Report: Mamlouk, Ibrahim Discuss Case of Nine Abducted Pilgrims
General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim discussed with Syrian security Chief Ali Mamlouk the release of the nine Lebanese pilgrims, who were being held in Syria's Aazaz region, As Safir newspaper reported on Friday.
According to the daily, Mamlouk, who is charged by Lebanese judicial authorities along with former Information Minister Michel Samaha with forming a group to commit terrorist crimes in Lebanon, informed Ibrahim in a telephone conversation that the Syrian authorities will cooperated with any solution that guarantees the release of the men.
Mamlouk and Samaha were also charged with plotting to assassinate political and religious figures.
As Safir said that Mamlouk and Ibrahim agreed to hold a meeting in the upcoming hours.
“We've reached a very advanced stage in negotiations,” Ibrahim told the newspaper,
He pointed out that the Lebanese state that the nine pilgrims should be released in one batch.
However, the abductors insist on releasing the men at different intervals.
They have demanded the release of 282 women detainees from Syrian prisons in return for the nine men.
For his part, Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel expressed hope in comments to As Safir that Ibrahim's endeavors would reach a “happy ending.”
Ibrahim returned later on Friday to Beirut after a short visit to Syria to discuss of the concerned Syrian officials the case, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria's Aleppo region in May 2012 as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from pilgrimage in Iran.
Two of them have since been released, while the rest are being held in the Aazaz region.
Their relatives have repeatedly held Turkey responsible for their ongoing abduction and they have held protests near Turkish establishments in Lebanon in order to pressure Ankara to exert more efforts to release their loved ones.
Source: Agence France Presse
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