Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali bin Saeed Awadh Asiri has asserted the safety of the two Saudi citizens Tawfiq Al-Shaqaqiq and Abdullah Al-Shaqaqiq, who were kidnapped in Lebanon by a gang belonging to an Arab country. 'The Two Saudi citizens are recovering in the American University Hospital in Beirut after they were liberated, ' the ambassador noted. 'Moreover, Myself and my colleagues at the (Saudi) embassy are following their treatment and care for their comfort,' the ambassador said. In a statement to Saudi Press Agency, Asiri disclosed the details of the kidnapping by saying that a gang belonging to an Arab country kidnapped the two Saudi citizens after deceiving and luring them, held them in an apartment in an area adjacent to the city of Beirut, tortured them physically for eight days and demanded from their relatives in the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) large amounts of money for their release. 'Upon learning of the incident, the embassy immediately moved and coordinated with the Lebanese security services that demonstrated great skill in tracking down the kidnappers, leading to the identification of the location of the apartment in which the two Saudi citizens were held; then they were freed after a well-devised plan set by the Lebanese security services and the embassy,' Asiri added. In response to a question about whether the kidnappers were arrested, the Saudi ambassador said that the two kidnappers were arrested while search is still on-going to uncover the rest of the gang members, saying that there was an on-going follow-up between the (Saudi) Embassy and the Lebanese authorities in this regard. The ambassador praised the efforts undertaken by the Lebanese authorities and called on Saudi citizens who are visiting Lebanon for tourism or residence to be cautious toward similar services' offers and that they should reside in well-known hotels and avoid private flats. The ambassador also urged (Saudi) citizens to come to the embassy to register their passports, be careful in their movements and not approach border areas, stressing the need for citizens to keep contact with the embassy whose staff are at the service of the (Saudi) citizens around the clock. He stressed the importance of cooperation among (Saudi) citizens, the (Saudi) Embassy and the Lebanese authorities and pointed out that the success in the liberation of the citizens - Tawfiq Al-Shaqaqiq and Abdullah Al-Shaqaqiq, has set a good example with the grace of Allah Almighty.
