Lebanon denies kidnapping of US journalist

Lebanese information minister Anwar al-Khalil has asserted what had been denied by the AFP that a US journalist was kidnapped in Baalbeck. The Lebanese minister stressed that such a report is groundless.

The Lebanese minister said in a statement in Beirut that journalist Robin Salmoun is not an American, but of Canadian nationality, and that she was not kidnapped nor missing. The minister noted that such reports raise confusion that may defame Lebanon on the local and international levels.

For her part, Salmoun said she was not kidnapped nor held in Baalbeck.

She added that she resides in one of Beirut's hotels and that she did not go on Sunday to Baalbeck and knows nothing about the police investigations concerning her.

Sources at the Lebanese Information Ministry said that news of kidnapping of the journalist coincides with the US decision to alleviate measures on the travel of Americans to Lebanon.

The Lebanese ministry said that a blame was addressed to the AFP.