The latest saga pitting Sayyed against Azar took another twist early on Monday, after Sayed took to Twitter to remind Hariri of the “backing he received” during his detention in Saudi Arabia.
BEIRUT: Former chief of Lebanon’s General Security agency Jamil el-Sayyed blasted Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s intervention in his case against MTV channel anchorwoman Jessica Azar, accusing him of attempting to score political points.
The latest saga pitting Sayyed against Azar took another twist early on Monday, after Sayed took to Twitter to remind Hariri of the “backing he received” during his detention in Saudi Arabia.
“When they humiliated you in Saudi Arabia, we stood by your side in line with our principles,” Sayyed said, in reference to the backing Hariri received from President Michel Aoun, an ally of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, who called for the premier’s return to Beirut amid reports that he was being detained in the kingdom against his will.
Hariri had resigned from Saudi Arabia, an archfoe of Iran, citing Hezbollah’s dominion over Lebanon and meddling in the affairs of Arab states, before retracting his resignation upon his arrival in Beirut.
Sayyed also sarcastically apologized to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who reportedly was behind Hariri’s brief detention in Saudi Arabia.
Sayyed’s scathing remarks come against the backdrop of Hariri’s show of support for Azar, who thanked the Premier for “his commitment to freedom of speech and expression.”
Sayyed first threatened the MTV anchorwoman last week with charges of libel and defamation after she retweeted a post by another Lebanese journalist accusing Sayyed of “having mischief on his hands.”
According to Azar, she received a letter to her office ordering her to take down the tweet or face being sued. Speaking to Annahar, Azar said she was “honored by this threat,” while vowing to preserve her and the country’s right to freedom of expression.
The former commander of Lebanon’s security establishment is a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections running on Hezbollah’s list, a staunch opponent of Hariri’s Future Movement.
Hariri and Sayyed’s feud dates back to 2005 after he was arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder and terrorism in connection with the assassination of Hariri’s late father, Rafik Hariri.
Sayyed was held in Roumieh prison from 2005 until April 2009, when the Special Tribunal for Lebanon ordered his release.