The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division reported that, "In the context of the follow-up carried out by the Internal Security Forces to reduce crime throughout Lebanon, information was received by the Information Branch regarding several individuals planning to kidnap a citizen, steal his car, and transport him to the Bekaa region to negotiate with his family for his release in exchange for a large ransom."
The statement added that, following this information, the Information Branch intensified its investigations to identify the individuals involved in the operation. As a result of the follow-up, they were able to uncover their identities, including: A. Q. (born in 1994, Syrian).
Immediate orders were given to the relevant units in the branch to arrest him before he could carry out the kidnapping and to interrogate him. It was noted that on July 30, 2023, after careful surveillance, one of the branch patrols succeeded in apprehending him in the al-Khalsa area, and a firearm was found in his possession during the search.
During the investigation, he confessed to the charges against him, stating that he had agreed with others to kidnap a citizen after luring him to the Sin el-Fil area, claiming they wanted to buy his car, which he had advertised for sale on social media. During this process, they would steal his car and transport him to the Bekaa region to negotiate for his release. He added that he intended to use the seized firearm during the operation.
The legal measures were taken against him, and he was referred to the appropriate authority based on judicial instructions, while efforts continue to apprehend the remaining accomplices.
