Rifi Has ‘No Info’ on al-Qaida in Lebanon as Officials Seek to Turn Page on Ghosn’s Remarks
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi stressed that he has “no information” about the presence of al-Qaida in Lebanon, an issue that has stirred controversy in the past week.
In remarks to al-Joumhouria daily published Saturday, Rifi said the ISF helps the Lebanese Army in controlling the border and combatting arms smuggling.
“The Intelligence Branch has no info about the infiltration of al-Qaida to Lebanon,” he stressed, saying its role lies in providing the Army Intelligence with all the information it needs.
Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn said last week that al-Qaida fighters had entered Syria from the eastern border town of Arsal. He also said that the terrorists were operating in the area under the guise of members of the Syrian opposition.
His remarks drew controversy with Premier Najib Miqati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel denying the presence of al-Qaida in Lebanon.
But al-Liwaa newspaper quoted an informed source as saying that the Lebanese officials were seeking to contain the repercussions of Ghosn’s statements.
They said the minister’s remarks were not based on security reports. “They came at the behest of some Lebanese and not Syrian parties to employ them later on for political purposes that serve the regime in Syria.”
The Syrian regime blamed twin bombings in Damascus last week on al-Qaida.
31 December 2011, 12:21
52
same thing with fateh el islam mr riffi did not know anything
31 December 2011, 16:51
53
don't lie. just give to the security forces your personal phonebook and we will deal with al qaida tomorrow
31 December 2011, 17:08
63
Call him Major General Clueless, or perhaps Major General Useless.
31 December 2011, 17:53
15
ya habibi ..... i am one of your fans!!!! I agree and I repeat what you say:
"don't lie. just give to the security forces your personal phonebook and we will deal with al qaida tomorrow"
31 December 2011, 18:29
13
funny how idioits some are here! because riffi said that he is useless but when one of their M8 ministers says the same thing they do not comment!
showing how brainwashed these people are!
31 December 2011, 19:25
32
the filthy zionist information war department has deployed special nerd forces to try to counter me.
lol
useless nerds.
31 December 2011, 19:44
00
As I live and breath I never thought I'd live to see the day when general Riffi, interior minister Charbel, foreign minister Mansewer, member of the Zionist infested bee2a al 7adinat for Spies jabalamel, PM Mikati, President Sleiman, Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya all agree on something, that alQaeda is not based in Lebanon and concluding that our bumbling defense minister Ghosn was repeating what the Syrian misinformation department had to his to say, although the poor fellow read the thing in reverse.
31 December 2011, 21:35
13
Whoever is a fan of ahbal is more ahbal then him. & guess what ya Jabalpur ya ahbal i much rather be called a zionist rather then be called filthy metawali terrorist like you & your master in the rat hole.
01 January 2012, 09:29
01
the filthy iranian information war department has deployed special nerd forces to try to counter me.
lol
useless nerds.
01 January 2012, 14:00
00
One more time showing the lies and irresponsibility of Mr. Ghosn, who looks being one of the Syrian Loud Speakers
01 January 2012, 14:03
00
Fun or not of Mr. Rifi we can not omit the beneficial great job he did to our nation
01 January 2012, 16:28
02
the filthy zionist information war department don't know what to say anymore so now they just paraphrase me.
01 January 2012, 17:00
00
As I live and breath I never thought I'd live to see the day when general Riffi, interior minister Charbel, foreign minister Mansewer, member of the Zionist infested bee2a al 7adinat for Spies jabalamel, PM Mikati, President Sleiman, Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya all agree on something, that alQaeda is not based in Lebanon and concluding that our bumbling defense minister Ghosn was repeating what the Syrian misinformation department had to his to say, although the poor fellow read the thing in reverse.
