Lebanon’s Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan said that the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces was not targeting any sect, emphasizing the division’s “transparency and professionalism.”
“We must try not to drag security forces into any political bickering, because it harms their reputation and Lebanon’s reputation,” she said following her meeting with the Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Tuesday.
Discussions touched on the general situation and recent statements by Rahi, in which he accused the Intelligence Bureau of torturing some detainees.
“The purpose of this visit is to clarify why an appeal was made regarding the practices of the Bureau towards certain detainees of a particular religious affiliation,” the minister noted.
She went on to say that the Intelligence Bureau did not target any particular sect or group.
“On the contrary, we work in full transparency, moralism and professionalism. I stressed to [Rahi] and provided him with evidence and reports that the detainees, according to the reports, are not being subject to any type of torture,” she added.
Last week, Rahi criticized the Intelligence Bureau, saying: “How does [ISF head Maj. Gen. Imad Othman] allow the fabrications of files every day for people from the same religion and same sect?”
He made his comments during a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Journalists Union.
