Dutch Diplomat Abducted in Baalbek, Transferred to Syria and Then Immediately Released
A Dutch diplomat was kidnapped in Lebanon some ten days ago in a development that has raised European fears of the return of the abduction of foreigners in Lebanon that was prevalent during the civil war years.
A European diplomatic source told the Central News Agency on Wednesday that the Dutch diplomat, who resides in Damascus, was abducted by tribes from the Baalbek region as he was passing through the area.
He was placed in an SUV with tinted windows and no license plates and taken to Syria through an illegal border crossing.
Upon arrival in Syria, he was handed over to security forces at a checkpoint, who upon learning his identity ordered that he be immediately be returned to Lebanon.
As soon as he was released, the diplomat informed the Dutch government of the kidnapping.
The Netherlands consequently informed other European governments of the incident, who intensified contacts with Lebanese security officials to put an end to the abduction of foreigners.
Meanwhile, European diplomatic sources voiced their fears of the return of such kidnappings in Lebanon in light of March’s abduction of seven Estonian cyclists, the recent bomb attack against a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon patrol in the South, and this latest kidnapping.
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