Kuwaiti kidnapped in eastern Lebanon

Armed men kidnapped a Kuwaiti in eastern Lebanon on Saturday, a security official said, adding that the abduction did not appear to have a political motive.

The man, who lives in Lebanon, was seized from his car in the town of Howsh al-Ghanam in the Bekaa valley, the official told AFP.

"There are no signs that the kidnapping was politically motivated."
The official said there had been a number of kidnappings for ransom which are unrelated to political tensions or the conflict gripping neighbouring Syria.

Nevertheless, such incidents fuel fears of Syria-related violence spilling over into Lebanon, where a Shiite clan kidnapped around 20 Syrians last week in retaliation for the abduction of a family member by a Syrian rebel group.

Gulf states last week ordered their nationals -- who often holiday in Lebanon -- to leave the country in the face of threats.