LBCI reveals details of 3 phone calls between Assir and Charbel

Concerted efforts were exerted round the clock to talk the Imam of Sidon's Bilal bin Rabah mosque, Sheikh Ahmed Assir, into bringing an end to his 6-day-long sit-in in Sidon.       

These efforts were mainly led by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel who gave Assir three phone calls, relaying different messages from the president and prime minister.    

In details:  

Sheikh Assir      

After Charbel suggested to Assir a formula that would secure the suspension of the sit-in, the latter said that he wants a confirmation from Hezbollah that it is ready to discuss the issue of arms at the dialogue table. Assir also requested that the president call MP Mohammad Raad to obtain guarantees that the issue of arms will be directly tabled during the dialogue session.      

Minister Charbel      

Charbel called Assir once again, confirming that he cannot ask the president for such a move, adding that Sleiman asked him to read to Assir the recent dialogue statement that highlights the importance of discussing the issue of arms and defense strategy.          

Sheikh Assir     

Assir then told Charbel that they have been hearing the same thing for seven years, adding that “the president will remain the victim of the dialogue table so long as the party concerned with the arms is not acting seriously.”      

Minister Charbel     

"This time, the president will be decisive while dealing with the issue”, Charbel answered.          

Sheikh Assir     

Assir then told Charbel that the president’s seriousness is beyond doubt; “however, what is requested is the seriousness of the party concerned with the arms. Thus, I will not accept to end the sit-in since the issue is not personal but rather is a matter of strictness.”       

Minister Charbel     

However, Charbel called Assir for the third time, confirming to him that PM Najib Mikati has guaranteed that the issue of arms will be seriously discussed.            

Sheikh Assir           

Assir responded “with all my respect to the prime minister, he (Mikati) has participated twice in the dialogue but to no avail. He can call MP Raad today and tell him that 'this time the case is different since we have staged a sit-in and now the issue requires sitting at the dialogue table and discussing the issue seriously'. I am ready to suspend the sit-in if these points are met along with other demands including:         

• Releasing Mohammad al-Baba who was arrested over alleged links to Jund al-Sham     

• Restoring the Mosque of al-Hajj Afif al-Solh to the Sunnite endowment in Sidon      

• Halting attacks on Bin Rabah Mosque in Abra”.

(For the full report watch the video above)