Syria Admits Holding Lebanese' in its Jails
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Otri has admitted for the first time that Syria does hold Lebanese in its jails, calling them terrorists.
The admission came in the course of an interview published by the Madrid daily El Pais Wednesday just as Otri and visiting Lebanese Premier Najib Mikati were announcing the formation of a joint committee to look into the question of Lebanese prisoners in Syria.
"It is a question going back 25 to 30 years during the civil war," he said. He claimed that the detainees were members of the South Lebanon Army commanded at the time by Gen. Antoine Lahd which cooperated with the Israeli army then occupying southern Lebanon.
"These people were fighting alongside Israel and killed Syrian soldiers. Obviously they were punished, like terrorists in Spain or other countries," Otri said.
He declined to give a figure, saying only that "they do not exceed the number of terrorists currently being held in Madrid."
But families in Beirut speak of more than 500 Lebanese missing in Syria and have pleaded with the United Nations to intervene to determine their fate, saying they want their loved ones back dead or alive.(AFP-Naharnet)
The admission came in the course of an interview published by the Madrid daily El Pais Wednesday just as Otri and visiting Lebanese Premier Najib Mikati were announcing the formation of a joint committee to look into the question of Lebanese prisoners in Syria.
"It is a question going back 25 to 30 years during the civil war," he said. He claimed that the detainees were members of the South Lebanon Army commanded at the time by Gen. Antoine Lahd which cooperated with the Israeli army then occupying southern Lebanon.
"These people were fighting alongside Israel and killed Syrian soldiers. Obviously they were punished, like terrorists in Spain or other countries," Otri said.
He declined to give a figure, saying only that "they do not exceed the number of terrorists currently being held in Madrid."
But families in Beirut speak of more than 500 Lebanese missing in Syria and have pleaded with the United Nations to intervene to determine their fate, saying they want their loved ones back dead or alive.(AFP-Naharnet)
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