime in March 2011, demanding the ouster of President Bashar Assad.

The regime retaliated by waging a bloody crackdown, which the United Nations estimates has left over 9,000 dead.

Addressing the failed assassination attempt against Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, the Mustaqbal bloc said: “The timing of the attack is a sign that some sides are probably resorting to their old criminal tactics in confronting those who oppose them by eliminating them through murder.”

It therefore urged the government and official authorities to intensify their investigations to reveal the criminals.

On this note, it condemned the “ongoing scandal” of Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui’s refusal to hand over telecom data.

It said: “He is justifying his actions with shameful excuses that are aimed at keeping Lebanon and its leaderships exposed to murder and assassinations.”

The bloc called on the government to put an “immediate end to this dispute through enabling the security authorities to constantly be granted access to the data.”

Geagea was the victim of failed sniper attack on April 4.

The March 14-led opposition held Sehnaoui and those who support him responsible for preventing the security forces and authorities from obtaining the telecom data in their probe into assassination attempts.

The minister slammed the accusations that he would be held responsible for preventing the security forces from obtaining the telecom data.

“The ministry will deal with the issue according to principles and will not back down on implementing the law,” he said.

He reiterated that the telecom data will only be given to security authorities if the competent judicial authorities ordered that.

Addressing the release of retired Brigadier General Fayez Karam from jail, the Mustaqbal bloc condemned “the shameful celebrations that marked his release, which shocked the Lebanese people.”

“The other camp’s arrogance has reached such an extent as to celebrate the release of a convicted Israeli agent,” it added.

“The scenes of the celebration reminded us of Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s repeated warming against the establishment of an atmosphere that harbors agents in Lebanon,” it continued.

It blamed the release for the lowering of the prison year in Lebanon, revealing that the bloc will present an amendment to the law that will exempt enemy collaborators from benefitting from the reduction of the prison year.

It recommended that stricter measures be taken against collaborators in order to avoid “encouraging people from betraying their country.”

Karam was released from prison on April 3 after serving two years in jail on charges of collaborating with Israel.