Saqr Orders Arresting 3 Syrians over the Baabda Rocket Case, Detains Asir Supporter

by Naharnet Newsdesk 14 September 2013, 16:56

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr ordered on Saturday the detainment of three new people over their alleged involvement in the launching of rockets towards Baabda on August 1.

"Saqr order the arrest of three Syrian suspects over the Baabda rocket launching case,” the state-run National News Agency reported.

The NNA added that the suspects were referred to Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawwan for prosecution.

On Thursday, Sawwan issued an arrest warrant against Jamal Ismail over his alleged involvement in the firing of rockets towards Baabda.

And on August 30, Saqr ordered the detention of suspects allegedly involved in the cases of firing rockets from Ballouneh on Baabda and from the South towards Israel.

Media reports had said that the suspected intended to target the Defense Ministry in Yarze. But one rocket hit a high-voltage power line in a nearby town and a second rocket failed to launch. The launchpads were found in Ballouneh.

On August 1, two rockets fired from an area near the town of Aramoun in Aley struck locations near the presidential palace and the Defense Ministry in Baabda.

Meanwhile, the NNA also revealed that Saqr arrested on Saturday a supporter of Salafist cleric Ahmed al-Asir over his alleged involvement in the fighting against the army in the southern town of Abra in June.

The detainee was referred to First Military Investigation Judge Riyad Abu Ghida for further investigation, the same source added.

On June 23, Asir's supporters opened fire on an army checkpoint leaving around 18 soldiers and more than 20 gunmen dead.

The gunbattles concentrated in the area of Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque and nearby buildings in Abra in the southern city of Sidon.

Since then, many Asir supporters men were detained for their alleged involvement in the armed clashes.

However, Asir, a 45-year-old cleric who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, is no where to be found.