Arab Democratic Party official calls for dissolving party if suspect in Tripoli twin blasts found guilty

The Secretary General of the Arab Democratic Party Rifaat Eid said that those who implemented the August twin blasts in Tripoli were seeking to create strife, pointing out that if the party wished to deliberately create chaos in the city it would have done so differently.

During a press conference held Monday, Eid denied that the names of suspects circulated by media belonged to members of the Arab Democratic Party, calling on all the parties to leave the case for the judicial authorities.

“If Youssef Diab were found guilty, we ask the caretaker Interior Minister to dissolve the Arab Democratic Party, but if Diab is found to be innocent, we call for disbanding the Internal Security Forces’ Intelligence Bureau,” Eid said.

Eid also urged caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to pursue the implementation of Tripoli’s security plan.       

Clashes erupted on Friday October 11th between Tripoli's Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tebbaneh on the Syria Street – al-Mallouleh axe, on the backdrop of the arrest of Youssef Diab from Jabal Mohsen.          

Youssef Diab was arrested on charges of being involved in the two explosions that targeted the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday the 23rd of August near the al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques, leaving 45 killed and almost 500 others injured.          

The port city of Tripoli has long been a stronghold of Sunni Islamists in northern Lebanon.            

But the city has become increasingly volatile in recent months due to the civil war in neighboring Syria, where the Sunni majority is leading a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.


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