The Daily Star - Families of kidnapped Lebanese block airport road, June 7 2012

BEIRUT: The families of 11 Lebanese pilgrims who were recently kidnapped in Syria blocked the road leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport Thursday and urged the government to secure information about their loved ones.

The family members, who numbered around 75 people, blocked the road to the Beirut port near the headquarters of the Higher Islamic Council in Beirut.

On May 22, 11 male pilgrims were kidnapped in the Syrian province of Aleppo, shortly after crossing the border from Turkey. The women and elderly men were set free and returned to Lebanon shortly after the initial abduction. Eleven men remain in captivity.

After meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati last week in Istanbul, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country would continue “intensive efforts” aimed at securing the release of the Lebanese hostages.

An unknown Syrian rebel group claimed the abduction of the Lebanese pilgrims and said that releasing them was contingent on Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah apologizing for his support of Syria.

In response to the rebel group’s demands, Nasrallah said last week that the kidnappers should separate the humanitarian aspect of the case from political disagreements they may have with him or the resistance group. He also urged them to release the Lebanese, whom he described as innocent civilians.   

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Jun-07/176050-families-of-kidnapped-lebanese-block-airport-road.ashx#axzz1xGwpzapL