Not because he is a member of the Lebanese Forces, nor because he is a father of three children who still need his effort to grow, nor because life "suits him,” and not because he has never killed a mouse in his life, but because he is Lebanese, a true son of Lebanon, deserving of the right to traverse all 10,452 square kilometers of this nation and return home safely. How much worse is it that those who kidnapped him did so in the heart of his homeland, in an area resembling his big house, by hands that know how to misbehave, kidnap, kill, corrupt, and betray, as reported in "Nidaa al-Watan." Is there anything worse than betrayal being seen as a point of view in our country? Pascal Suleiman, may he be in God’s protection, for he is our sole refuge. As for the troublemakers, let them know: it won’t pass unnoticed. Hopefully, we will end this matter with the phrase: Pascal has emerged into the light. He indeed did.
Suddenly, while all eyes were focused on the direction of potential Iranian retaliation—if it were to happen—and on the bleeding south, and on the rattling chaos shifting from one area to another, news rushed in: the kidnapping of the Lebanese Forces coordinator in the Jbeil district. This news struck Lebanese people—everyone tired to the core—like a lightning bolt. Why Pascal? Will the scenario play out like it did with Ramzi Irani, Joseph Sadir, and Elias al-Hsrouni (Al-Hantoush)? Why Pascal today? He is a decent young man, originally from Maifouk, residing between Hazmieh and Amchit. He is the IT manager at Byblos Bank, working at the bank's headquarters in Beirut. He is a young man who believes in Lebanon and in the necessity of staying in Lebanon. A father of three children—two boys and a girl—and the husband of Michelle Wahba. His role in the party is administrative, not military. Everything he does is transparent. He is an example of a confident Lebanese Forces youth who firmly believes in staying under the state's roof. Could his kidnapping be a result of discovering something that should remain secret in his job? Does "Hezbollah" have a hand in this? Were the Syrians involved? Questions that recur in mysterious incidents like these.
Yesterday, Maarab resembled a beehive. Members of the Lebanese Forces hit the ground. The Jbeil highway was closed, not to block the path for families but to pressure the sluggish state, which seems unconcerned about a person's life and fate. Has it forgotten Elias al-Hsrouni, Ramzi Irani, Joseph Sadir, Lokman Slim, the victims of the port explosion, the martyrs of Saydet al-Najat, and Pierre Bouls? Why shouldn't Pascal Suleiman, in the eyes of such a corrupt state, be just another one of these names?
No, this is enough. Please, this is enough. If hope isn’t enough, further steps will seemingly be taken. But does every individual need to carry a gun on their hip to protect themselves? This question has been raised repeatedly lately and has become urgent in the past two days according to "Nidaa al-Watan." Yesterday, it was said that Pascal was still alive. Later, it was claimed he had been released. Then it was said no, he is still kidnapped. Yesterday, leaks began circulating. Is there something fishy happening beneath the surface? Is it an intelligence game? Some state officials assured that he would return safely. How did they know? Who do we believe, and who do we not believe? Mystery upon mystery. His wife Misha (Michelle) wrote on her social media page during Easter: "The greatest love story is a crown of thorns and three nails." She had no idea that a nail would pierce her heart. Pascal is the coordinator for the Lebanese Forces in Jbeil. He does not possess confidential data to be a target. He belongs to the fourth generation of the Forces (in his early thirties). He is dynamic but not a primary figure. Hence, the assumptions shifted towards other reasons and backgrounds. His position in the bank may be one of them.
There has been much analysis. The army leadership spoke about the arrest of Syrians—reportedly numbering ten—one of whom participated in executing the kidnapping. We have sadly gotten used to not believing everything we hear or every leak we receive. In any case, to those who analyzed: could Syrians accomplish a job like this that bears similarities to the kidnappings of Elias al-Hsrouni and Lokman Slim? The answer suggested that investigations are ongoing to determine which Syrian group was responsible, with the likelihood pointing to ties to the Syrian regime, thereby raising questions about who facilitated, planned, and executed this operation. The professional capability exhibited in this kidnapping suggests that if those involved were indeed Syrians, they must belong to a professional Syrian security apparatus rather than random Syrians with knives on motorcycles.
