Lebanon issues arrest warrants for 2 Meqdad members

Military Investigative Judge Imad Zein issued arrest warrants Friday for three suspects involved in a string of kidnappings including two members of an armed local clan responsible for the abductions. Maher Meqdad, the clan’s spokesperson, as well as Hasan Meqdad and Taher Sultan were served with the warrants. Military Prosecutor Saqr Saqr charged Thursday the three men with “forming an armed group to hit the prestige of the state, kidnap citizens and threaten to kill them as well as possession of unlicensed weapons and explosives.” Maher Meqdad was arrested last week by Lebanese Army Intelligence during a raid on his house in the Beirut southern suburb of Haret Hreik. The Meqdads snatched more than two dozen Syrian nationals in addition to a Turkish businessman following the Aug. 13 kidnapping of kinsman Hassan Meqdad in Damascus. They released most of the hostages soon after, but the Turkish national and four Syrians were held longer – accused of being members of the rebel Free Syrian Army. Under pressure from the Lebanese Army, the clan released Turkish businessman Aydin Tufan Tekin on Sept. 11, nearly a month after it kidnapped him. Two days later, Turkish citizen Abdulbasit Arslan was handed over to General Security by Al-Mukhtar Al-Thaqafi, the armed group that held him hostage for almost a month. The remaining four Syrian hostages were also released in a Lebanese Army raid last week. The Meqdads have said they trust Lebanese authorities handling the case of their kidnapped relative. (daily star)