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December 2, 2012 (TSR) – Al-Akhbar Lebanese newspaper started Thursday publishing recordings that unveil some of Future MP Okab Saqr’s involvement in supporting Syrian rebels. The following are transcribed and translated documented recordings.
The published facts illustrated only part of Lebanese MP Okab Saqr’s role in supplying weapons and providing logistic support, under the directions of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
In this report and for context, the three episodes of these recordings included documented information and testimonies from sources close to Lebanese MP Okab Saqr. It unveiled some audio recordings related to arming, management, military operations, bombings, and assassinating.
Moreover, the daily noted “the recordings were obtained from a source close to Saqr, who works in one of the operation rooms that were established to support the rebels.
“There are three military operation rooms located in the Turkish cities of Antioch, Adana and Istanbul,” the source said, and pointed out “there is a special building for Saqr in Florea, Istanbul.”
He further uncovered that “meetings are held from time to time at Saqr’s residence.”
“Around 20 young men from various Syrian provinces direct these rooms and coordinate with armed opposition groups leaders in order to provide the necessary funding and arms as well as to direct the move of fighters to areas under siege or attack,” the paper added.
In parallel, it unveiled that “all such moves are under the supervision of Turkish and Qatari intelligence officers.”
The “al-Akhbar” source also stated “all this was going under the name of “Space”, a term adopted to refer to communication devices operating via satellite, specifically Chandelier devices and Iridium.”
“We believe that Saqr ruined our revolution with his crazy actions,” he added, and noted “we objected the decision to send arms to inhabited areas. However, he insisted on his hysterical decisions without any concern for people’s life.”
Furthermore, the source underscored that “the Lebanese MP distributed money to the leaders of armed groups, without distinction between the assassin, the mercenary, and the national rebels.”
“Saqr refused on more than one occasion to provide financial aid to wounded civilians or refugees on the grounds,” he clarified.
Here’s one of the text of one of the recordings between MP Saqr and one of the leaders of the armed Syrian opposition.
Abu Numan (commander of one of the militant groups): as-Salm Alikoum [Peace be upon you]
Saqr: Waliakom [You Too]
Abu Numan: Sir, we are greatly trapped and besieged. Two more days and our region will fall due to artillery and bombardment. They are shelling us from all sides. Please we need help. We want weapons.
Saqr: Tell me what do you need specifically? The kind and amounts?
Abu Numan: I mean, in reality, we want around RPGs and 20 throwers, and if possible 250 thousand Russian bullets and 300 qualitative guns.
Saqr: All of this, what area are you talking about?
Abu Numan: Izaz, Tel Rifat Andan, and the entire Aleppo countryside. You know the situation. Since yesterday, they are surrounding us from three sides of Idlib. And the Shabiha are emerging from inside Aleppo.
Saqr: Who will receive the weapon and where? How will the operation be done?
Abu Numan: As usual, the delivery is to be divided. Abu Bara will be there with young people and cars to transfer them to Aleppo. The need is big and the shelling continues while the groups are separated. There is no ammunition. Every fighter has only one or two bullet storages and the consumption is great. So, please manage it. God protect you. I don’t know what to say. After God, we have no body but you.
Saqr: You’ll be present in the delivery?
Abu Numan: No, my brother Abu Nour will be there with the fighters and cars. As usual they will receive them from you.
Second Recording for Saqr in the Operation Rooms: More Involvement in Syrian Blood
The Future Movement scandals crossed all limits and being involved in the Syrian blood is no more an accusation but a reality that requires the Lebanese authorities movement.
In the second episode of recordings published by al-Akhbar Lebanese newspaper, the Future MP Okab Saqr coordinates and follows up the Syrian rebels’ military operations.
According to al-Akhbar, the source provides it with exclusive photos to Saqr in several military operation rooms that coordinate between Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.
In parallel, the source, from within the rebels rooms, uncovered that the Lebanese operation rooms are greatly involved in what he named as “Syrian revolution”.
He further stated that ” these rooms are directly linked to Turkey.”
“Several Lebanese, parallel to the Syrians, operate each military room in Northern Lebanon,” the source confirmed.
Moreover, he mentioned that ” the rebel Leader, who come to Lebanon, are usually received at a villa in the Mount Lebanon area of Faqra.”
“In this villa fighters receive money,” he said, and pointed out that ” it is normal to hear that ” rebels are heading to or returning from Fara.”
The source also highlighted that ” a retired Lebanese General, whom Saqr ordered the rebels to follow his instructions, is also involved in the coordination between Lebanese and Turkish rooms.”
According to the source, the Lebanese MP used a money transfer company that conducts most of its transactions in an illegal manner and therefore can’t be tracked.
Here’s the second recording between MP Saqr and the rebels:
Unknown man: As-Salam alaikom [Peace be upon You]
Saqr: Waliakom [You too].
Unknown man: Yes, brother.
Saqr: Yes.
Unknown man: What is required, what do he need?
Saqr: We need machine guns, bullets, PKC [machine gun] bullets, RPG, and more advanced weapons for Aleppo, its countryside, and the Idlib region.
Unknown man: Which areas specifically?
Saqr: Aleppo and its countryside, as well as Azaz and its surrounding regions. Many regions in sieged. Moreover, several other areas are currently under intense shelling. The weapons must be delivered as quickly as possible.
Unknown man: Okay, but what weapons particularly?
Saqr: I don’t know. Nothing specific. But we need anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, in addition to the usual or light to medium weapons.
Unknown man: Okay, Okay.
This is another recording between the Future MP and the so-called “Free Syrian Army” spokesman Louai al-Mokdad in one of the operation rooms.
