The chief negotiator charged with ensuring the release of the seven Estonians cyclists revealed that they were accidentally abducted by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, he told Asharq newspaper in remarks published on Wednesday.
The negotiator, who chose not to disclose his name, said that the abductors were seeking to kidnap Americans, then Frenchmen as a second choice, and English nationals as a third one.
He added that there is at least a second side, appointed by foreign sides, charged with conducting abductions, which have political and financial aims.
He said that three sides, not including Hizbullah, were suspected of being behind the kidnapping of the seven Estonians.
He added that after extensive investigations, it became evident that the PFLP-GC was behind the abduction, stating that the group’s leader Ahmed Jibril openly confessed that it had kidnapped them.
He justified the abduction by saying that the cyclists were suspected of being Jewish, a matter which has been repeatedly denied, continued the negotiator.
He also refused to comment on whether a ransom was paid for their release.
“Lebanon has nothing to do with paying a ransom as the country whose nationals are abducted is obligated to do so,” he said.
“A major plot is being concocted at Lebanon’s expense as Americans, French and English nationals may be targets of kidnappings,” he stated.
“Regardless of the purposes of the abductions, these matters will ruin Lebanon’s reputation and create security chaos in the country,” the negotiator noted.
“The instability will force the French or Syrians to say that they alone can control the situation in Lebanon, leading them to meddle in its internal affairs,” he warned.
Furthermore, he revealed that Syria was aware of the transportation of the seven Estonians in and outside its country, but it did not interfere in the matter for its own reasons.
The seven Estonian cyclists were kidnapped in March and released some four months later.
They were held captive in Lebanon and Syria and the circumstances surrounding their release remain unknown.
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