Families of abducted Lebanese protest

The families of the Lebanese nationals kidnapped by the foreign-backed militants in Syria have demonstrated in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.

The protesters gathered outside the governmental palace to demand the release of the abductees who include a group of pilgrims and some bishops.

Eleven Lebanese nationals were abducted in May 2012 along the Turkey-Syria border on their way back from pilgrimage in Iran. Only two of them have been released.

The kidnappers claimed that the captives were members of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah. However, the relatives of the hostages denied the claim, saying that those abducted are elderly people with no political activities.

The protesters also voiced their frustration at Western mass-media for only covering the kidnappers’ side of the story.

They also condemned hawkish US Senator John McCain who met with the kidnappers during his trip to Syria in May.

The two released abductees, Anwar Ibrahim and Hussein Ali Omar, recognized the militant that had been involved in their abduction after photos of McCain posing with the abductor were released.

In April, the protesters hold a similar demonstration outside the Turkish embassy and the offices of Turkish airlines in Beirut. They called on Ankara, that they say has huge influence over the foreign-sponsored armed groups in Syria, to facilitate the release of their family members.

The Syria crisis began in mid-March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence. Several international human rights organizations have charged the foreign-sponsored militants of war crimes.