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Last update - 14:41 27/04/2008 French Socialist official says detained by Hezbollah for over 4 hours By News Agencies Tags: Hezbollah, French socialist A French Socialist official attending a conference in Lebanon said Sunday he was detained for four hours by members of the Hezbollah group south of Beirut. Karim Pakzad says he had been touring the area considered to be a Hezbollah stronghold in a convertible car and taking pictures when he was detained Saturday along with a companion and interrogated for four hours before they were both released. Hezbollah officials said they had no comment on Pakzad's allegations announced at a press conference Sunday. Advertisement Pakzad, representing the French Socialist Party, had been attending a two-day Socialist International conference in Beirut and said he wanted to see different parts of Lebanon at the end of the meeting. "We passed by a magnificent mosque ... and I took pictures of it," he said. Following the incident he told police that he was on the road leading up to Beirut International Airport when a motorcyclist followed by an SUV stopped him and led him to an unknown location for questioning, a senior police official told The Associated Press Sunday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official comments on the investigation. The area south of Beirut was ravaged by Israeli air strikes during the 2006 war between Israel and the Syria and Iran-backed Hezbollah and has since become an attraction for some tourists and officials who come to inspect the damage and reconstruction. Hezbollah officials have in the past detained people taking pictures in the area on suspicion they could be Israeli agents posing as tourists. This is really an abnormal situation, said Walid Jumblatt, an anti-Syrian politician who heads the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party. Speaking at the press conference with Pakzad Sunday, he accused Hezbollah of being a state within a state. He said the French official had been taking pictures of Hezbollah posters on the way. "I don't think these are military installations," Jumblatt said. Lebanon is split sharply between the anti-Syrian governing majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition. The country has been without president since November because of the political deadlock between the two sides. Related articles: Report: Hezbollah man says new attack on Israel is question of 'when, not if' Bookmark to del.icio.us   Obscene gestures Alleged 'Heil Hitler' comment lands German lawyer Horst Mahler in court AMOS-3 video Israel's sophisticated new communications satellite launched into orbit.   1.   Detained? I think, kidnapped is better word 15:42  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 27/04/08   2.   fench left: the most stupid left in europe 16:03  |  michel 27/04/08   3.   Israel would have done the same thing!! 16:44  |  Cerdic 27/04/08   4.   never visit lebanon without... 17:02  |  ziggurat 27/04/08   5.   This guy who was detained may well have been a zionist spy! 17:42  |  lakshmi 27/04/08   6.   They have every right to do so 18:03  |  Hajj Jafar 27/04/08   7.   LAKSHMI or a victim of Islamofascist thugs 18:10  |  PETER SM 27/04/08   8.   To # 7 18:36  |  Hajj Jafar 27/04/08   9.   When IDF detain someone, they remove a body part before release 19:25  |  Aounist 27/04/08   10.   Lakshmi your tongue runs away with your brain 20:35  |  x-ray 27/04/08   11.   Hajji there in LA 20:37  |  Iz Ray Leigh 27/04/08   12.   Hajj Jafar ask Farfur where your honor and dignity went 20:50  |  GZLives 27/04/08   13.   Touring the Hizbollah area and taking pictures? 20:51  |  Natallie Durson 27/04/08   14.   he was a spy taking pictures of weapons in mosque thats why kidna 21:05  |  alph 27/04/08   15.   Childish propaganda by Haaretz 21:24  |  Sam (UK) 27/04/08   16.   For us in the present Generation 21:49  |  Hajj Jafar 27/04/08   17.   durston are you saying its ok for hesbullah to murder this man? 21:59  |  terrornator 27/04/08   18.   lakshmi 22:11  |  Sarah 27/04/08   19.   to # 6 Hajj Jafar 22:33  |  soizic 27/04/08   20.   18 Sarah,quite natural,israel`s conduct proceeds along the same 22:45  |  lakshmi 27/04/08   21.   Hajj and Natallie 23:52  |  Greg 27/04/08   22.   #13 Durson: crimes you support speak of you 23:58  |  Alain 27/04/08   23.   #9 is true: they cut their hair, and sometimes even nails!! 00:01  |  Army MD 28/04/08   24.   Hajj Hafar # 16 22:59  |  Philippe 28/04/08

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