BEIRUT: A Syrian man held hostage in
Lebanon by the Meqdad clan said Friday he was trained at a military camp
belonging to the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in north Lebanon.
The man identified himself as Rajab
Alawish in a video aired by the Meqdad family during a press conference in the
Roueiss neighborhood in Beirut’s southern suburbs. He said he was sent to
Lebanon from Syria to form armed groups that would fight the Syrian army and
pro-Syrian elements in Lebanon.
Alawish added that Future Movement
MP Khaled Daher and Egyptian sheikhs visited him and his comrades before they
were caught.
It is unknown if Alawish made his
statements under duress.
At one point, he said that he was
among 50 hostages held by the Meqdad clan.
Prior to the video being played,
Maher Meqdad, the spokesperson for the Meqdad clan, said that among the
hostages was the spokesperson of the Syrian coordination committee in Homs,
Abdallah Homsi, and another official identified as Mohammad Hammadeh.
He also said that the Meqdads had
released 21 of the Syrians it took hostage, after determining that they were
not members of the FSA.
“We released two today; together
with the ones we let go yesterday, this makes for a total of 21,” Meqdad told
reporters.
He demanded that the FSA release
Hassan Meqdad, who was kidnapped by the Syrian rebels earlier this week.
Addressing the FSA, Meqdad said: “If
it is clear to you that the hostage is innocent and you know the reason for him
being in Syria ... and you release him, then that is a sign of prudence rather
than a concession.”
The Meqdad clan’s self-styled
“military wing” kidnapped over 30 Syrians and a Turkish national Wednesday in
retaliation for their relative’s abduction. They have said they are only
targeting Syrians with links to the FSA.
Speaking to reporters, Meqdad
reiterated that the clan suspended the first phase of military operations and
that they formed a family committee to follow up on the case of Hassan.
“We reject attacks on public and
private property and the blocking of roads including the airport road because
that harms people’s interests; we confirm our commitment to civil peace,” he
said.
“We will not target innocent Syrians -- the
tomato sellers or any other workers,” Meqdad added.http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Aug-17/184942-meqdad-family-says-21-syrians-released-so-far.ashx#axzz23pl5xycQ
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