Rifi: There is a Criminal Political Camp and We'll Fiercely Defend Our Security
Resigned Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi has stressed that he will “fiercely defend” the security of Tripoli and Lebanon, a day after he lauded Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq's request for the government to disband the Tripoli-based Arab Democratic Party and the Islamic Unification Movement faction led by Sheikh Hashem Minqara.
In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Monday, Rifi confirmed that he would attend any cabinet session dedicated to discussing Mashnouq's request in order to “defend Tripoli's rights and security” and “because the issue has to do with the security of every Lebanese.”
And noting that the case “is similar to the Michel Samaha case,” the resigned minister said “there is a vile, criminal political camp that has committed horrible acts.”
“The crime of blowing up the two mosques was one of the ugliest crimes against Tripolitans,” he added.
“We will fiercely defend our security and the security of every Lebanese anywhere and we will fiercely defend justice in Lebanon,” Rifi vowed.
Lebanon's judiciary has recently indicted two Syrian intelligence officers it accused of masterminding the deadly blasts.
The double bombing killed 45 people and wounded more than 500, and a series of indictments have already been handed down against Lebanese and Syrians accused of involvement.
The indictment names Captain Mohamed Ali Ali, an official in the Palestine branch of Syria's intelligence services, and Nasser Jouban, an official in Syria's political security branch.
The two men, neither of whom is in custody, are accused of helping to prepare the attack, placing explosives in cars and assigning a Lebanese cell to carry out the bombing. The Lebanese who are in custody hail from the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, the bastion of the pro-Damascus Arab Democratic Party.
The attacks targeted two Sunni mosques in Tripoli, which has frequently experienced tensions between Sunnis and Alawites who belong to the same religious minority as Syrian President Bashar Assad and tend to support his government.
The indictment alleges the attacks also involved other high-ranking Syrian officials, who are accused of directing Ali and Jouban to organize them.
The blasts in the northern city were the deadliest attack in Lebanon since the country's 1975-1990 civil war and raised fears that the conflict in neighboring Syria could be inexorably seeping across the border.
Lebanon's political landscape is largely divided between parties that back Assad and those who support the uprising against him that began in March 2011.
8 years
and you voted yourself up 3 times for this wow comment?
8 years
i didn't know that you're aware that Rifi's followers are as such!, that explains why the comment is not "wow", smart ehh.
8 years
The two indictment names will soon be sucided.
8 years
by defending himself, he means protecting takfiri terrorists and using his position as justice minister to release terrorists.
"Bassam al-Tarras, who was apprehended for his alleged involvement in the Aug. 31 explosion at a major roundabout in Zahle which killed one woman, was freed after the Muslim Scholars Committee - a Salafist organization - threatened to escalate protests against his arrest, Al-Jadeed said.
The group had cut off the Barr Elias-Masnaa road in east Lebanon on Sunday night, hours after Tarras was arrested, to demand his release.
The National News Agency said Sunday that Tarras was called in by General Security in the Bekaa Valley area of Rashaya al-Wadi and then arrested at their offices."
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2016/Sep-12/371658-zahle-bombing-suspect-released-due-to-pressure-report.ashx
8 years
"Al-Jadeed, in its Monday report, said that Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk and Resigned Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi both got involved to transfer the case from General Security to the judiciary.
Ahmad Ayoubi, which heads the so-called Islamic Civic Alliance, said in a leaked audio message apparently recorded Sunday that pressure to release Tarras should increase.
“I spoke to Minister Machnouk, and he told me that he sent a special judge to question Dr. Bassam [al-Tarras], and there is an understanding with this judge over the general track [of investigations],"
a "special judge" indeed...
8 years
so everytime abbas ibrahim calls someone for questioning he is guilty? The man was questioned and releases. Something that cannot be said of your terrorist saints who are wanted by the judiciary and are at large.
8 years
"Al-Joumhouria newspaper meanwhile revealed that Tarras, a former mufti of the Rashaya region, had confessed to “having ties to the detained cell and playing a key role in its formation.”
“He also confessed to recruiting the mastermind of the cell that carried out the terrorist attack and securing his communication with a terrorist called Abou al-Baraa,” the daily added.
Security sources had on Sunday told LBCI television that “investigations have proved that Sheikh Tarras was involved in the Ksara bombing.”
Al Joumhouria and LBCI, quoted by naharnet, so these M14 medias are making it up?
8 years
"Security sources had on Sunday told LBCI television that “investigations have proved that Sheikh Tarras was involved in the Ksara bombing.”
lol, security sources yes employed by your hezb.
anyway focus on the article at hand and stop diverting the discussion out of your documented sectarian hatred for Minister Rifi.
8 years
'Al Joumhouria and LBCI, quoted by naharnet, so these M14 medias are making it up?'
perhaps no, but they report what these security sources tell them. Why would the security sources contact news media and leak information in the middle of an interrogation if it were not for the specific purpose of slandering and pre-judgement.
You always spread propaganda and slander people... You lack objectivity in all your posts.
8 years
Mystic, you must be the only person that I know that has the organization chart of Nusra and ISIS officials.
8 years
so the irani quotes LBC and dailystar and uses them as credible sources. If these 2 pro M14 news outlets are incriminating their own people then they must be credible in his eyes. But when someone quotes the dailystar or lbci he is the first to say " LOL, the hariri owned daily star"
Absolute filth
8 years
20:19
اللواء أشرف ريفي لـ"الجديد": نأسف للتعاطي مع رجل دين في مثل موقع الشيخ بسام الطراس بهذا الأسلوب المهين والاعترافات التي نسبت إليه لا أساس لها من الصحة.
8 years
why doesn't your abbas ibrahim come out and say the man confessed if indeed that's what happened? Is he afraid of Rifi's 100,000 rockets, tanks, and rockets?
LOL
8 years
The judge is from the military court; the same court that hezbollah controls.
افادت مصادر وزارة العدل "النهار" انه بنتيجة التحقيقات المجراة باشراف مفوض الحكومة المعاون لدى المحكمة العسكرية القاضي هاني حلمي الحجار لم يتبين وجود اي اعتراف من الشيخ بسام الطراس او اعتراف عليه من اي من الموقوفين في ما يتعلق بعبوة كسارة خلافا لما ذكرته بعض وسائل الاعلام .
و امام هذه المعطيات ، و بعد ان انتقل مفوض الحكومة المعاون لدى المحكمة العسكرية القاضي هاني حلمي الحجار الى مبنى المديرية العامة للامن العام ليل امس ، واستمع بنفسه الى افادة الشيخ الطراس ، امر القاضي الحجار باطلاق سراحه رهن التحقيق .
http://www.annahar.com/article/466563-مصادر-وزارة-العدل-لالنهار-ترك-الشيخ-الطراس-لعدم-علاقته-بتفجير-كساره
Mr. Rifi I wish I could vote in Tripoli. I would vote for you.
Bless You!