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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Long-Awaited Trial of Nahr al-Bared Detainees Kicks Off at Roumieh Prison
2013-09-28
[An Nahar] The long-awaited trial of a number of Islamist detainees held over the Nahr al-Bared festivities got underway Friday at the recently-inaugurated trial room in the Roumieh prison, state-run National News Agency reported.

The trial room was recently built specifically for this purpose.

The Judicial Council, presided over by Judge Jean Fahd, convened amid strict security measures at the external and internal courtyards of Roumieh, NNA said.

The public and the news hounds were able to see the defendants through a glass barrier and via two huge screens that were installed on two of the court's walls. Only four lawyers were present at the trial room, which was designed to accommodate around 200 family members and defense counsels, according to the news agency.

In the evening, the Judicial Council adjourned the trial to January 17, 2014.

On July 15, caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel inspected the courtroom in Roumieh, which he said was ready to start the trial of inmates.

The courtroom "saves us the effort to transport the prisoners (to the Justice Palace) and it provides security protection," he said. "It also speeds up the trials of not just the Islamists but all the inmates," he added.

Roumieh, the oldest and largest of Leb's overcrowded prisons, has witnessed sporadic prison breaks and escalating riots in recent years as inmates living in poor conditions demand better treatment.

Pretrial hearings for 86 Islamists were held at Beirut's Justice Palace in February, the first legal action taken by the Lebanese judiciary ahead of their trial.

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi had promised speedy trials for the Islamists without political intervention.

The Nahr al-Bared Paleostinian refugee camp in northern Leb was almost totally destroyed during a months-long conflict between the Lebanese army and the al-Qaeda-inspired group Fatah al-Islam
A Syrian-incubated al-Qaeda work-alike that they think can be turned off if no longer needed to keep the Lebanon pot stirred.
 in 2007.

The fighting killed some 400 people, including 168 soldiers. Some Islamist leaders escaped despite the army siege of the camp.

The inmates were tossed in the clink
Maw! They're comin' to get me, Maw!
 on charges of fighting or aiding the Fatah al-Islam fighters in Nahr al-Bared that lies near the northern coastal city of Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
Several of them have beat feet from Roumieh in daring prison breaks.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Lebanon: Judge orders arrest of troops for shooting opposition protesters
2008-02-03
A Lebanese judge ordered on Saturday the arrest of three army officers and eight troops over the shooting deaths of seven opposition protesters in Beirut a week ago. According to Reuters, Judge Jean Fahd also ordered the arrest of six civilians over the protests.

Lebanese troops opened fire to break up an opposition demonstrations over power cuts in a Beirut suburb on January 27. Some 30 protesters were also wounded in the incident. The leading opposition faction Hizbullah had earlier said the army mishandled the protest and demanded that those responsible for the deaths be punished as soon as possible. Raising the tension, two Lebanese troops were hurt in a shooting attack in the same area late on Friday, the army said earlier on Saturday.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
10 Palestinians investigated for planning UN bombing
2007-10-17
Ten Palestinian members of an Islamist network have been placed under investigation for plotting an attack on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, a military judge said on Tuesday. Judge Jean Fahd said the suspects, six of whom are in custody, are being investigated for allegedly "attempting to murder members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon by placing explosives that failed to detonate."

"The 10 Palestinians are suspected of having formed an armed group to carry out terrorist operations and of possessing weapons and explosives," the judge added, without specifying which radical network they belonged to. No formal charges have yet been laid against the suspects. Fahd said that if found guilty later, they could be sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Tuesday it was boosting security after learning of the failed attack on its peacekeepers patrolling southern Lebanese border areas. The Lebanese army had announced on Monday the arrest of a "network of non-Lebanese terrorists" plotting attacks against UNIFIL troops. It said the gang had planted an explosive device on a road near the southern port city of Tyre targeting a UN patrol, but that the device failed to explode.

"In light of recent terrorist attacks against UNIFIL, threats received from militant groups and these recent arrests, UNIFIL remains vigilant and is undertaking a number of measures to mitigate risks and improve the safety and security of its staff," UNIFIL said in a statement.

In June, six peacekeepers in the UN's Spanish contingent, including three Colombians, were killed when a car bomb blasted their armoured personnel carrier on a road near the border with Israel. The attack was the first deadly strike against UN peacekeepers since the force was expanded following last year's war between Israel and guerrillas from the Lebanese Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah. In July, a vehicle belonging to the Tanzanian contingent was damaged by a bomb but there were no casualties.

Security was also boosted during a deadly 15-week battle in northern Lebanon from May to September between the army and an Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamist militia headed by a Palestinian militant.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Salafi ring behind U.N. bomb attack in south Lebanon
2007-07-04
It was reported on Tuesday that A Salafi extremist group is reportedly behind the June 24 bomb attack that killed six UNIFIL peacekeepers serving with the Spanish contingent in south Lebanon. The daily As Safir, citing European intelligence sources, said a Salafi group "implemented" the attack on the Spanish contingent of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Three Spaniards and three Colombians were killed in the car bombing which struck their personnel carrier as they patrolled the main road between the towns of Marjayoun and Khiam near the Israeli border.

