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A Lebanese lawmaker said Friday he had received 40 Swiss guns for his “personal protection” after Switzerland said some of them had gone missing and suspended arms deliveries to Lebanon.
“We are surprised by the fuss in the media… and we confirm they are in the possession of MP Ghazi Zeaiter’s escort,” his office said in a statement carried by Lebanon’s official NNA news agency.
Zeaiter, a former agriculture minister and deputy with the Shiite movement Amal for the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, bordering war-devastated Syria, said they were purchased for his “personal protection”.
Swiss authorities announced the suspension of arms sale to Lebanon on Thursday because three quarters of a consignment of 40 guns had gone missing and an inspection mission been unable to account for them.
“The decision was taken after a Post-Shipment Verification (PSV) in March 2018 concerning an arms export was unsuccessful,” the Swiss embassy to Lebanon said.