Al-Shahhal Calls on State To Lift Arrest Warrant against Diqmaq, Says he Averted Sedition

The founder of the salafist movement in Tripoli cleric Dai al-Islam al-Shahhal stressed on Sunday that Sheikh Bilal Diqmaq averted sedition in the northern coastal city, calling on the government to lift an arrest warrant issued against the salafist Sheikh.

He said in comments published in the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that tension surged in Tripoli after rumors that the army intends to raid his residence in the city and the house of MP Khaled al-Daher.

“I contacted Diqmaq and urged him to contain the situation and prevent any security escalation,” Shahhal told the daily.

“Sheikh Diqmaq moved the arms from my house to his apartment to aver sedition.”

Shahhal pointed out that “all religions, security and political figures in Lebanon have the right to own arms for self-defense.”

“After the increasing security incidents across the country, and the army's failure to act, I took precautions to defend myself, family and the men who work with me.”

Shahhal disapproved the “focus” on the arms he owns, while there are hundreds of arms depots spread across the country.

He called on the government to lift the arrest warrant issued against Sheikh Diqmaq and to return the confiscated arms.

“We have always been a safety valve to prevent the situation from deteriorating and we have never used our arms to assault anyone... We refuse to be treated this way.”

On Friday, the army seized weapons from Diqmaq's apartment and issued an arrest warrant against him, several days after a similar document against Shahhal over his political stances.

Shahhal had said that the confiscated arms belong to his guards.