27/02/2010 More than one month has passed on the assassination of Hamas chief Mahmoud al-Mabhouh through an operation in which forged passports were used, the issue of Israeli holders of European passports was seriously raised in Lebanon, especially regarding the threats on the Lebanese national security…
According to reports, Interior Minister Ziad Baroud has told the member of Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Hasan Fadlallah, who had previously raised the passports issue in the last parliamentary session, that his ministry will take the necessary measures.
The information was confirmed by General Security Director Major General Wafiq Jezzini who told Al-Manar that Lebanon was technically ready to follow up on the inbound passengers and the individuals who receive them at the airport in order to prevent the Israeli Mossad of exploiting the forged passports to enter Lebanon.
Jezzini said that the general security is observing a circular of Jewish family names, noting that "when someone arrives in Lebanon with a foreign passport and a surname that indicates a Jewish origin, the border crossing points are sending the passenger's data to the central information office in the General Directorate of General Security that follows up on this person, especially that this person would have registered a temporary residence address in Lebanon."
"We are following up on the inbound passengers and the individuals who receive them at the airport," he added. "There is another method which we can follow, and usually imply, that is to inspect or authenticate the birth place of the inbound passengers."
Pan-Arab daily As-Sharq Al-Awsat earlier said that Lebanese General Security Department at Rafik Hariri International Airport has started to tighten security measures for European passengers arriving in Beirut.
According to the daily, "no complaints from Irish or British nationals have been recorded so far about harassments upon arriving in Beirut." However, the British foreign ministry confirmed "it will examine the situation," adding that it would directly submit any complaints to the Lebanese government.
As to Ireland, it expressed its "deep concerns" against the new measures. An Irish foreign ministry spokesperson told the newspaper that "the issue now is the responsibility of the European Union," adding that a meeting for the foreign affairs council was held last Monday to discuss immunizing European passports.
He stressed that the EU will decide "step by step" the necessary decisions in this regard, noting that the council has already condemned the usage of forged European passports in murdering al-Mabhouh, describing the incident as "deeply worrying."
The spokesperson called for the cooperation of all concerned nations with the investigation opened by the Dubai police.
Twelve British, six Irish, four French, one German and three Australian passports were used by the suspects, according to Dubai police.
In all cases, the taken measures are believed to be a legitimate right for Lebanon to safeguard its security. Even more, such measures are considered to be a duty according to the concerned parties who called on all countries to respect this right, especially in the face of the Israeli daily violations to the Lebanese sovereignty.
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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