Pascal’s phone was found in a region hovering around, while his wife’s car, which he was driving, was discovered in Abu Samra in Tripoli. Could the location where the car was parked be indicative of the truth? The response could be that it was deliberately left there to mislead attention. However, why exclude a Lebanese party from the incident? The answer might be that if it were a Lebanese party, they would have acted to eliminate him on their own grounds, as happened with Elias al-Hsrouni and Lokman Slim. These are analyses and conclusions. But from the very first moments, everyone realized that “our government” knows a lot and remains silent about a great deal…
### Geagea's Intervention
Details indicate that Pascal was being surveilled prior to his kidnapping. He was in the car with someone who got out before the incident occurred. Afterward, he had a call with the head of the Lebanese Forces in Amchit, during which they spoke for about a half hour, and the phone remained open for approximately forty seconds afterward.
"Excuse me. How many times has the Virgin Mary heard this prayer in the past two days in Pascal Suleiman's name?" The country seemed to be teetering on the edge. And "danger has knocked" once again at the doors. Those following the case affirmed that had it not been for Dr. Samir Geagea’s involvement and his presence in the late hours of the incident at Mistiita, the situation could have escalated security-wise. People can no longer endure. The rampant weapons in Hezbollah's hands lead individuals to immediately suspect them. But can we completely rule them out? Nothing is certain. Some elements from the party may have facilitated the operation, or none at all may be aware. However, what occurred opens wide the doors to all the events we have been witnessing, where security forces lack preemptive strategies and follow-up on subsequent chaos. Does anyone know where the investigation into Ramzi Irani's case stands? The file remains empty. Does anyone know the outcome of the investigations into Elias al-Hsrouni’s assassination? The file continues to be empty. What about the cases of Lokman Slim, Joseph Sadir, and Pierre Bouls...? Notably, the modus operandi was similar. A nearly identical scenario, in hopes that the ending of young Pascal’s case would be different.
Who kidnapped Pascal Suleiman? His abductors took him from his region, from a purely Christian geographic area. The question that should be posed alongside the incident is: who possesses all this capability to execute such operations right under broad daylight, moving from one place to another, from the heart of the country to the borders and beyond, without encountering any security barriers? The country is chaotic? We know. But, if a matter of this nature stirred the country and its people—presumably security forces were aware from the outset—how did the perpetrators manage to traverse distances unimpeded? And what about the kidnapping, tormenting, and daily deaths of individuals whose voices are faint? Another question arose: has the region, guarded by three saints—Sharbel, Rafka, and Al-Hardini—become this vulnerable and easy to breach?
No, the Lebanese Forces will not remain silent anymore. They have previously suffered in silence but entrusted the matter to the security forces. Was that a mistake? No, they believed there was no solution outside the state.
### A National Issue
Time passed. The sun vanished once again into a mystery. More than 24 hours have passed since Pascal’s kidnapping. Rumors continue: he is alive. He has been released. He is in the hospital. He is back with his family. He is in Maarab. Fabricated intelligence leaks. Yet, through all this, the Lebanese Forces’ response remained firm: "There are many fabrications. However, as far as we are concerned, we will not believe anything until we see Pascal with our own eyes." But, under normal circumstances, do people typically lose hope in the return of a kidnapped person after more than 24 hours? The answer: “Pascal Suleiman has become a national issue, and nothing will be as it was before his kidnapping. Pascal will return unless the kidnapper intends to plunge the country into a major unrest. Pascal must return safely; otherwise, the country is headed toward something significant.”
The escalation will increase. Where is Pascal? This is the most mysterious case. There are claims that a Syrian car theft gang was responsible. Is this a farce? Did the criminals forget about the car and take its driver along? There are claims that Pascal was handed over from one gang to another until he reached the borders, in the border town of Al-Qasr with Syria, and our government is working—with Syrian security authorities—to retrieve Pascal according to "Nidaa al-Watan."
Security-wise, there have been new arrests of Syrians. But how could these individuals operate freely without "internal hands" supporting them? Regardless, in the meantime, we are reminded of Antoine Dagher’s name. He was a banker and perhaps a colleague of Pascal at Byblos Bank (Manager of Ethics, Fraud Risk Management, and Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing). Dagher was found murdered in June 2020 in his garage in Hazmieh. And his case—too—remains closed. Could Pascal's abduction case be a continuation of this? As long as the state remains silent, analyses will continue abundantly.
In this night, will Pascal regain his freedom? Say God. Oh, Virgin. His family, friends, and loved ones are waiting. Everyone will toast him. But, once things settle down—before everyone becomes consumed by another unfolding story—Lebanese people must urgently ask the Interior Minister: what about the security and safety of the Lebanese? What guarantees are there that the story of young Pascal Suleiman will not be repeated with anyone else?... And before we put a period at the end of this last line, Pascal has been found murdered. The decent young man has been killed; will the secret of the kidnappers die with him? Oh God, upon all this absurdity in a country that is exhausted, fragmented, and resembles a large grave.
