BEIRUT: Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi called Sunday for the swift formation of an independent committee to investigate the cases of Lebanese who went missing in Syria.

Qortbawi, who spoke to Radio Liban, said Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s call for the establishment of a cell made up of ministers to follow up on the case of the missing Lebanese did not negate the need for the “presence of an independent, national committee to take practical steps and even though it may be just one drop of the ocean because the groups and relatives are tired of talk.”

Ghazi Aad – founder and head of Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile – told The Daily Star this week that his foundation has the names of 600 Lebanese who are still missing in Syria. He believes, however, that there could be many more.