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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Thousands demand release of Dinnieh, Majdel Anjar prisoners |
| 2005-05-15 |
| Thousands of Lebanese chanting religious slogans and carrying black flags marched on downtown Beirut Friday as part of a demonstration for the release of Sunni extremists from the Dinnieh area and the Bekaa town of Majdel Anjar, held under suspicion of "terrorism" without charge or trial at the Defense Ministry. " In 2000, around 30 Sunni fundamentalist rebels were arrested in the northern area of Dinnieh after the killing of at least four soldiers in a rebel ambush in the area. Then in 2004, nine suspects were arrested in Majdel Anjar under "suspicion of acts of terrorism in Lebanon," which included the bombing of embassies and planned attacks against Lebanese security officials. "The only crime of those arrested is that they are truly committed Muslims!" said Mohammed Baydoon, 29, whose brother-in-law, Nabeel Jaloul, was arrested 8 months ago during the Anjar riots. "I visited him in the Defense Ministry. He is sick in body and spirit as he is just sitting there without charge rotting away. Just release him or charge him and give us all peace," said Baydon, who is worried security officials may be torturing his brother-in-law as was the case with suspected Al-Qaeda leader Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib, who died in custody September 27, 2004 after reportedly being tortured. Posters of a dead and battered Khatib hung on the al-Omari Mosque, displaying one of the suspect's eyes severely burnt by what many said was "a cigarette that the police used to torture him with." The protest, coming at a time when the pardon of former Lebanese Forces commander Samir Geagea is being debated in Parliament, was held to demand similar considerations be made for those arrested in al-Denniyeh and majdel Anjar. "The government is letting a convicted criminal out but is not even looking at innocent people who have been detained for years without charge," said Yasser Asmar, who came with his 5-year-old son from Tripoli, carrying a green Saudi flag which he said was a symbol of "unity and peace." |
| Posted by:Fred |