The Daily Star - Two Syrians kidnapped in Beirut southern suburbs, July 24 2012

BEIRUT: Two Syrians were kidnapped Wednesday morning by masked gunmen in Hay el-Sellom in Beirut's southern suburbs, their colleague told police.

Tareq Itan Ahmad was kidnapped from his apartment building in the Hay el-Sellom neighborhood by four masked gunmen, his colleague Thaer Khalil al-Solh told police. Fareed Mustafa Nasser was also kidnapped from a separate building in the same area Solh.

Solh said the abductors wrapped his friends’ faces in garbage bags and beat them up before taking them.

Security sources said there was a possibility that the kidnapping could be linked to the case of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims who were kidnapped in Syria on May 22.

Meanwhile, relatives of the 11 pilgrims prevented Syrians in the same neighborhood from opening their shops.

The Syrian merchants told police that they feared that residents of Hay el-Sellom might resort to violence against them.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Jul-24/181784-two-syrians-kidnapped-in-beirut-southern-suburbs.ashx#axzz21XL7r0ir