Amin Jihad Khansa was snatched from a bus-stop on his way to school on Monday. Hours after he was seized, the kidnappers contacted his family and demanded a $1.5 million ransom for his safe release, sparking the three-day investigation that led to his rescue.
But their plans were thwarted by quick-thinking security officers who captured members of the gang and forced them to reveal his whereabouts without spooking the remaining kidnappers, a security source told The Daily Star on Thursday.
The source identified the leader of the gang as Abdel-Nasser Hassan Miqdad, who lives in the same building as the kidnapped boy. Officials say Miqdad comes from a wealthy family, and had spent time observing the habits of the Khansa family in order to plan the kidnap.
Undercover officers were immediately posted to the building where the family lived to search for clues in Amin's disappearance. Meanwhile, on Tuesday a second call was made to the family demanding the money.
By this time, investigators believed that the kidnap was entirely motivated by money and felt that they could buy time by promising the ransom would be paid. On the instructions of the police, Jihad Khansa, Amin's father ( pictured with son) , said he would gather the cash within 24 hours. "His abductors were solely interested in money," a security official told AFP news agency on Thursday.
The breakthrough in the hunt for the missing boy came on Wednesday. Undercover officers posted to monitor the building where the family live overheard two men, Ibrahim Ahmad and Ahmad Sheiko, discussing whether handcuffs may have injured their captive's hands. They apprehended the suspects immediately.
They were questioned for eight hours in a police station while security forces hatched a plan to rescue Amin. By this time, the kidnappers had confessed their involvement and were forced by security officials to telephone Miqdad to say that they were delivering the money.
A car was hired, and two armed officers hid in the back, holding one of the men at gunpoint and forcing him to drive to the Aley district, where they said that Amin was being held.
Miqdad came to meet them, thinking that the kidnapping was going according to plan, but the armed officers sprang out on him and forced him to take them to the house, where they found Amin, tied up and spread-eagled on a bed.
A fourth kidnapper, Ali Ahmad, was arrested at the scene. Investigators found that the boy had been drugged and bound, but was otherwise unharmed. "He is good shape and has been reunited with his parents," a security official said on Thursday.
Amin's family are delighted to have their son back. "We spent three awful days," his father said after his release. "But thank God, my son is perfect condition. He is a hero."
Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, who announced the rescue in a press conference on Thursday, said that the operation shows that people can trust the security forces and pledged to continue their development. His comments were echoed by Premier Fouad Siniora, who praised the "high level of professionalism" displayed by the security forces. President Michel Suleiman said that is was the duty of the security forces to ensure the people's rights regardless of any obstructions and difficulties.
Top photo: From left Jihad Khansa, Amine Jihad's father , Lebanese security chief Asraf Riffi , Amin and Minister of interior Ziad Baroud