Miqati, Mustaqbal Bloc Engage in Verbal Spat over Tripoli Statements

Prime Minister Najib Miqati and al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc were involved in a verbal duel over statements issued by the premier regarding the recent clashes in the northern city of Tripoli.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lashed out on Tuesday in a statement after the MPs' weekly meeting at the Center House at Miqati's comments on Tripoli's events, saying that his remarks are a “political scandal serving the Syrian regime.”

Sources close to Miqati snapped back at the bloc, accusing it of taking his statements out of context in an attempt to influence the public opinion.

“Miqati's statements on Tripoli were clarified but some sides insist on targeting the premier with a campaign based on exploiting every word he says and taking his statements out of context,” the sources told As Safir newspaper published on Wednesday.

Miqati had said that if it weren't for his intervention and for calling upon the army forces to enter the northern city, Tripoli could have turned into an Islamist “Emirate.”

"They (Miqati's comments) suggest that the north is a hub for extremists and terrorists,” the bloc said.

The lawmakers accused the PM of tarnishing the image of Tripoli and its residents by “telling the international community that he is the one protecting society from Tripoli's fundamentalists”.

Sources close to the premier told al-Joumhouria newspaper that the Lebanese realize that there is an attempt to target him and tarnish his image.

“When the PM said his comments he was frank about the situation... He hails from the northern city,” the sources added.