Abducted Syrian Bishops Located as Negotiations for Their Release Continue
Brigadier General Abbas Ibrahim, Lebanese General Security Chief, has revealed that he has received information concerning the location of the two kidnapped Syrian bishops Bolous Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim, who were abducted on April 22.
According to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA), Ibrahim refused to set a time to secure their release insisting it was early in the negotiating process.
"We are now indirectly communicating with the kidnappers. This is a crucial point upon which we can build so as to reach conclusions."
He added that the general security is carrying out its role in accordance with the laws, regulations and granted powers overseeing both security and political levels.
Speaking about the difficulty of the issue, Ibrahim noted that no one has claimed responsibility yet. He added that a deacon who was accompanying the bishops was killed immediately so he would not be used as a witness against the perpetrators.
"We spent four months trying to identify their whereabouts and the kidnappers, which is a key point in negotiation so we know with whom we will negotiate," Ibrahim said.
"About a month ago, we were able to communicate with a person who informed us about the location of the two bishops, and we started negotiations on this basis," he stated.