A top Lebanese government official has told Reuters that Lebanon believes Saudi Arabia is holding leading Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri and plans to work with foreign states to secure his return to the country.
Hariri resigned as prime minister on Saturday. Saudi Arabia and Hariri aides have denied reports that he is under house arrest, but he has put out no statements himself denying his movements are being restricted. “Lebanon is heading toward asking foreign and Arab states to put pressure on Saudi [sic] to release Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri,” said the official, who declined to be identified because the government had yet to declare the initiative. Saying Hariri was still prime minister, he added, “Keeping Hariri with restricted freedom in Riyadh is an attack on Lebanese sovereignty.”