Post by maxell on Apr 25, 2007 14:58:20 GMT -5
Lebanon on a 'Knife Edge' Track
The mysterious disappearance of two youths affiliated with Druze Leader Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party raised tension in strife-ridden Lebanon Wednesday and sparked rumors of violence.
"The country is on knife edge," a ranking security official told Naharnet.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the nation's Internal Security Force was "preoccupied all day with verifying rumors about finding the dead bodies of the two missing youths."
He was referring to Ziad Gandour, 12, and Ziad Qabalan, 25, who went missing Monday and their mini van was found deserted in East Beirut Tuesday, fueling fears that they were kidnapped.
Rumors have linked their disappearance to a vendetta abduction related to the killing of pro-Hizbullah Adnan Shamas during riots between pro and anti-government factions in Beirut on Jan. 25.
The Shamas clan, however, in a statement distributed by the state-run National News Agency, said it was not affiliated with the abduction of the two youths, condemned the act and called for their release.
The Shamas clan statement brought relief to a nation bombarded by rumors about the alleged death of Gandour and Qabalan.
The security official said police squads searched "at least 16 different locations in Lebanon throughout the day to verify rumors regarding the alleged death of the two. We found nothing."
"It is a very suspicious issue," the official said, "we, the families and the PSP haven't received any contact from any alleged kidnapper. We haven't received directly any of the rumors that have been reported to news organizations who called us to verify them."
"It appears that whoever kidnapped them is spreading the rumors about their alleged whereabouts to divert police attention," the official added.
"The country is on knife edge. If it slides, God Forbid, It will be sliced," he warned.
Jumblat, in an effort to keep the situation under control, visited families of Gandour and Qabalan in Beirut's PSP stronghold of Wata Msaitbeh and urged his followers to practice "maximum restraint."
Meanwhile, panic swept Beirut, with many parents refraining from sending children to schools in a precautionary measure against being caught in a new spree of violence.
Naharnet News desk received at least 12 telephone calls from readers and friends trying to verify rumors about alleged acts of violence in Beirut and its surroundings.
A colleague at a privately-owned radio station in Beirut said: "It was a strange day. I spent my whole shift doing nothing but verifying rumors and denying them. I've been a news reporter for over 25 years and I've never encountered a similar experience."
"I don't want to think of what the situation would have been like had any of the rumors turned out to be true," he added.
Beirut, 25 Apr 07, 19:36
The mysterious disappearance of two youths affiliated with Druze Leader Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party raised tension in strife-ridden Lebanon Wednesday and sparked rumors of violence.
"The country is on knife edge," a ranking security official told Naharnet.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the nation's Internal Security Force was "preoccupied all day with verifying rumors about finding the dead bodies of the two missing youths."
He was referring to Ziad Gandour, 12, and Ziad Qabalan, 25, who went missing Monday and their mini van was found deserted in East Beirut Tuesday, fueling fears that they were kidnapped.
Rumors have linked their disappearance to a vendetta abduction related to the killing of pro-Hizbullah Adnan Shamas during riots between pro and anti-government factions in Beirut on Jan. 25.
The Shamas clan, however, in a statement distributed by the state-run National News Agency, said it was not affiliated with the abduction of the two youths, condemned the act and called for their release.
The Shamas clan statement brought relief to a nation bombarded by rumors about the alleged death of Gandour and Qabalan.
The security official said police squads searched "at least 16 different locations in Lebanon throughout the day to verify rumors regarding the alleged death of the two. We found nothing."
"It is a very suspicious issue," the official said, "we, the families and the PSP haven't received any contact from any alleged kidnapper. We haven't received directly any of the rumors that have been reported to news organizations who called us to verify them."
"It appears that whoever kidnapped them is spreading the rumors about their alleged whereabouts to divert police attention," the official added.
"The country is on knife edge. If it slides, God Forbid, It will be sliced," he warned.
Jumblat, in an effort to keep the situation under control, visited families of Gandour and Qabalan in Beirut's PSP stronghold of Wata Msaitbeh and urged his followers to practice "maximum restraint."
Meanwhile, panic swept Beirut, with many parents refraining from sending children to schools in a precautionary measure against being caught in a new spree of violence.
Naharnet News desk received at least 12 telephone calls from readers and friends trying to verify rumors about alleged acts of violence in Beirut and its surroundings.
A colleague at a privately-owned radio station in Beirut said: "It was a strange day. I spent my whole shift doing nothing but verifying rumors and denying them. I've been a news reporter for over 25 years and I've never encountered a similar experience."
"I don't want to think of what the situation would have been like had any of the rumors turned out to be true," he added.
Beirut, 25 Apr 07, 19:36
