Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — After reports circulated that the judiciary might summon al-Manar TV journalist Ali Berro at the request of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, a source close to the premier said that when asked about the matter, Salam simply responded, “Who is Ali Berro?” according to several local and regional media outlets.
On Sept. 25, Berro published a video from Raouche Rock in Beirut during the commemoration of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination. In the video, he insults Salam while standing next to Wafiq Safa, head of Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit, who is seen laughing.
Berro says, “Nawaf, al-hajj [Safa] sends his regards and says: We’re going to light him up, Nawaf, and we’re going to put you out.”
Berro then comments on the illuminated cave: “There you go, Nawaf, we lit it up, despite you and despite your master Yazid,” referring to Saudi envoy to Lebanon Yazid bin Farhan.
“Even after his martyrdom, his finger broke your head, broke your neck and broke your decision,” he adds, referring to Nasrallah.
Two days ago, Berro also posted another video on his social media accounts, filming himself in front of the Grand Serail. “Apparently, you want to arrest me. I thought: he’s an older man, so I came myself. You’re upset, so it’s only a matter of time,” he says.
On Wednesday, Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation Jamal Hajjar issued warrants for the search and investigation of two individuals accused of projecting images of Nasrallah and his successor, Hachem Safieddine, onto the Raouche Rock last week. The event violated an order by Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud, who had banned the projection of portraits of Hezbollah officials and restricted the number of participants.
Following the incident, Salam said he had asked the relevant authorities “to arrest those responsible.”
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