Army Denies Sader Handed Over to Intelligence
The Lebanese army denied in a communiqué on Monday that kidnapped Middle East Airlines employee Joseph Sader had been handed over to the intelligence overnight.
The daily An Nahar on Monday quoted high-ranking sources as saying that a "certain influential party" handed over Sader to the Lebanese army intelligence Sunday evening.
The sources said the army will eventually hand Sader over to his family after having given the complete account of his abduction.
Sader, 50, an official of MEA”s IT department, was kidnapped Thursday morning near Beirut Airport by three unidentified assailants who sped away in a Sports Utility Vehicle.
The Syndicate representing MEA employees on Friday pledged to adopt "escalatory steps" if Sader was not set free.
The syndicate, in a statement, described Sader”s abduction as "an unjustified attack on MEA."
It pledged a "major response against whoever thinks of attacking any employee with MEA, the company that has served the nation in dark times."