Asir Announces Series of Protests, Rejects Saqr's Calls for Interrogation
Bilal bin Rabah mosque Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir announced on Tuesday the launch of a series of protests scheduled to take place after every Friday's prayers if the cabinet “does not respond to his demands”.
"We will not stop our activities until the cabinet responds to our demands and restores our dignity,” Asir said in a press conference.
"Our protests will be peaceful but we will respond if attacked,” he confirmed.
Asir called on his followers to “get ready”: “I apologize ahead from the traders in (the southern city of) Sidon and the people of the city as we might disturb their businesses and their daily activities”.
"But our dignity is above all,” he noted.
The Islamist cleric also attacked State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr's request to interrogate him.
“You show off strength only when attacking us while in front of Hizbullah you are weak and coward,” Asir expressed.
Saqr had tasked security forces with informing Asir that he needs to comply with the request to interrogate him, reported the National News Agency Tuesday.
The request has however been rejected on a daily basis, it added.
Saqr demanded on Saturday police from the southern city of Sidon to interrogate the Salafist cleric over the possession of arms.
"Asir will be questioned over the arms that were in the possession of his supporters on Friday," LBCI television said.
Commenting on the call to interrogate him, Asir said Saturday: “We urge concerned authorities to first put (Speaker Nabih) Berri and (Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah on trial for their crimes".
Asir and his supporters deployed Friday with their weapons around Sidon's Bilal bin Rabah mosque, amid a heavy deployment by the army and security forces.
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