The whole story started on the 10th of October 2011 when the parliamentary rights committee convened so as to resolve the abduction cases of Syrian Opposition member Shebly al-Aisami and Lebanese national Joseph Sader.
As the session kicked off, Rifi was asked about the received data relevant to the case. The abduction had taken place using a white van with a fake license plate in which the victim was transported as he was on his way to work at the Beirut International Airport. Data showed that two gunmen forced Joseph into the van, which was then chased by the police to no avail, since the vehicle was lost in the usual heavy traffic on the Airport highway.
Rifi’s words were then followed by a heavy indicative silence that showed nothing but accusation to a certain party. As things tensed up, a Hezbollah backed MP broke the silence rebutting the accusation that the data implied. Conversely, Rifi rebuked the MP saying “I am a security official exposing his data and if we do not have the guts to say the truth, then let us go home and history will condemn us.”
“Are you speaking on your behalf or as the Minister of Interior?” inquired the MP, to whom Rifi answered “I am the Director General of the Internal Security Forces who holds information, I am not the president of a charity association.”
As the session carried on, the victim’s wife intervened with more information showing that he was abducted so that another person could replace him as head of the IT department at the MEA, not to mention, get a hold of the information that he had as an IT expert. Mrs. Sader added that her husband’s position remained vacant for a long time until a member of the al-Sahili family was hired.
It is worth adding that a Hezbollah patrol seized all footages from surveillance cameras in the abduction area, said a security source. However, should such an obscure act remain under wraps? Mystery still enfolds this case since the session was adjourned and no further information was revealed. And we wonder …
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