Egypt has described recent statements made against one of its diplomats by former Lebanese General Security chief Jamil al-Sayyed as "spiteful and “unfounded.” According to media reports, al-Sayyed was summoned to appear before court to answer charges of "offending Egypt" after he accused an Egyptian diplomat of plotting to sow strife between Lebanese factions at a press conference last week. “These are spiteful and unfounded accusations by people paid to attack and insult Egypt,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hossam Zaki told reporters on Monday. Zaki asserted that those attacking Egypt were “suffering a crisis that they are attempting to overcome by using their preferred methods of attacking prominent personalities.” Zaki added that Egypt had "concerns" regarding the longstanding crisis between the Lebanese government and Shiite resistance group Hezbollah, due to the latter's refusal to give up its arms. He noted that Egypt's concerns "emanate not only from this armed, foreign-backed group's flagrant defiance of the Lebanese executive and judiciary authorities, but extend to the entire situation in Lebanon in light of recent developments." The Lebanese media has reported that charges against al-Sayyed include threatening state security, undermining the constitution and attacking Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and Lebanese state bodies. Al-Sayyed, along with Hezbollah and its allies, for their part, accuse sources close to al-Hariri of fabricating evidence pertaining to the 2005 assassination of Lebanese PM Rafiq al-Hariri, Saad al-Hariri's father. Al-Sayyed and three pro-Syrian Lebanese officers were imprisoned for nearly four years as a result of a UN special tribunal mandated with investigating the assassination. Recent media reports suggest that the special tribunal has plans to accuse "rogue elements" within Hezbollah of involvement in the crime. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
