Al-Meqdad Clan Hints to Resume Kidnappings after Eid, Releases 1 Syrian
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Al-Meqdad clan’s spokesman Maher al-Meqdad warned that the family’s military wing could resume the kidnapping of Syrians after the Eid al-Fitr holiday if Hassan al-Meqdad was not released by Syrian rebels.
In remarks to a TV station, the spokesman said Monday: “The family took the decision to relieve people during the Eid but we will relaunch our movement after the holidays.”
“The family will hold consultations to take the appropriate decisions,” he warned.
The clan claimed on Wednesday and Thursday to have captured around 20 Syrian nationals and a Turkish man in retaliation for the seizure of their family member Hassan by rebels in Syria last week.
But it later said it was calling off "military operations" and would halt abductions for now.
The deadline ends on Wednesday, the spokesman warned however.
“The Turkish abductee will not be set free as long as Hassan al-Meqdad hasn’t been released,” Maher said.
He reiterated that the clan released Syrians who are not linked to the rebel Free Syrian Army.
On Monday, Syrian Mohammed Adel al-Suleiman Mohammed, who was kidnapped Friday from the area of Beshara al-Khoury in Beirut, was released for not having links to the FSA.
Mohammed is a human rights activist. He pleaded the kidnappers of Hassan al-Meqdad through LBC TV to set him free.
Later on Monday, LBCI said the obscure al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi Brigades also released three kidnapped Syrians.
The wave of hostage-taking prompted Gulf countries to call on all their citizens in Lebanon to leave immediately. Sunni regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Qatar, who back the Syrian rebels, were the first, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Asked about 11 other Lebanese kidnapped by Syrian rebels since May 22, the spokesman said the clan’s objective was to set Hassan al-Meqdad free.
“It’s not logical for us to release the Turkish man if the 11 Lebanese were set free,” he said.
Another Turkish national has also been kidnapped but it was not clear who was behind his abduction.
The 11 men were kidnapped in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on their way home from a pilgrimage to Iran. Conflicting reports have emerged on their fate after Syrian government forces shelled the area of Aazaz where they were being held.
But following talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday, French FM Laurent Fabius informed President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri in a telephone conversation that the pilgrims are alive and doing well.
20 August 2012, 09:47
116
Anyone financially harmed or who had lost business by the actions of these thugs should sue the "Financial Wing of The Meqdad family" or the Meqdad clan separately and jointly for damages, as well as sue their marionette-string holders in Damascus and Dahie. The new rules of the land: Until a federal system, every community pays for its actions! Sadly, it has been reported that 90% of hotel reservations in Beirut have been cancelled, with implications on restaurants, retail and other businesses for what may end up being a financial dispute between a Lebanese and Syrian mafia family! Meqdad Clan and Hizbollah are doing to Lebanon what the North Korean Junta is doing to its country by bringing misery, desolation, tyranny and oppression; while amassing rockets and parading brainwashed partisans.
20 August 2012, 10:02
110
u cant right a wrong with another....i understand lebanese are held in syria but these poor syrians have nothing to do with those guys and how the hell did HA lose control??more lies and cover ups from HA where is the army , ofcourse they cant do anything cuz they are controled still by the assad regime
20 August 2012, 13:21
06
FT... Not bad, not bad at all... So u agree that this gOvt is a maskhara
20 August 2012, 10:39
27
"The family" you say... who do you think you are thug!?! Don Corleone!!?? Arrest these guys NOW!!
20 August 2012, 11:37
15
promises from shii groups in this country have less value than the dirt they stand on
20 August 2012, 11:42
05
May Azra'eil "kidnap" the meqdad family and everyone giving them political cover for these criminal acts.
May Azraeil "kidnap" everyone giving political cover for any weapons in Lebanon and everyone carrying weapons.
20 August 2012, 12:14
25
The funny thing is not a word from the clown in the orange suite, have the Meqdad family belonged to the opposition then you couldn't get him to stop barking, hypocrite.
20 August 2012, 12:43
00
Strange news coming out from Lebanon these days...I'm a backpacker from Eastern Europe, planning to fly to Beirut in two weeks and travel through the country - do you guys think it is going to be safe for me?
20 August 2012, 13:21
01
No You can not sue the financial wing .
This new family business is typical tribal Mafia...
You start with kidnapping
You follow with blackmail
Press conference, then the mother of all business you start a Franchise operation well financed and well protected....even by the government .
The new franchise is:
McDad Good Food.
Last of all, the legal faction will sue McDonald for copying their ancestor family name as they cam to this planet first.
20 August 2012, 14:29
00
Bring in 1 american gun ship to clean them up, the entire family, military wing and all !!!
20 August 2012, 15:24
02
Phil, unfortunately we do have a group of lebanese who dont believe in civilization and do not wish to carry out a normal life and always prefer to revert to violence. I am sure many more visitors have cancelled their trips to Lebanon recently and our useless government is crippled and is not willing to address the problem.
In the end, the innocent Lebanese are paying a high price for this chaos, and the economy is shrinking because of this.
It is time to change the system to Federalism and be done !!!
20 August 2012, 15:39
06
the mekdad will make ya jump jump!
the daddy mac will make ya jump jump!
seriously now this is tragic...even don corleone was careful to hide his crimes for years and eventualy got caught for tax evasion...
these guys are out in the open and are the lebanese medias new baby, such phenomenons gets them higher ratings, i say dont cover anything related to them, this only makes them feel more important
20 August 2012, 16:47
07
Meqdad Clan are Hizb and Amal thugs that run a criminal empire...no room for ANY armed groups except the military...
20 August 2012, 22:11
00
Gentlemen, boys & girls. A gentle reminder that Zionists are Enemy No.1 Perhaps we should rid Lebanon of Politicians & opt for The Green Book "Representation is fraud" Free Lebanon from Politicians, you all failed us miserably.
21 August 2012, 03:14
00
The kidnaping is the work of Hezbollah whatever nasrallah and the meqdads said.
chabihas on this site will of course put the blame and insult the family so that Hezbollah bayed woujo
12 September 2012, 10:34
00
We are all happy to have our friend and colleague back safe!
