Saudi Arabia calls for extradition of man who threatened kingdom’s embassy in Lebanon

Saudi Arabia’s  ambassador to Beirut has called for the extradition of a Saudi man from Lebanon who threatened the kingdom’s embassy in the Lebanese capital.

“We call upon the competent Lebanese authorities to undertake the necessary legal procedures regarding the terrorist threats,” ambassador Walid Bukhari said after a meeting with Lebanon’s interior minister.

Last week, the Lebanese Ministry of Interior and Municipalities said it ordered an investigation after a recording was published online of the Saudi dissident, believed to be named Ali Al Hashem, making the threats.

Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said last week he has asked for that probe out of “concern for Lebanon’s interest and security and good relations with brotherly nations, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

Mr Al Haji is reportedly in — or has recently been in — Syria.

Mr Bukhari also called on Lebanon to continue its crack down on illicit drug smuggling to Saudi Arabia.

He said Saudi authorities have confiscated 700 million  narcotic pills and hundreds of kilos of hash smuggled from or through Lebanon since 2015.

Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Lebanon in October last year after comments by George Kordahi,  who was Lebanon’s information minister, about the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen. Mr Kordahi would resign amid the fallout.

The kingdom was also critical of the perceived influence that Iran-backed Hezbollah, the political party and armed group, held over Lebanon.

Riyadh reinstated its ambassador earlier this year, with Mr Bukhari arriving in April.