Lebanon Iznogood has been right all along. The kidnapping of the Estonians is not merely a "criminal" action by a gang aiming for a ransom; it is a political decision made in Syria and executed by Syrian proxies inside Lebanon (most likely the Islamic fundamentalist terror organization Hezbollah which dominates the Bekaa Valley and is deeply connected with the Syrian dictatorship). The ultimate objective of the kidnapping remains to be seen, but it is beginning to appear to be a political one and not a criminal one.
If this were a criminal action, then the "gang" would have already declared its conditions. But the fact that the kidnappers have not declared their demands is essentially due to the fact that the Syrian regime, increasingly under pressure, has not had the time to think through its strategy of how to use the Estonian hostages to its advantage. However, the string of bombings (of a church in Zahle) and kidnappings (of the Estonians in Zahle, and of other Westerner journalists shuttling between Syria and Lebanon to cover the Syrian demonstrations), is an indication - as we have already asserted - that the Syrian Baath regime is now resorting to its tactics from the 1980s in Lebanon of kidnapping Westerners in order to barter them for concessions from the West.
Similarly, and for the same reason, the Syrian regime has not even had time to "manage" the Lebanese government crisis, and the set up of a government in Lebanon is on hold, thanks to the traitor mercenaries that Lebanese politicians are, as they cannot agree among themselves as to forming a government, and they have to await their orders from Damascus and other foreign capitals before getting their country moving forward.
The fact that the Lebanese Security Forces were unable to locate the Estonian hostages is essentially due to two converging reasons.
1- The hostages have actually been transferred inside Syria, and we will learn soon what the Syrian regime wants from them. This will probably occur through fake proxy organizations such as "the Movement for Revival and Reform", as the Syrian regime used to do in the 1980s, with a new organization springing out every other week to claim responsibility for the kidnapping of this or that hostage. The names of those organizations were "Movement of the Oppressed of the Earth", or "Movement of Islamic Jihad and Resistance", etc... All of which in the end were covers for Hezbollah, and all of which in the end resulted in the release in Syria of the hostages kidnapped in Lebanon, with Syria earning concessions from the West to keep its domination of Lebanon and have the Americans send weapons to their worst enemy, Iran.
2- The Lebanese Security Services are themselves proxies for the Syrian regime and are dominated by Hezbollah activists, much like the entire Lebanese State is. In other words, while the Security Services' blitz search and identification of the kidnappers might indicate strong capability and competence, it in fact is better explained by collusion between the Lebanese Security apparatus and the kidnappers and their bosses in Damascus. When the Lebanese Security Services were close to apprehending the kidnappers and rescuing the hostages, orders came from Damascus to stop the offensive and allow the kidnappers to transfer the hostages to Syria, which is exactly what has happened. The thrust of the Lebanese police and security forces suddenly was aborted, and that is a political decision that came down in the form of orders from Damascus, and the colluding Lebanese State was happy to oblige.
The next newspiece about the Estonian hostages will come from Syria, not from Lebanon. To all those seeking the release of the hostages should go to Damascus....To the Estonian officials visiting Lebanon: It is more efficient to go to Damascus and talk to the Syrian despot, rather than waste your time with the Lebanese politician dummies.
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Security Forces Fear that Estonians Are No Longer in Lebanon
High-ranking security sources have expressed fear that Wael Abbas, the ringleader of the cell that kidnapped the seven Estonians, might have handed over the hostages to another network.
The sources told An Nahar daily on Friday that Abbas has already transferred the cyclists, who were kidnapped near Zahle's industrial zone on March 23, "to outside the Lebanese territories," in reference to Syria.
Abbas was hiding inside houses in the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar as security forces carried out raids in the area on Thursday, they said. Majdal Anjar was the headquarters of the Syrian Intelligence forces during the Syrian occupation of Lebanon between 1975 and 2005. Several mass graves have been uncovered in Majdal Anjar after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005, but the Lebanese State has quickly silenced those seeking to identify the remains, and in fact has destroyed the evidence that could have in fact been used in such identification process, simply to protect the Syrian regime.
But the sources said the town's residents were cooperating with police to track him and another member of the cell who is also from Majdal Anjar.
The network's four other members are now in custody. Abbas reportedly told them before their arrest that the Estonian tourists "were handed over to the sides" that ordered the kidnapping, in reference to Syrian Intelligence.
The sources also said that the claim by the previously-unheard of group, Haraket al-Nahda Wal-Islah (the Movement for Revival and Reform) for the abduction was aimed at distracting investigators.
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