Rifi denies sending money to militants holding Lebanese soldiers

BEIRUT: Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi denied Saturday that he attempted to transfer money to Islamist militants holding Lebanese soldiers hostage in order to prevent the execution of one of the captives, blasting Al-Akhbar as a Syrian-Iranian printing tool.

“I read this morning what was said in one of the publishing tools of the Iranian alliance and whatever is left of the Syrian regime,” Rifi said in a statement, in reference to Al-Akhbar newspaper’s report.

“I am never surprised by what they do ... but what prompted me to [release the statement] is the fabrication of a fake story.”

Al-Akhbar, known for its close ties to Hezbollah, reported that a member of Rifi’s security detail, Deeb al-Laheeb, was detained by the Lebanese Army earlier this week for attempting to transfer $280,000 to the kidnappers of Lebanese soldiers and policemen.

The money was seen as a bribe to prevent the militants from carrying out their threat of killing one of the hostages.

Quoting high-ranking political sources, the report said al-Laheeb was detained near the border as he made his way to the outskirts of Arsal, where the Islamist militants are believed to be hiding, to prevent them from executing a soldier.

The Army refused to release Laheeb and referred him to the public prosecutor’s office, the paper said, adding that the money was secured "from secret expenditures of Lebanese agencies not included in the state budget."

Al-Akhbar also said that Health Minister Wael Abu Faour stepped in and transferred the amount after Rifi’s failed attempt, reportedly ticking off Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, head of General Security.

Ibrahim is tasked by the government with following up on the hostage crisis and has recently said he was willing to abandon the case if disruptions continued.

In his statement, Rifi said Laheeb resided in the minister’s Tripoli home.

“Deeb al-Laheeb, a member of my security detail, is in my home in Tripoli now and he is bedridden because of back pain, which has left him incapacitated for a long time. He did not go to the Bekaa, did not carry $280,000 nor was he detained,” he said.

“I owe it to you [the public] to reveal this intelligence publication for what it is ... I vow to you, honorable Lebanese leaders and citizens, that I will always confront their destructive projects.”

“Those who confronted the conspiracy of the Syrian regime and responded to their terror and assassinations, will not be intimidated by some moral assassination.”