Mustaqbal Blames al-Jadeed Attack on 'Hizbullah-Sponsored Illegal Arms'
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday condemned the attack on al-Jadeed television’s building, rejecting “the sectarian rhetoric from whichever side it comes” and blaming the incident on “the proliferation of illegal arms which is sponsored, protected and supervised by Hizbullah.”
“The use of the sectarian rhetoric, tools and expressions is rejected and condemned, from whichever side it comes, as our country needs a calm, reasonable and uniting rhetoric instead of insults and provocation,” the bloc said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.
“The freedom of the press and the freedom of media outlets that abide by the law are sacred and it is unacceptable to be lenient towards any attempts to harm this freedom,” the bloc added.
It called on security forces to arrest the gunmen who attacked the TV network, saying their names are well-known. The bloc also called for the arrest of “the armed supporters who blocked roads overnight in the capital in a blatant violation of national security,” noting that “their affiliation is well-known.”
Unknown gunmen on Monday attacked al-Jadeed television’s headquarters in the Beirut neighborhood of Wata el-Msaytbeh, opening fire on the building, hurling Molotov bombs and setting fire to tires.
“Masked attackers assaulted the employees and burned tires after trying to storm the building,” al-Jadeed news director Mariam al-Bassam told MTV.
“Four masked gunmen opened fire outside al-Jadeed's building and hurled Molotov bombs that caused a fire in the building's entrance,” reported LBC television.
The Internal Security Forces’ Intelligence Bureau managed to arrest one of the attackers, identifying him as Wissam Alaeddine.
The attack came after Salafist Sheikh Ahmed al-Assir launched a scathing attack on Hizbullah and AMAL during an interview with the station.
“The reasons behind what happened yesterday on Beirut’s streets are clear and evident, and it is a reflection of the proliferation of illegal arms that are sponsored, protected and supervised by Hizbullah,” the Mustaqbal bloc noted.
It warned that such incidents have “negative repercussions on the tourism season, economic growth, the citizens’ interests and the country’s reputation and stability.”
Turning to the Syrian crisis, the bloc said that “the Syrian regime that is pressing on with the methods of genocide and killing is feverishly trying to ignite blazes around Syria, whether in Lebanon or through trying to provoke a conflict with Turkey with the hope that it might be able to deviate attention from the glorious Syrian revolution.”
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