A large Lebanese Shiite clan said on Wednesday it has kidnapped at least 20 Syrians to try to secure the release of a family member abducted near Damascus this week. “They were kidnapped because a member of our family was taken the day before yesterday in Syria,” family member Abu Ali al-Muqdad told AFP by telephone, adding that one of the Syrians was injured. According to Arab television reports, a Syrian rebel group claimed it had kidnapped Hassan al-Muqdad on Monday, accusing him of being a sniper and a member of Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah. “He is neither a sniper nor a member of Hezbollah,” Abu Ali said. “All the accusations are a lie.” “Our demand is not political, this is a humanitarian issue,” he added. Lebanese television station Al-Mayadeen ran an interview with a member of the Muqdad clan who threatened “further action until Hassan is freed. All Syrians in Lebanon are a legitimate target.” The television channel also broadcast a video of two of those purportedly kidnapped, surrounded by armen men. A high-ranking security official told AFP he had no immediate comment on the matter.
