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The Sovereignty Front for Lebanon held a press conference at its headquarters in Sodeco, addressing recent actions taken in response to information about arms smuggling through Rafic Hariri International Airport.
During the conference, lawyer Elias Mahfoud, the head of the Change Movement, revealed that he and several Sovereignty Front members filed a judicial report regarding the aforementioned issue.
“This time, Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only legitimate airport officially recognized in Lebanon and internationally, is under scrutiny to prevent the operation of any other airport,” Mahfoud stated during the conference.
“Is it true that Hezbollah controls the airport? If this information is accurate, it requires swift action by what remains of the state. I remind you of the background of the events of May 7, 2008, and the role of the militia in breaching airport security and maintaining control over it,” he added. On May 7, 2008, Hezbollah took over Beirut and some parts of Mount Lebanon in a military coup over a governmental decision to transfer an officer affiliated with the party from the airport and remove a communications cable belonging to the party.
The Sovereignty Front’s actions come in response to a report aired on Al Arabiya-Al Hadath, which is considered the most critical in terms of the information it has regarding a network for smuggling weapons and ammunition through the airport.
“The most alarming aspect of the information is the role of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and private airlines, as well as the involvement of Hezbollah members within the airport, utilizing privileges in the service of their Iranian agenda,” he noted.
In light of this information, the Sovereignty Front for Lebanon submitted a report to the Military Prosecutor’s Office, signed by its members, including Ashraf Rifi, Elias Mahfoud, Tony Khoury, Ali Zein, Shakri Makrazal, and Tony Boulos. The report was filed with the Military Prosecutor’s Office in Beirut under file number 15905/2023, dated August 31, 2023, regarding information about an arms smuggling network through Beirut International Airport.
“Hezbollah cannot justify its actions with ministerial statements to cover up its transgressions, which have become a burden on the Lebanese people. This armed organization, after tightening its grip on the state and harnessing the republic for its destructive Iranian project, exploits what is referred to as ‘resistance’ in ministerial statements,” Mahfoud said.
“It should be noted that ministerial statements are not laws, and regardless of their significance, they cannot contradict the Lebanese constitution. Anything stated in these statements is a blatant violation of the constitution,” he continued.
“Hezbollah is an unwanted militia for most segments of the Lebanese population,” he claimed.
Mahfoud also accused the armed pro-Iranian group of exposing the country to Israeli aggression by using the Beirut airport while conducting its missions.
“Hezbollah’s behavior and its handling of the Beirut port explosion file have made it directly implicated. One who invades Ain Al Remmaneh and threatens judges with hoods cannot be considered innocent. The airport is in danger due to its geographical location, and many planes have been hit by stray bullets,” he added.
Regarding recent incidents in Ain al-Hilweh, he likened the situation to a time bomb, even though it has recently calmed down, calling on relevant authorities to closely monitor the twelve Palestinian bases outside the camps, which he said receive orders directly from the Syrian regime leadership, especially the base of Tall al-Naameh, which directly overlooks the airport.
