Honorary consul condemns so-called threat of retaliation for murder and brands it a fake intended to ‘cause confusion’
The honorary consul of the Syrian Arab Republic is condemning a purported message of retaliation by Syrian forces that was carried by two online media houses and circulated widely on social media.
The message, in short, threatens retaliation for the murder of Syrian national Roudi Shmaly, at his place of business, on Monday.
“I condemn in the strongest terms the obviously fake articles being published … regardless of where those fake articles originated,” wrote Hekmat B. Hakim in a public statement dated May 23, 2023. “They are nothing but a fabrication to create mischief and cause confusion.”
He notes that the rise in crime “is a concern for our peaceful island nation,” and promises that, “as law-abiding citizens,” the community will “continue to collaborate with the police and authorities” in the hope that the wave or criminal activity will be brought to an end.
The honorary consul also expresses the expectation that the media houses will remove the alleged threat from their sites immediately.
REAL News could not determine whether this had been done, up to news time; however, upon the publication of the offending message, there had been significant reaction, with several responders doubting its authenticity.
Other residents tell our Newsroom they agree that the message was malicious and intended to generate conflict between the Arab and Black communities, disturbing the peace and friendship that, traditionally, have existed for decades.
