Syrian rebels set free a kidnapped Lebanese

[August 25, 2012]  BEIRUT (AP) -- Syrian rebels have freed one of 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims they have been holding for three months.

Hussein Ali Omar appeared healthy in an interview aired on Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV after his release Saturday, urging the Lebanese and Arabs to support the Syrian people as the country's civil war escalates.

The Shiite pilgrims were abducted May 22 after crossing into Syria from Turkey on their way to Lebanon.

A previously unheard of group calling itself "Syrian Rebels in Aleppo" claimed responsibility.

The group demanded that the leader of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, apologize for recent comments in support of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Nasrallah, an ally of Assad's regime, has said the kidnapping would not change his group's stance.

[Associated Press; By BASSEM MROUE]

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