Lebanon official urges restrictions on Syrian refugees after slaying blamed on Syrian gang

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s caretaker interior minister says this week’s slaying of a local politician by what authorities say was a gang of Syrian nationals signals the need to restrict the number of refugees entering the country from neighboring Syria. Bassam Mawlawi also is urging Lebanese to show restraint amid flaring tensions over the slaying of Pascale Suleiman of the Christian nationalist Lebanese Forces party. The death has prompted anti-Syrian violence and worsened political tensions among deeply divided Lebanese. Lebanese military officials have said the slaying in northern Lebanon was part of a robbery, but Suleiman’s party suspects political motives.