A Saudi national that was kidnapped in Lebanon freed by army , Updates

A Saudi Arabian citizen was reportedly kidnapped in Lebanon, according to Lebanon minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi . He said that ” the security services are on alert, and “the punishment will be severe ” for those behind the kidnapping.

Mawlawi revealed that the Saudi citizen was kidnapped on the airport road on Saturday evening.

In a tweet , Mawlawi said: “We have been following up with the Intelligence Division of the Internal Security Forces since yesterday the issue of the kidnapping of a Saudi citizen in Beirut, and we are in continuous contact with the His Excellency the Saudi Arabian Ambassador.”

نتابع مع شعبة المعلومات بقوى الأمن الداخلي منذ الأمس قضية اختطاف مواطن سعودي في بيروت ونحن على تواصل بأدق التفاصيل مع سعادة السفير @bukhariwaleeed. دائما وبيد من حديد نعمل لتحرير أي مواطن يتعرض لأي أذى على أرض لبنان. ما حصل يمس بعلاقة لبنان مع أشقائه وسيكون عقاب الفاعلين قاسيا

— Bassam Mawlawi (@MawlawiBassam) May 29, 2023

He added, “We always work with an iron fist to liberate any citizen who suffers any harm on Lebanese soil. What happened affects Lebanon’s relationship with its brothers, and the perpetrators will be severely punished.”

On the other hand, the Saudi newspaper “Okaz”revealed that the Saudi citizen is an employee of the Saudi Arabian Airlines company, and the kidnappers demanded $400,000 as a ransom for his release, noting that the monitored line of communications was between Al Dahiya ( Hezbollah headquarters) , Hazmiyeh, and Dahr al-Baydar( Army and intelligence headquarters .

In a updated report “Okaz”revealed that the Kidnapers moved the Saudi citizen to Al Dahiya

Update 1: Lebanese Army intelligence agents liberated Tuesday the Saudi citizen who had been kidnapped and held for ransom.

A statement by the Lebanese military said Mushari al-Mutairi was released in a “special operation” along the Lebanon-Syria border, where the kidnappers held him hostage. Some of those involved in the kidnapping were arrested, the statement said.

Update 2: According to LBCI , “the mastermind of the kidnapping of the Saudi citizen is Musa A.J. He was not arrested because he was on the Syrian side of the border neither was H.J. arrested , He was the one who opened fire on an army center in response to the army’s raids in the Bekaa.”

Update3 : According to MTV “the group that kidnapped the Saudi citizen is headed by the drug dealer known as” Abu Sallah “, and it consists of 7 people.”

Update 3:

The Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Al-Bukhari, confirmed, after receiving caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, that the freed Saudi citizen had undergone medical examinations and was in good health and on his way to the embassy, noting, “We value the work of all the Lebanese security and military services to complete the process of liberating the kidnapped person.”

Saudi Arabia and I record our appreciation and love for the efforts that have been made.

Al-Bukhari stressed that “the security efforts made confirm the keenness of the Lebanese authorities to ensure the security of tourists.”

Update 4:

Caretaker Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, affirmed that “the relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is stable and no one can destabilize it.”

Mawlawi indicated, in an interview with the Saudi Al-Sharq channel, that “the person involved in the kidnapping of the Saudi citizen is from the Jaafar family and is active in various types of crimes.”

He pointed out that “we have uncovered many networks that smuggle drugs to the Gulf countries, and we have succeeded in combating smuggling, and we are continuing to do so.”