BEIRUT: Syria’s ambassador to Lebanon lodged a protest Friday against allegations of Syrian Embassy involvement in the kidnapping of four Syrian opposition figures and called on Lebanon’s police chief to present evidence.

“I urge [Lebanese police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi] to present evidence to prove the embassy involvement,” Ali told reporters after meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour.

Ali said he had lodged a protest with Mansour over the allegations.

Rifi said Monday that the Internal Security Forces had collected "dangerous information" pointing to the Syrian Embassy’s involvement in the May disappearance of Shibli Aisamy, an 86-year-old Syrian dissident who was abducted in the mountainous town of Aley.

He also said embassy personnel and ISF staff were involved in the kidnapping in February of three brothers from the Jasem family, one of whom had been seen a few days earlier handing out flyers calling for reform in Syria, according to Human Rights Watch.

Sources told The Daily Star Thursday that Rifi’s evidence was based on documents, secret service agents, pictures, video from surveillance cameras installed in the Syrian Embassy parking lot and along roads surrounding the embassy, as well as witness testimonies.