By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 21 June 2014:
Angry residents in Janzour have demanded that three children and eight other people from the district . . .[restrict]be freed immediately. The eleven were taken hostage early on Friday by armed men said to be from nearby Almaya and the Jafara area.
The kidnappers want the release of three men who were arrested in Janzour on Thursday afternoon.
The car in which the three were traveling, a BMW, was stopped as part of the Janzour campaign against vehicles with tinted windows and no licence plates. It fell foul on both points. On investigation, however, the occupants were found to be in possession of weapons and masks. Suspecting they might be be criminals, the security guards arrested them for investigation.
The kidnappers have been described by Janzour residents as “cowards” for going after children and civilians. At a heated meeting to plan action in response to the abduction, they said the council of elders and wise men of the Warshefana had both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure the safety of the children and adults. They had to do their utmost to secure their freedom.
“We also hold the General National Congress and the government, responsible for this breakdown in security and demand that the Interior Ministry provide full protection for this region”, the residents said. A refusal “to fulfill our legitimate demands in securing the safe return our children would lead to serious repercussions”, they warmed. It could affect the entire area.
Janzour on the borders of Tripoli and the Warshefana area has seen a seemingly relentless rise over the past 18 months in crime, burglaries, kidnappings and car-jackings. [/restrict]
