A Shiite group warned Lebanon on Friday against inviting Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to the upcoming Arab summit in Beirut, saying it would take unspecified action if his visit went as planned.
“We are giving notice that we will have a surprise for everyone if the criminal Gadhafi attends before the case of the vanished Imam Sadr is solved,” said a statement from the Sadr Brigades, a militia once linked to the Amal Movement, which was founded by Sadr.
According to the Daily Star, the Shiite community in Lebanon believes Libya kidnapped and killed Imam Musa al-Sadr, a charismatic cleric who organized the country’s 1.2 million dispossessed Shiites and disappeared during a visit to Libya in 1978. Lebanese Shiites have for years been demanding that Libya explain what happened to him, something that Libya has failed to do.
The warning comes a day after Lebanon’s Prime Minister Rafik Hariri said Gadhafi was welcome at the upcoming March 27-28 Arab League summit.
Arab League head Amr Moussa previously said that Lebanon’s Shiites are threatening both Arab unity and the summit with their complaints over Sadr, adding that Lebanon should be honored to hold the summit.
Also on Friday Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said the summit in Beirut would be held as scheduled unless, he said, a differing Arab consensus should develop. (Albawaba.com)
