Fadlallah to Al Mayadeen: Justice will prevail through the state

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc in the Lebanese Parliament Hassan Fadlallah said "those who set the ambush and committed the hideous crime are armed gangs revolting against the state and the law. Such killers cannot be part of the [true] Arab tribes and their actions are criminal.”

He added, "Both the family of Martyr Ali Shibli and Hezbollah acted humanely yesterday, and we handed Shibli's killer to the security services. We do not want the language of revenge to prevail, but rather, we want the language of law to conquer in order to punish the criminals accordingly."

Fadlallah stressed that "Hezbollah demanded the security services and wise people to redress the matter, and Hezbollah acted with utmost national responsibility and composure."

Fadlallah explained that "what happened today in Khalde is immense and dangerous, and it constitutes a major turning point, which is evident in these gangs’ actions who stationed themselves on the rooftops and opened fire at mourning civilians, at women and children, at civilians who were in the funeral procession of Ali Shibli, who was treacherously murdered."

النائب في البرلمان اللبناني حسن فضل الله لـ #الميادين: كنا دائماً نطالب الأجهزة الأمنية والعقلاء أن يتداركوا الأمر، وما حصل اليوم كبير جداً.#لبنان #علي_شبلي #الجيش_اللبناني pic.twitter.com/3asvmG9xll
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 1, 2021

He continued, "We have a basic demand, which is to dismantle these gangs and put an end to the endless suffering on the Beirut-South highway, and we call on all security forces to assume their responsibilities," noting that "our people are demanding us to secure the Beirut-South highway because the security forces took no actions. Moreover, a lot of people are demanding a solution that ends the problem of the diorderly gangs occupying the coastal road."

The Lebanese MP stressed that "whoever embraces these murderers adopts the logic of crime and gangs," stressing that the killers "do not belong to [true] Arab tribes, and they came to this region to practice murder and criminality."

Fadlallah stressed that "there is no sedition in Lebanon, and there is no dispute between two sects or two confessions, and surely the problem is not between Hezbollah and the tribes, rather, it is between these gangs and the Lebanese State."

He continued, "The primary demand is imposing the law on these people," stressing that “the killers committed their crime, thinking that they are above accountability, so if this demand is not met, we will act accordingly."

حول الأحداث الأخيرة التي حصلت في #خلدة، النائب حسن فضل الله سيتحدث لـ #الميادين عن التطورات والمستجدات بعد قليل.#لبنان #علي_شبلي #الجيش_اللبناني pic.twitter.com/d0KNzE6cKq
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 1, 2021

Fadlallah said, "We are now at a major crossroad. The armed gangs that control the coast must be dismanteled. What is required is serving justice for the aggrieved martyrs, and the security forces are well aware of the identity of the killers."

He added, "We are patient and enduring only to make sure that there is no sedition in Lebanon, and averting sedition happens by handing over the killers."

فضل الله لـ #الميادين: المطلوب إحقاق العدالة.. نحن نصبر ونتحمل.. ودرء الفتنة بتسليم القتلة.#لبنان #علي_شبلي #الجيش_اللبناني pic.twitter.com/QYpsJI2r94
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) August 1, 2021

Fadlallah addressed the Resistance supporters, "You are facing all this because you are changing equations in the region, and your Resistance is strong and acts internally with utmost responsibility."

He stressed that "the Resistance has a lot of capabilities, but they are meant for the protection of Lebanon, and it is the state's duty to dismantle this gang, not ours."

He stressed that "the real national stance demands standing up for the oppressed, but unfortunately some do not feel this pain. Justice for the martyrs will be served, and we will do so through the state institutions."

He confirmed that “there are foreign parties lurking and trying to prey on Lebanon, and this is evident in the Israeli statements."

On Sunday, reinforcements from the Lebanese Commando Regiment arrived at Khalde, south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, after the funeral procession of Ali Shibli was targeted. According to the statement of the Lebanese army, “gunmen opened fire at the procession, which led to confrontations that resulted in a number of deaths, while others were wounded, including one soldier.”

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported, “What happened today in Khalde cannot be placed within the framework of family revenge, because the events that took place were premeditated and well-prepared, and things could have developed and gone out of control had there been any reaction from the targeted side,” noting that “Hezbollah supporters have exercised utmost self-restraint, which enabled the Lebanese army to take control of the situation.”

Commenting on the shooting incident, Hezbollah issued a statement in which it said that "during the funeral of the martyr Ali Shibli to his final resting place in the southern town of Kounine, and upon the arrival of the funeral procession at the family's home in Khalde, mourners fell into a premeditated ambush and came under the heavy gunfire of armed men in the area, which led to the martyrdom of two mourners and a number of injuries.”

The statement added that "Hezbollah's leadership is following the issue closely and with great concern and high accuracy. The leadership calls on the army and security forces to take decisive actions to restore security and to spare no effort in arresting the criminal killers, in preparation for their trial."

It is reported that Ali Shibli passed away on Saturday, after he was shot while attending a wedding in Jiyeh near Khalde, south of Beirut.