Rifi Orders Prosecution of Those who Fired during Nasrallah Speech
Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on Friday asked the public prosecution to seek the arrest and penalization of those who opened fire in celebration of a much-anticipated speech by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The celebratory gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades sparked panic and damaged cars and the facades of some buildings in the capital Beirut and its suburbs.
In a statement emailed to media outlets, Rifi said he asked State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud to “task the security agencies with conducting investigations to identify the shooters before prosecuting them and handing them the harshest penalties.”
The minister warned that legal measures will always be taken against anyone practicing celebratory gunfire “in any region of Lebanon” and during both “social or political occasions.”
This behavior “threatens the lives of citizens and their security” and “disregards whatever is left of the state's prestige,” Rifi noted.
“Those practicing this behavior are flouting all ethical and national values, defying the authority of the state in its capital, jeopardizing people's lives and sowing panic,” the minister added.
He slammed what he called “the practices of arrogance and provocation and the insistence on undermining state institutions and spreading the chaos of weapons.”
“Today, as a Lebanese citizen, I felt that some parties always insist on weakening the state every time there is hope to make a little progress towards strengthening the state institutions,” Rifi added.
Nasrallah's defiant speech came two days after Hizbullah carried out a missile strike that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded seven others in south Lebanon's occupied Shebaa Farms area on the border.
The strike was in retaliation for a January 18 Israeli air strike inside Syria that killed six Hizbullah fighters and an Iranian general.
Hizbullah's slain militants included Mohammed Issa, a commander responsible for the group's Syrian and Iraqi operations, as well as Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh, a top Hizbullah military commander killed in a 2008 car bombing in Syria which was blamed on Israel.
Y.R.
almost 10 years
Further proof that momo does not like be in Lebanon as she claims!
almost 10 years
good luck getting 1 person in jail. the government let the killer of Samer Hanna go free. The killer of an Officer!!
No country can call itself a country when governed by a militia.
almost 10 years
wouldn't be awesome if an earth quake wipes out Dahieh and rid Lebanon of the trash.
almost 10 years
uncivilized houthis
almost 10 years
Rifi orders prosecution of those whom fired in the air, but not the ones that beheaded LAF soldiers, and kidnapped them.
Rifi = ISIS/Nusras Godfather of Lebanon.
almost 10 years
The animals who were shooting bullets and RPGs over the population constitute a much larger threat than ISIS or even Israel. It's the very definition of terrorism!
Bullets landed on schools when children were leaving!
Does it have to rain bullets all over Dahye for these animals to realize that they are just the same as ISIS ?
It's time to eradicate these sheep who can only climax by showing their guns and terrorizing the people.
Nasrallah, you are responsible for the behavior of your dogs. Every bullet that lands on Beirut will be met in kind! Eye for and eye ! The Lebanese have the right to defend and avenge themselves when they choose so and Hezbollah is not safe anywhere in Lebanon from the wrath of the Lebanese !
almost 10 years
@ ..le_Pheleten..: Thugs and outlaws are the product of hizEbola efforts to weaken the state and to keep its grip on every angle of our country. Mawlawi, Nusra, Isis are inspired by your, head of terrorists, hizEbola. We do not wish him or any other filthy terrorist any thing good. What they deserve, deepest hell for all the ills and suffering they cause to people.
almost 10 years
Maybe Rifi should arrest his own kin who fire at the army instead.
What is Rifi talking about? Momo and Mastika assured us that no bullets were fired.... pfff... thugs!