Suspect Vowing to 'Liberate Baabda' Identified
Security agencies launched an investigation to identify the shooters who appeared in a controversial video message, vowing to “liberate Baabda from the upcoming president.”
“We are certain that the shooting occurred in Beirut's southern suburbs,” security sources said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Sunday.
The sources pointed out that a man identified by his initials Aa. H. is suspected to be the person talking in the video.
“Investigations are ongoing to identify the rest of the men who appeared in the video.”
A three-minute video, which went viral on social media and aired on MTV channel on Friday, showed three men celebrating the Resistance and Liberation Day on May 25 by opening fire from the rooftop of a building, reportedly located in Dahiyeh.
The three men were using machine guns.
One of the shooters said that this “was all in hopes of liberating Baabda from the new president,” he continued eagerly: “On Tariq al-Jadeedah.”
“Bullets will fall like rain today on Tariq al-Jadeedah... Poor them, they're very civilized,” he added.
“Do you have any bomb?” the shooter wondered sarcastically, he then said: “This shot is for the eyes of Bashar Assad... and (Speaker Nabih) Berri.”
The three men fired non-stop until they were out of ammunition.
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi considered in remarks to al-Mustaqbal daily that the “video tape contains two criminal acts.”
“The first is opening fire at residential areas in Baabda and Tariq al-Jadeedah while the second is expressing sectarian incitement and harming the national security.”
He noted that it is his “duty and right” to refer the case to the state prosecution to launch an investigation into the incident.
On Saturday, Rifi referred the case to General Prosecutor Samir Hammoud to apprehend the three men and put them on trial.
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq also tasked security agencies to follow up the case and detain the involved men.
H.K.
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