A Saudi citizen was kidnapped last Saturday after midnight on the airport road. Security forces are conducting a search operation to find him.
Several local TV stations have reported that the Saudi citizen “M.M”, who is employed at the Saudi airlines,was last seen next to “Biel” resort and was kidnapped at sunrise with his car on his way to his house in Aramoun. His family reportedly received a phone call from the kidnappers, coming from the Saudi citizen’s personal number, asking for a ransom of USD 400,000 for his release.
The Saudi Embassy in Beirut announced that they received a report from the citizen’s family about his kidnapping on Sunday 28th of May at sunrise, and that coordination with Lebanese officials are underway to uncover all circumstances.
In a public appearance on the Hadath TV, Caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi noted that the reason behind his kidnapping was not yet revealed.
“The kidnapped citizen is ok and his phone signal was detected in multiple areas in Beirut,” Mawlawi said, denying claims that the signal was detected on the Bekaa road and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Earlier in the day, Caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam Mawlawi said “we have been following the kidnapping case of a Saudi citizen in Beirut with the Information Branch of the Internal Security Forces since yesterday, and we are in close contact with His Excellency the Ambassador Waleed Bukhari to gather the most detailed information.”
In a tweet from his private account, Mawlawi said “we work, always and with a hand of steel, to liberate any citizen subjected to harm on Lebanese soil.”
“What happened affects Lebanon’s relationship with its brothers, and the perpetrators will face severe punishment,” he added.
This evening, staff members at the Saudi Embassy in Beirut were instructed not to go outside on the streets.
