Amid of cheering, "Ramzi Irani" was announced "Martyr of Freedom" by his mourners on May 22nd of 2002. Ramzi Irani is one of many Lebanese freedom seekers whose termination was planned. In democratic Lebanon, people who speak the truth are silenced one way or another. It is awfully wrong to believe in the Lebanese cause and speaking of freedom is more horrendous of a crime.

Ramzi Irani - 36 years old Christian engineer and father of two, disappeared on May 7th of 2002. He was kidnapped in Hamra on his way to pick up his sister in law for his daughter’s fifth birthday party. Few hours later, his wife notified authorities of his disappearance because she lost contact with him phone wise. Ramzi was missing for over one week while Lebanese authorities assured his family that they were doing their best to find him. On May 20th of 2002, the decomposing body of Ramzi Irani was found in the trunk of his vehicle parked in Caracas after fourteen days of kidnapping. The condition of his body showed signs of torture. For instance, his semi-closed right hand over the wound suggests that he was thrown in the trunk of the vehicle then shot, and left there to die. The cause of death appeared to be the two bullets according to a senior judicial source. Postmortem examination of the victim’s body indicated that he had been dead for eight to ten days. It is believed that the vehicle was parked in an underground parking lot due to the traces of dust, which were found on it. An unidentified security force established that the investigation has been mishandled from the beginning. The source also stated that once the vehicle was discovered, an officer destroyed vital evidence.

The body of "Ramzi Irani" was found and the question of who committed this hideous crime against humanity remains unanswered. One may wonder if it is consequential that Ramzi Irani was chosen because he is the leader of the Lebanese Forces party movement at the Lebanese University. Ramzi organized peaceful demonstrations against the continued presence of Syrian authority in Lebanon only few weeks before his disappearance. He has long been under intelligence surveillance and frequently called in to several intelligence centers for questioning. Earlier in October 17th of 2000, he was arrested by the government and released with broken ribs. Upon the disappearance of Irani, his colleagues announced their fear that he was held captive by one of the Lebanese security agencies despite their public disclaimers through the general prosecutor Adnan Addoum. After all, this would not be the first time that an anti-Syrian activist was arrested by the government. Ironically, later on, Adnan Addoum was designated by the Lebanese government to investigate the murder of Ramzi. This may indicate that the stooges who staged Irani’s death are investigating his murder case. Another possibility is that Hizbullah kidnapped Irani. Hizbullah is a terrorist group of extremist Muslims who are operated by Syria. One published report about the events that lead to Irani’s disappearance stated that his cellular phone was last opened at a Hizbullah stronghold, suburban Mreijeh.

Although we may not know who is directly responsible for the slain of Ramzi, it is obvious that the Lebanese government is involved. Whether the crime was committed by the Lebanese government or by Hizbullah, individuals who despise the freedom of Lebanon conducted this attack. The Syrian operated government of Lebanon has repeatedly attempted to obliterate those who cry out for freedom. The Lebanese government is not providing the Lebanese people with the adequate security required. For instance, foreign security agents are allowed to infiltrate the Lebanese land unconditionally. The Lebanese President has not attempted ending the Syrian occupation although it had been fatal to the country from economic to safety aspects. Syria hosts and operates terrorist networks such as Hizbullah on Lebanese soil. Although, Hizbullah may deny their involvement in terrorism, their recent meetings with Al Qaeda networks inside Lebanon drastically indicate the opposite. However, neither Lebanon nor Syria has taken any measures to end their activities.

Our support of a sovereign Lebanon free of terror will not cease no matter the consequences. An individual stripped of his right to speech is as free as an individual behind bars. We hope we can assure you with the help of the Western world that crimes against humanity will not go unpunished. Finally, I have a message to the people repressing the cries out for freedom: "We all are Ramzi Irani."

By Lebanese4Ever