Turkish Hostage 'Disappears' as Army Arrests Maher al-Meqdad's Brother
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Gunfire erupted in the southern Beirut suburb of al-Rowais on Friday after the army arrested the brother of the head of al-Meqdad family association.
“The gunfire in al-Rowais erupted over the army’s arrest of Hasan al-Meqdad, the brother of Maher al-Meqdad,” al-Jadeed television reported.
“Tensions are high in al-Rowais and things may escalate,” al-Jadeed said, quoting Maher al-Meqdad as saying that his brother had nothing to do with the clash and that he was only trying to mediate.
LBCI television said the army arrested several people, including Maher al-Meqdad's brother, over a clash that erupted in al-Rowais.
Later on Friday, Maher al-Meqdad told LBCI that he is “not responsible for the fate of the Turkish abductee” anymore.
"The Turkish abductee disappeared during the clash in al-Rowais and he is not in our custody anymore and we're currently searching for him," he said.
"A third party interfered and opened fire at the army," he added.
Citing unconfirmed reports, Future TV said "the Turkish national abducted by al-Meqdad clan has been liberated."
For its part, Turkey's state news agency said “the Turkish abductee has been reportedly liberated in a security operation by the Lebanese army.”
But al-Jadeed TV quoted a military source as saying that “the army arrested Hasan al-Meqdad on an arrest warrant and it did not liberate any of the hostages.”
Maher al-Meqdad rose to fame during the counter-kidnappings staged by the clan’s “military wing” over the abduction of a family member near Damascus. He acted as the clan’s spokesman during that period.
The clan has claimed responsibility for the abduction of more than 20 Syrians and a Turkish national in Lebanon.
07 September 2012, 22:30
07
Go Army!!! Arrest more of the criminals!!! Where are the Hezz to agree with this arrest? This is a new militia.
07 September 2012, 22:35
00
What now are those criminals going to start kidnapping Lebanese army soldiers?
07 September 2012, 22:44
00
May god bless our beloved army. Beef up secuirty our heroes as no one is above the law.
07 September 2012, 22:47
08
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much to the army for making this point at the most crucial time. M8/14 can only agree on this one. Lebanon needs its army, this army more than ever.
07 September 2012, 22:51
05
Al Meqdads were incited by the Syrian regime to create sectarian trouble because Hezbollah did not respond to the regime's requests to do so.
07 September 2012, 23:58
05
either that or HA felt cornered and launched its dogs (the mokdads) to undermine the state. I hope your version is true...
08 September 2012, 09:18
00
The Army would do an operation such as this in Dahiyeh without Hezbollahs approval. I can assure you that. Sad, But True.
07 September 2012, 23:11
00
In my opinion the "clash" with the army should have continued until every person with a firearm in the area, every person shooting at the army, every person involved whose name is on an arrest warrant, and every person whose last name is Meqdad, is either killed or arrested. Why did the army stop shooting after they arrested only one of them?
07 September 2012, 23:57
04
I don't beleive above is true. if it is, it is the best news for the state of law in Lebanon since the breakup of the samaha cell.
No more red lines for the army. We are paying millions to have a strong army. And it is starting to deserve the money.
Fine it cannot beat israel or syria. Fine it will not go into a civil war agaisnt HA. However all the smaller issues are to be cleaned. Mokdad and the gang, palestinians thugs, islamists, petty thieves, organized theft gangs, NO MORE RED LINES TO THE ARMY...
08 September 2012, 00:04
05
The Meqdeads family are a branch of Hezb Iran ,and with Assad going down Hezb Iran is playing the good cop game.Good job by our brave army.
08 September 2012, 04:00
04
Very Amazing to admire where there is an existence of Syrian Assad supporters (i.e. Tripoli or Dahieh) then we have muscle men shooting at the army to undermine the state authority.
08 September 2012, 07:04
03
Hope its not to good to be true...yalla liberate he south and get rid of the terrorist thugs that live there...GO ARMY GO
08 September 2012, 08:42
10
if your comment was real, the army should have disarmed this group totally arresting all the members of this clan.
all they are doing is just a show.
08 September 2012, 08:53
00
brother Geha, please give the army a break. They're doing the best they can't with the situation at hand. Do you really want to see the Army enter into a direct conflict with the Party of Terror and Intimidation? Do you realize this will split the Army and spark a new civil war?
08 September 2012, 09:52
10
bandoul
I will respect the army when it will do what it is supposed to do, i.e. take control on the ground, arresting any weapons bearer, and preserving our sovereignty especially on the syrian border.
currently all they are doing on the syrian border is catch arms smugglers, but they are not defending our border from daily syrian aggressions.
08 September 2012, 17:03
01
@geha, nobody is denying that you have a legitimate gripe. What you are expecting them to do puts the Lebanese Army in direct conflict with HA which is something Lebanon cannot afford right now. HA is a non-Lebanese mercenary group which will defend Iranian interests even if it means challenging the authority of the Lebanese Army at any cost. If you do the math, you will realize what damage this will do to the country, the people and the future of our children. HA must be defeated politically and if that is not possible then by the direct intervention of another party.
08 September 2012, 11:33
00
i guess for some lying is an art.... not a sin..... but let it be known the God of abraham is holy, perfect and righteous and hates wickedness. only those born again of Spirit know Him.
08 September 2012, 13:51
02
It is about time that the Lebanese Army strikes with an iron fist against ANYONE who tries to de-stabilize the country.
Clean-up of all "off-limit" areas including Dahyee & all refugee camps must start soon and the Army needs a campaign of "Shock & Awe".
