Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi confirmed Thursday that he has
filed a lawsuit against the General Directorate of General Security, rejecting
any attempt to “implicate” him without his consent in the latest unrest in
Tripoli.
The northern city has been witnessing intermittent deadly clashes
since five days that were sparked by the arrest on Saturday of Islamist
activist Shadi al-Mawlawi by General Security agents at the entrance of an
office belonging to Safadi.
General Security agents lured Mawlawi to the office at Safadi’s
welfare association in Tripoli under the pretext of offering him healthcare.
Mawlawi was later detained on charges of belonging to a terrorist
organization. His supporters say he was arrested because of his support for
Syrians fleeing the crackdown in their country.
In a statement issued by his press office, Safadi denied media
reports that he “has changed his mind as to filing a lawsuit against the
General Security over the issue of the arrest of young man Shadi al-Mawlawi.”
General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim on Tuesday
confirmed media reports that Mawlawi’s arrest was coordinated with a Western
security agency, noting that al-Qaida exists in Lebanon and hinting that
Mawlawi is a Qaida member.
“A media report has revealed today that we coordinated with an
embassy or a Western security agency. That is true … They accused us of
receiving orders from Syria and Hizbullah, but we’re not in anyone’s service.
We are in the service of the law in Lebanon,” Ibrahim said.
“This case was coordinated with a major world power, and I believe
a major world power will not tackle a security issue in a sectarian manner … and
those who know the director general of General Security and his past and career
know that I have nothing to do with sectarianism,” he added.
Safadi’s office said the minister’s lawyer Bassam al-Dayeh had
filed the lawsuit to the North’s prosecutor and that it was referred to the
Military Prosecution in Beirut.
The statement wondered about “the purpose behind this persistent
campaign, as if someone is seeking to implicate minister Safadi without his
consent in the unrest in his city.”
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http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/40537
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