Beirut: Exclusive Interview with Maher Mokdad from Mokdad clan detaining Turkish and Syrian hostages

Publié le 23/08/2012 à 00h39 | kidnapping, Liban, Moqdad, syrie | Écrire un commentaire

Interview with clan leader in South-Beirut (sous-titres en Français)

Maher Mokdad is one of the chief of the clan, the family of about 15000 members living throughout Lebanon. This clan decided last week to send gunmen in Beirut streets to kidnap Syrian people and one Turkish businessman. the goal? Pressure Lebanese and Turkish authorities to have Hassan Mokdad released. The Moqdad clan leader brother was supposed to come back from Syria last week. But he never made it to the frontier where his family was waiting for him. Hassan Mokdad had left Lebanon 18 months ago and was as a fugitive, because of problems with Lebanese Justice. A Free Syrian Army clan released a video of Moqdad saying that he was fighting for Bachar el Assad regime. Untrue says his family which decided to kidnap people in Beirut. More than 20 Syrian citizens and one Turkish are still held hostage somewhere in Beirut. This created panic in the Lebanese capital, and many Arab countries including Gulf monarchies asked their citizens to evacuate immediately Lebanon. Some others decided to cancel their planned trip. A disaster for tourism in Lebanon. That was the only way to obtain attention from our state says the Mokdad family, now our state has decided to negotiate for our brother.  The family is expecting a non violent ending, and a liberation of  Hassan Mokdad after negotiation. If not, Maher Mokdad, who accepted to receive me in his headquarter from south Beirut suburbs, said that the family will not hesitate to kill the Turkish hostage first. They believe that Turkey is helping the Free Syrian Army and has enough influence to obtain a positive outcoming for everybody.

NB: In Lebanon the name of the family is Moqdad….

The whole story, the latest news and last warning from the Mokdad « Spokesman », in an exclusive interview for the blog and FHnewsTV.

La vidéo de l’ITW est accessible en français. Elle a été sous-titrée après une première diffusion en VO.  

Frédéric Helbert, in Beirut.