As Safir said the Salafi ring had infiltrated into the deep south from an area outside south of the Litani river to carry out its attack. It said, however, that the group was likely assisted by "local members during the surveillance and preparation operation" way ahead of the assault.

As Safir said the report coincided with indications by Spain's Defense Minister Jose Antonio Alonzo that the attack on UNIFIL was carried out by "non-Lebanese terrorists." It quoted the European intelligence sources as saying that the Lebanese army, in collaboration with UNIFIL, thwarted, not too long ago, an attempt to attack a German warship off the Lebanese coast. Germany is the leader of the naval component of UNIFIL.

The sources said that "precise monitoring" by the Lebanese army had also led to the discovery of a terrorist group that was undertaking scuba diving training with professionals. The Lebanese security sources told "As-Safir" that a coordination committee has been formed ,comprised of representatives from UNIFIL, Lebanon’s Justice dept and the Lebanese army Intelligence, as follows:
1- An assistant commander of "UNIFIL" forces, a Spanish UNIFIL officer and a team of experts in the areas of intelligence , anti –terrorism and Spanish law),

2- The Lebanese government commissioner at the Military Court Judge Jean Fahd

3- Two Lebanese officers : Judicial Police Commander Brigadier Nabil Al Ghafri and Director of Lebanese Army Intelligence in south Lebanon Colonel Ismail Ibrahim.
A preliminary meeting has already been held few days ago by the above described committee. Al Safir reported that the European intelligence has initially assumed that Hezbollah was behind the attack. But soon after the incident the assumption was found to be incorrect , specially after Hezbollah offered to help in the investigation.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
14 Charged with terrorist acts as al-Qaida invades Lebanon
2007-06-20
The daily As Safir on Tuesday said Lebanon's military prosecutor Judge Jean Fahd has charged 14 people with setting up a terrorist cell in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley town of Bar Elias. It said
Among the detainees were a Saudi, two Syrians and six Lebanese.
among the detainees were a Saudi, two Syrians and six Lebanese. They were charged with setting up a "gang" with intentions "of committing crime against people … attack (government) institutions … robbery, booby-trapping cars designed to carry out terrorist acts," As Safir said. The terrorist cell was also charged with "possession of explosive materials and weapons as well as with forging passports, identification cards and official papers."

In a related event, As Safir branded as "invasion" the spread of the Islamic paramilitary al-Qaida organization in Lebanon. However, it said, terrorist operatives working for al-Qaida were being pursued by Lebanese authorities. On June 8, Lebanese border police at the Masnaa border crossing in eastern Lebanon detained 12 men as they tried to enter the country with forged foreign passports. The arrests came a few days after three detainees, apprehended in Bar Elias, testified that they belonged to al-Qaida. A statement by the General Directorate for State Security had said the detainees also confessed to rigging three vehicles with explosives. Lebanese troops had discovered the booby-trapped cars during a raid on a hideout in Bar Elias.

As Safir said the three detainees were "very dangerous." An Nahar newspaper had identified them as Fahd Bin Abdulaaziz al-Meghamis, from Saudi Arabia, and Syrians Ahmed Mohammed Osseili and Mohammed Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahim. As Safir said Lebanese military experts were surprised at the way the bombs had been "very delicately assembled" and at the use of "unfamiliar digital techniques."

Lebanese security forces were only able to dismantle the rigged cars with the help of Fahd Bin Abdulaaziz al-Meghamis, who was described by the army as an expert, the daily said. A big amount of 500-Euro bills, apparently planned to be spent on recruiting young men with "terrorist tasks aimed at destabilizing security," was found and confiscated from the Bar Elias network, according to As Safir.

It said further evidence that al-Qaida was swelling in Lebanon came from another source -- the alleged confessions made to the police by Saudi detainee Abdullah Beeshi, who was arrested a few hours after the Feb. 13 Ain Alaq bus bombings. As Safir said Beeshi, who left Saudi Arabia for Iran towards the end of July 2006 upon instructions from two al-Qaidi members, met with Abu Mohammed, a Kurdish-Iranian, in the presence of Saudi Abdul Rahman al-Yehyi in an Iranian city. About one month later, Beeshi traveled to Lebanon, where he was met by Abu Baker, a Lebanese, upon arrival at Rafik Hariri airport, As Safir reported. It said Abu Baker escorted Beeshi to the house of sheikh N.R. in the northern port city of Tripoli, where Yehyi, who goes by his nom de guerre of Talha, was waiting for him. The daily said Talha had landed in Lebanon two weeks ahead of Beeshi.

At that meeting Beeshi was introduced to the brother-in-law of Fatah al-Islam's leader Shaker Absi as well as to Saudi Abu Rishaj, who was recruiting young Saudis to join Absi's terrorist group at the northern refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, according to As Safir. It said that while preparations were underway to send Beeshi to Iraq, the Saudi detainee, together with Absi's brother-in-law, identified as Syrian Hani al-Sankari, were "transporting weapons and explosives" provided by Absi, who was hiding in Nahr al-Bared, according to Talha.

