Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri proposed to pay a ransom to the abductors of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims in exchange of their release, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Monday. The daily said that Hariri’s proposal facilitated negotiations with the kidnappers.

He stressed to the Turkish authorities that he considers the incident as a “national Lebanese issue that should be resolved to maintain the civil peace,” the report added.

Hariri also allegedly threatened to stop funding the Syrian revolution. Sources told al-Akhbar that the Turkish government and Hariri are exerting efforts to release the 11 men.

The pilgrims, who were snatched in northern Syria last week, were reported as having arrived in Turkey on Friday... continue reading