Frangieh: Handing over Majed al-Majed is a flagrant violation to Lebanon’s sovereignty

The leader of the Marada Movement Sleiman Frangieh stressed that handing over Saudi Emir of Abdullah Azzam Brigades Majed al-Majed is not only a dangerous precedent, but also a flagrant violation to Lebanon’s sovereignty, that defeats the achievement made by his arrest.  

Frangieh made his remarks Thursday after reports emerged saying that countries are calling on Lebanon to hand over Majed al-Majed to Saudi Arabia.    

In this context, Frangieh said in a statement that a country that respects its sovereignty and laws must not give them up at another country’s request, especially when the detainee is a dangerous person who seeks to create strife.  

"We call for respecting our sovereignty and for holding al-Majed’s trial in Lebanon instead, in a bid to preserve what is left of Lebanon's authority and sovereignty,” he added.    

The Lebanese Armed Forces intelligence unit confirmed on Tuesday that it arrested Majed al-Majed, a prime al-Qaeda fugitive wanted in Saudi Arabia, a week ago in Beirut.

Majed al-Majed, currently a prominent al-Qaeda leader and also the chief of the Abdallah Azzam Brigades is also wanted in the US over terrorism charges. He is said to have resided in the Ain el-Helwe Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon’s southern city of Sidon, until a few months when he reportedly left for Syria where he pledged support to the al-Nusra Front leader Abou Mhammad al-Joulani.

Al-Majed is one of the most wanted men by Saudi intelligence agencies and is said to be on a list known as the “List of 85”, which comprises Saudi Arabia’s most dangerous fugitives.