Mashnouq Confirms Held Woman is Baghdadi's Divorcee, Slams Hizbullah Captive 'Showoff'

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq confirmed Wednesday that a woman detained in Lebanon is a divorcee of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as he accused Hizbullah of staging a “showoff” stunt in the wake of the release of its captive fighter Imad Ayyad.

“The detained woman is a lady who has been married three times, one of them to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and they have a daughter from their marriage, the thing that has been confirmed through DNA tests,” Mashnouq said during an interview on MTV.

“She is now married to a Palestinian man and she is pregnant,” the minister added.

He confirmed that the woman's name is Saja al-Dulaimi and that the daughter was traveling with her in a car when they were both arrested by the Lebanese army several days ago.

Media reports have said that the army detained Dulaimi along with her 4-year-old daughter and two sons around 10 days ago at a checkpoint on al-Madfoun Bridge in the North.

“Saja al-Dulaimi has ties to extremist groups and she has been in Lebanon for the past year and a half,” Mashnouq revealed.

“The children who were with Saja al-Dulaimi are now at a child care center and she can help us in the investigations,” he noted.

Earlier on Wednesday, An Nahar newspaper said Dulaimi's DNA results “and those of her daughter Hajar matched al-Baghdadi's DNA samples that were provided by a Western source.”

Mashnouq, however, said al-Baghdadi's DNA samples were provided by Iraqi authorities.

Turning to the issue of the Lebanese troops and policemen held by al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State, the minister noted that there are “deliberate attempts to harm the government's efforts through the reports that are being published in the newspapers.”

Several Lebanese dailies have slammed the government over alleged “lack of coordination” among its ministers regarding the case of the servicemen. The reports were published amid a clash between the abductees' families and Mashnouq, who ordered the use of water cannons to reopen the Saifi road in Beirut after it was blocked by the families.

The interior minister also slammed the celebrations that accompanied the recent release of Hizbullah captive Imad Ayyad as a “showoff” stunt.

Ayyad was freed in a swap deal with the rebel Free Syrian Army which involved the release of two Syrian militants who were in Hizbullah's custody.

“Hizbullah made an extravaganza out of the release of Imad Ayyad to hint that the government is not capable of achieving anything. The government is not an armed party,” Mashnouq told MTV.

As for the ongoing negotiations to secure the release of the Lebanese security personnel, the minister noted the emir of Qatar responded to an appeal by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and that a Qatari mediator has visited Beirut “seven times.”

Addressing the families, he pointed out that the release of the hostages will require a “long process.”

In response to a question, Mashnouq said the Qatari negotiator, Syrian national Ahmed al-Khatib, “will not be replaced.”

“The (Lebanese) General Security and (Health) Minister (Wael) Abou Faour are exerting efforts in all directions, but announcing things in the media every other hour is not beneficial for the negotiations,” the minister added.

“I will pay a visit to the families of the captives and I will convince them that the blocking of roads is not useful. I have not neglected the issue for a single hour but the case will take a long time,” he went on to say.

Separately, the minister confirmed that fugitive Islamist militant Shadi al-Mawlawi has sought refuge at the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon.

“Yes he is,” the minister answered when asked if Mawlawi is in Ain el-Hilweh, noting that there are mediations to hand him over to the Lebanese authorities.

Mawlawi and his comrade Osama Mansour went on the run last month in the wake of fierce clashes between the army and Islamist groups in the northern city of Tripoli.

As for the upcoming dialogue between al-Mustaqbal movement and Hizbullah, Mashnouq said “the first topic on the dialogue agenda is preventing any Sunni-Shiite strife and keeping Lebanon away from such a confrontation.”

“It is also normal to discuss the issue of the presidency during the talks as well as other issues, such as the security plan,” the minister added, stressing that “dialogue will yield results and will at least preserve national cohesion.”

“I'm optimistic that a president will be elected in the first half of 2015 and the current candidates are confrontational candidates who cannot be elected,” Mashnouq said.

“Any candidate cannot be elected president without the approval of (Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel) Aoun, (Lebanese Forces chief Samir) Geagea and all the other parties,” the minister added.

“The president cannot be imposed,” he underlined.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the elections.

Y.R.