Pilgrims, relatives meet for the first time in 3 months

Adham Zougheib, Ali Zougheib's son, as well as Hussein Ibrahim, Awad Ibrahim’s brother, met with the 11 Lebanese in Aaazaz through the help of LBCI for the first time since their disappearance in Syria.Tears flowed as relatives and pilgrims hugged fervently for minutes.                                                     

Zgheib and Ibrahim along with the 11 pilgrims thanked LBCI for its efforts in giving their plight a voice, especially at a time when the Lebanese government is turning a “deaf ear”.                                                  

The 11 pilgrims called on all Lebanese people to demand their release, provoking them to block roads and further escalation.                           
 
In a statement to LBCI, Abou Ibrahim confirmed that, for him, the optimal option is negotiating with MP Okab Sakr over the case of the pilgrims.

Earlier in the day, the families of 11 Lebanese pilgrims expressed relief after seeing their relatives in good health through LBCI’s exclusive broadcast. The televised interview with their loved ones came in as they were preparing to stage a sit-in outside the Qatari embassy.                             

In this context, the father of one of the hostages Abbas Choueib told LBCI that he hopes Abu Ibrahim  would take the initiative and release the hostages, noting that his son is "right regarding the Lebanese governments ineffectiveness in those regards".                                                          

On the other hand, the wife of one of the hostages told LBCI that the detainees appeared relieved in the video, and seemed to be “speaking from the heart”. “Abu Ibrahim is our only hope since the government remains immobile.  We call on Qatar and Saudi Arabia to work on solving our issue”, she pleaded.                                                                                             
For his part, Sheikh Abbas Zgheib called on Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to refrain from addressing the relatives of the pilgrims in a provocative manner. He also called on Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour to deliver a strong worded message to the Turkish ambassador.               

In his concluding remarks Zgheib said that no one can determine when and how Beirut’s International Airport will be blocked, adding that the people will make that decision. In a statement to LBCI, the relatives of 11 Lebanese pilgrims kept in Syria confirm that they are not “devotees of road blocking, however will use all necessary means to get the governments attention."                                               

LBCI succeeded last night in obtaining an exclusive interview with all 11 pilgrims, leaving the meeting with their relatives for today.