 Three Iranians and a Lebanese man living in Hizbullah-controlled south Beirut were arrested last week on charges of monitoring the residence of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Meerab, security sources reported Friday. The report came hours after Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat accused Hizbullah of monitoring a Beirut airport runway used by executive jets and warned against a terrorist attack targeting an aircraft using the facility.
| It's Beirut. Why would anyone shoot down a jet when they can just do a little road work and plant a bomb? |
The sources told a local newsletter the four men were spotted in a rented car near Geagea's residence last week. Upon checking the plate number of the red-painted car it was found owned by a car rental company based in south Beirut and it had been rented to three Iranians and a Lebanese man.
| Avis, they try harder ... |
Police interrogated the four who claimed to have lost their way as they were on a trip along the "Jesus Trail", and ended up in Meerab, northeast of Beirut. Jesus Christ, according to biblical history, visited south Lebanon and may have reached as far as the Sidon coastline, 45 kilometers south of Beirut.
| Just a few pious Muslims with an interest in Christianity. You see that all the time ... |
Meerab, however, is almost 80 kilometers north of Sidon.
| They're men, they just didn't want to stop and ask for directions ... |
One of the Iranian suspects said in his testimony that he visits Lebanon because he is married to a Lebanese woman. The two others said they were students at the Beirut Arab University and the Islamic University, respectively. The three, however, did not know Arabic and asked for interpretation to Farsi during their interrogation, which sounded strange, especially for alleged students at BAU and IU that teach in Arabic.
| They're lost. Just following an ancient trail of a different religion. Can't speak the language. And end up at the home of an anti-Syrian leader. Sure. That could happen. No publisher would ever print such a novel, but it could happen ... |
The three also said they resided in an apartment owned by a Lebanese friend in south Beirut, a Hizbullah stronghold that is off limits to Lebanese police and state authority.
It also could not be determined why the Iranian, who claims to be married to a Lebanese woman, was residing with friends in south Beirut and not with his wife's parents.
| The dowry wasn't big enough. And he's lost. He meant to find her. What was her parents' address again? |
The four were set free after the investigation, but lawyers following up the case demanded further interrogation of the four in light of contradictions in their testimonies.
| Brilliant. Just brilliant. Let 'em go, they'll just get lost again. No problem. |
However, the Iranian embassy officially asked the Lebanese judiciary to postpone for four days the issuing of a subpoena, the central news agency reported.
| No reason given, of course, and why should there be? For four lost students who can't speak the language and can't find the wifey? Nah, just a waste of time ... |
Mystery shrouds whereabouts of the four, while Geagea's lawyers demand expanded investigation with them in light of information about a possible attack targeting residence of the Lebanese Forces leader either by rockets or projectiles loaded with chemical or biological warheads, the report added.
| Anyone bother to check the trunk of the red-painted car? |
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