Abu Rashad [a man responsible for supplying Hama and its surrounding with arms]” : As-Salam alaikom [Peace be upon You]
Al-Mokdad: Welcome.. welcome dear, waliakom [You too], how are you?
Abu Rashad: Mr. Louai?
Al-Mokdad: Yes, how are you doing?
Abu Rashad: How are you?
Al-Mokdad: Good, may God bless and protect you, what new do you have?
Abu Rashad: Where are you people?
Al-Mokdad: Yes, brother, we are in the operation room, with Mr. Okab and all the men are here. Tell me, how is the situation there?
Abu Rashad: It’s good that Okab is near you because we are doing very badly. It is very, very urgent, more than you can imagine. There are fierce clashes and the shelling escalated greatly.
Al-Mokdad: Ok. well. We can all hear you in the room, and here is Mr. Okab, he can hear you too.
Saqr: Did your situation deteriorate more? More than yesterday and the last two days?
Abu Rashad: By God, the shelling and clashes intensified greatly. The situation is very dangerous. We are in an urgent need for help.
Saqr: Ok, where are you, in Hama? Or in Idlib?
Abu Rashad: Hama and Idlib.
Saqr: So do you want us to increase the quantities? You mean the previously delivered quantities are not sufficient?
Abu Rashad: Yes, yes, increase the quantities.
Al-Mokdad: What do you think, should we increase the quantities?
Saqr: No, no, of course we must increase the quantities.
Saqr: Abu Rashad, I have received many reports from inside from numerous men, all saying the same thing, that the escalation will increase. Now, I will ask the men to increase the quantities as much as possible, because I am aware of your situation. You are so weak.
Al-Mokdad: I will put you immediately on the lists. The men will put you on the lists quickly. Don’t worry.
3rd Recording: Hariri in Field, Rebel Battalions Receive Saqr’s Monthly Allowances
According to the information, MP Saqr received a call from the spokesman of the Supreme Council of the so-called “Free Syrian Army” Louai al-Mokdad.
Saqr asked al-Mokdad to hold online until he finishes another call.
In his contact with the unknown man, Saqr confirmed that Maarat al-Noaman battle is heading towards decisiveness.
According to the source of the recordings, Saqr asserted that he is following the events, moment by moment, and that the region will not fall.
Meanwhile, Saqr promised the unknown man to keep him informed of every tiny detail and that he will not rest before the battle ends. As he ended his call with the unknown man, Saqr told al- Mokdad: “things are messy and inoperative.”
In turn, al- Mokdad asked: “Is it Sheikh Saad?”
Saqr responded “Hariri got mad; he wants to resolve the battle.”
In parallel, al-Akhbar daily uncovered the real reasons behind the travel of Saqr from Lebanon to Europe and then Turkey.
“Saqr was coordinating media and military issues in Beirut with Syrian rebels, particularly those belonging to the Brotherhood,” it added, and noted that “he was secretly working day and night to deepen his relationship with them.”
In this context, information showed that an operation room, including Syrian and Lebanese youths was established in Ashrafieh in 2011.
The room coordinated with its counterpart in a European country and Syria.
Although the events were not expanded yet, these operation rooms managed to smuggle large amounts of communication equipment to Syria, and specifically the kind that can’t be monitored by the Syrian security services.
After Hariri left Beirut, Saqr continued his work, and was escalating the political situation parallel to expressing security concern.
The daily also stated that “after his lap top was infiltrated, Saqr consulted with Hariri and Gen. Wissam al-Hassan to leave the country and move to Belgium.”
Moreover, the source of the recordings stated that a large number of combat brigades receive financial allocations from Saqr. He further narrated how armed clashes erupted between groups supported by Saqr and al-Nosra Front.
In another context, the source speaks of a sharp dispute in one of the meetings in the operating room, regarding bombs, supported by Saqr, which left a lot of civilians dead.
On the file of Lebanese abductees, the source reiterated that Saqr pays $ 50 thousand dollars as a monthly allowance to the leader of the “Storm North Brigade”, the kidnapper Abu Ibrahim.
Moreover, he indicated that Hariri asked Saqr to release the hostages, but Saudi- Turkish obstacles emerged to obstruct the operation.
The source also stated that Saqr has a role in the kidnap of the 9 Iranians in Syria.
Here’s the text of the fourth recording:
Al-Mokdad: Hello
Saqr: Hello
Al-Miqdad: Yes Okab
Saqr: Wait a minute (Okab talks to other person on the phone). No, no, it will be solved. It will be solved. We are following it. I know I know that you didn’t sleep, I didn’t sleep also. I already knew they are following it in Saudi Arabia. No God willing things will move towards decisiveness. Surely, we will remain in contact. Ok Ok, I will update you moment by moment. God is with you God is with you.
Saqr: Allo Allo Yes Louai
Al-Mokdad: Yes dear, what’s wrong?
Saqr: Disaster…Complete Disaster
Al-Mokdad: Who was that, Sheikh Saad?
Saqr: Hariri got mad… completely mad. He wants things to end. It should be settled.
Al-Mokdad: Oh, today I…
Saqr: You talked to them, what did they say?
Al-Mokdad: This is the minimum. Did you tell him of the image [situation]?
Saqr: I informed him and believe me he’s not able to sleep. He’s following moment by moment and second-by-second. He seeks decisiveness by any means. He told me that this particularly [battle] must be won. There’s no way to fail.
Al-Mokdad: Okab, my brother, the problem is that once the region falls, it would turn into domino and all the surrounding regions will fall. Got it?
Saqr: Oh brother, I understand this but I tell you, I talked to his premier. He said that we must win without sinking into details. We don’t want to. We have a cause to finish we must end things.
Source: al-Akhbar Lebanese daily
Translated and Edited by Moqawama
