The General Security Department was mum on Monday on its
controversial arrest of an Islamist for allegedly contacting a terrorist
organization, a move that left three people dead in gunbattles in the northern
port city of Tripoli.
“We haven’t yet announced our version of the story. We are waiting
for the appropriate time to tell the real story behind (Shadi) al-Mawlawi’s
arrest,” a General Security official told An Nahar daily.
“We make daily arrests of wanted people either at the airport or
the land and sea borders or the interior,” he said, adding the department’s
actions “are under the direct supervision of the competent judiciary and in coordination
with it.”
The general security official refused to comment on Finance
Minister Mohammed Safadi’s decision to file a lawsuit after the agency lured
al-Mawlawi to an office of his welfare association in Tripoli under the pretext
that he would receive health care.
This led to sectarian violence between the rival neighborhoods of
mainly Sunni Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, whose residents are Alawites and
backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Three people, including a soldier, died in the fighting.
According to al-Jadeed TV, al-Mawlawi had returned from the
neighboring country three days ago.
Informed security sources also told al-Akhbar newspaper that the
suspect, who had entered Syria several times lately, had ties with armed groups
there.
But his family denied and several Tripoli officials said the man
is a backer of the Syrian revolution against the Assad regime but is not
involved in the fighting with the rebels.
An Nahar said the suspect was arrested two years ago on suspicion
of belonging to an extremist organization. But he was later released for lack
of evidence.
His arrest on Saturday drew widespread condemnation and
al-Mustaqbal movement MPs asked the General Security Department to apologize
for its actions.
According to An Nahar, Premier Najib Miqati has expressed surprise
at al-Mawlawi’s arrest by the agency, telling the Higher Defense Council
meeting on Sunday that the agency usually seizes people at the airport and
border checkpoints and not inside the country.
Al-Liwaa quoted him as saying that the way the arrest was carried
out was “rejected and condemned.”
“I am personally against the way he was seized,” Miqati said.
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