Eid: Red Lines were Crossed when my Father was Summoned for Interrogation over Tripoli Blasts
Arab Democratic Party official Rifaat Eid condemned the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau's summoning of his father, Ali, over his alleged links to the twin blasts that rocked the northern city of Tripoli in August, reported As Safir newspaper on Thursday.
He told the daily: “The ISF Intelligence Bureau crossed red lines when it summoned my father and he will definitely not comply with the request.”
He declared that the accusations against his father are not based on any facts and they are part of a Saudi Arabian agenda to settle scores with Syria.
Moreover, he voiced his fear that the summoning will negatively affect the situation in Tripoli, stressing that the Arab Democratic Party was exerting “strenuous efforts to calm the angry residents of Jabal Mohsen,” which is a stronghold of the party in Tripoli.
As Safir said that former MP and head of the Arab Democratic Party Ali Eid was summoned over testimonies his driver Ahmed Mohammed Ali had made during the investigation over the Tripoli blasts.
The driver was detained by the ISF Intelligence Bureau on charges of smuggling to Syria Ahmed Merhi, one of the suspects in the bombings against al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques in Tripoli on August 23.
Meanwhile, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday that Ali Eid had refused to comply with the summoning request.
Judicial sources told the daily that suspicions are surrounding Rifaat Eid over his links to the Tripoli attacks because he is the main official in the Arab Democratic Party.
They also voiced their fears that he may be smuggled to Syria “in order to hide the truth and any leads linked to the twin bombings.”
MTV reported on Wednesday that Ali Eid's personal driver Ahmed Mohammed Ali was arrested on October 26 by Lebanese army intelligence agents on charges of smuggling Merhi into Syria at the request of the pro-Damascus former lawmaker.
“During the interrogation of Ahmed, it turned out that the Alawite leader had provided a hideout for Merhi in the Akkar border town of Heker al-Daheri before he was smuggled into Syria,” MTV said.
Ali was eventually handed over to the ISF Intelligence Bureau for further interrogation.
Merhi is reportedly the driver of the second explosive-laden vehicle that blew up near al-Taqwa mosque.
On October 14, seven people involved in the August bombings were charged, including three in custody.
Forty-five people were killed and over 800 wounded in the twin bombings.
The Arab Democratic Party has denied any involvement in the attacks and stressed that the suspects are not members of the party while slamming media leaks attributed to the ISF Intelligence Bureau.
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