BEIRUT: Five Future bloc lawmakers have been receiving death threats from Syria via telephone and text messages, Future bloc MP Hadi Hbeish said.
“Other than me four Future MPs have been receiving death threats via phone calls and text messages sent from a Syrian number,” Hbeish told The Daily Star.
Hobeish said his Future colleagues receiving threats were MPs Nouhad Mashnouq, Ahmad Fatfat, Khaled Daher, and Ammar Houry.
The young MP, who comes from the northern region of Akkar, said he has received three text messages and a phone call from a person who had a Syrian accent, “congratulating” him over the death of slain Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan and telling him his turn is yet to come.
“The first message was sent the night before the assassination of Hasan... I didn’t take it seriously because the situation in the country had been calm for a while,” said Hbeish.
The MP added that the second text message was sent the night Hasan was killed, and the third over the weekend.
“’Congratulations, that’s the first to be slain among a list of ten,’ read the text message sent the night Hasan died,” said the MP.
Hbeish said that the MPs are taking the necessary precautionary measures particularly in regards to their movements.
“Personally, I am staying home at my Akkar residence most of the time. I am just going out when I have to” said Hbeish.
The MP added that he has informed the security authorities, both the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Army, about the threats he is receiving.
“They said they will take the necessary measures in this regard and launch an investigation into the issue, because things are getting very serious,” Hbeish said.
Hasan was killed Friday in a car bombing in a residential neighborhood Ashrafieh. The attack led to the death of at least three and the injury of more than 126 people.
The March 14 coalition accuse the Syrian regime of standing behind Hasan’s assassination, and other assassinations that took place in the country, mainly the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 14, 2005.
Future Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri has been out of the country for security reasons since June 2011. His group says he frequently receives messages that he will be killed once he returns to Beirut.