Defected minister Makdisi still in Beirut

According to informed Lebanese sources on Tuesday evening, the Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Jihad Makdisi, who was defected from Bashar al-Assad’s regime "did not return to Damascus nor leave Lebanon" in response to what was said about his arrival in London via Beirut. The sources added: "Jihad Makdisi is still in Beirut and has not left for anywhere else." They refused to disclose the whereabouts of Makdisi, saying he has "spent several days in Beirut and is not wanted, therefore there is no need to monitor his movements or check his existence." The sources denied, that the Lebanese government received any requests from official Syrian authorities to search for Jihad Makdisi. Friends of Makdisi confirmed that he had not made any contact with them since last Saturday and his phone has been out of reach since.