As Safir said only three hours after the Ain Aalq twin blasts, authorities arrested Beeshi and Sankari as they tried to cross into Syria through the northern border crossing at Abboudieh. However, the paper said, in contrast to earlier belief that the two men had been arrested in connection with the Ain Alaq bomb attack, investigation showed that Beeshi and Sankari were not linked to the bus bombings. It said testimonies of four other detainees uncovered their involvement in the Ain Alaq assault.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Poirot quits the International Criminal Court
2007-06-17
Acting Minister of Foreign affairs Tarek Mitri , has reported that Belgian Prosecutor Serge Brammertz has resigned from his post at the International Criminal Court to focus on the UN investigation of the murder of Lebanon's former Prime Minster Rafik Hariri . Brammertz, inspected on Friday the crime scene where MP Walid Eido was killed. Brammertz's visit to the site was "a preliminary measure before taking future steps," a security report said on Friday.

Brammertz, along with a number of investigators and experts, was accompanied by Military Prosecutor Jean Fahd and Military Investigative Magistrate Rashid Mezher. Brammertz also inspected the damage to nearby buildings and vehicles, the report said. The initiative of the Belgian prosecutor came in response to prime Minister Fouad Siniora's appeal to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to add Eido's murder to the UN investigation. Ban then asked Brammertz to offer the Lebanese authorities the necessary assistance, a security source said "Brammertz and State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza are expected to announce soon the steps to be taken by the Lebanese judiciary and the international probe," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Brammertz called for "keeping a close watch" over the crime scene in Manara area until his team ended its inspection, the source added. Another security source said a Dutch team of explosives experts is expected to arrive in Beirut "soon" to inspect the crime scene. "The team already visited Lebanon following Hariri's assassination," said the source, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

Mezher continued to interrogate witnesses Friday, but no one has been arrested yet in connection with the explosion, judicial reports said.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Suspects: Syrian officer hired Beirut bombers
2005-10-26
Three suspects who were arrested in connection with a string of bombings in Lebanon confessed Tuesday that a Syrian officer had attempted to hire them to plant explosives in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The suspects also revealed the names of additional accomplices.
Is this like a satire of the Godfather? Don Corleone with brain damage? What would have happened if Sonny had lived?
Acting Lebanese government delegate to the Military Tribunal, Jean Fahd said Tuesday that during questioning the three had confessed. They said former Syrian intelligence officer in Beirut Brigadier General Jamaa Jamaa, who they met through an unidentified third party, offered them money in exchange for dumping explosives in Beirut, particularly in the central district and at the entrances of the capital.
Jamaa Jamaa's my nominee for the most unlikely name in the entire WoT.
But the suspects said they did not follow the order, which they claimed was an attempt to delay the Syrian troop withdrawal under the pretext that Lebanon needed Syrian forces to maintain security and stability.
We guessed that. Even the dumbasses guessed that.
Security forces have already begun a search for the other collaborators, and the three suspects have been sent to the security forces, with their files, for further interrogation.
"Put these suckers on ice, Boutros. We'll be back with more in a little while."
"Right, chief! Awright! Into the paddy wagon wit' yez!"
The suspects said they were hired to stir panic among citizens, who were preparing for the March 14 demonstration. A bombing would also create the need for a Lebanese Army blockade, which would stop the demonstration and reduce the number of visitors to the tomb of former Premier Rafik Hariri.
"Honey, let's not go down to the demonstations today. There's things exploding."
"Good idea, dear! What's playing at the movies?"
Judicial sources said the confession did not uncover any concrete threads in the case. But security sources said a video broadcast on television about the recent clashes in the Taamir neighborhood between the disbanded Jund al-Sham Palestinian militia and Lebanese armed forces in Sidon contained a new lead. A Lebanese woman identified one of the armed men, who she said resembled the suspect who planted a bomb under a car in the Jeitawi area, in Achrafieh on September 16. According to the sources, the security forces immediately initiated a search for the suspect.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Leb: Security forces investigate latest blast
2005-08-24
Security agencies scrambled to keep the situation under control Tuesday as yet another bomb rocked the Christian neighborhood of Zalka, north of the capital Monday night. The Internal Security Forces, Civil Defense and army were all dispatched immediately to Zalka's Moussa Commercial Center and neighboring Promenade Hotel, just one month after a bomb was set in the Beirut nightclub promenade of Monnot in Achrafieh. Eight people were wounded in the latest explosion, which came only a few hours after security forces discovered one ton of powerful explosives concealed in an abandoned textile factory near the North Lebanon town of Zghorta.

"Everything that could have been done was done, with all the security agencies responding promptly and more efficiently as a result of last week's training," said Lieutenant Colonel Elie Baradie of the ISF in a telephone interview with The Daily Star. Baradie was referring to a practice drill last week, wherein army troops and police were taught how to operate jointly in the event of car bombings and other security breaches. "We have now handed over the case file along with all the evidence and information compiled from Monday's bombing to the judicial investigators," he added.

Zalka is the latest Christian neighborhood to be targeted by a series of bombings in Lebanon since the February assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. Jean Fahd, the military court magistrate heading the investigation into Monday's attack, said yesterday there had been no arrests made. Early reports said security forces were seen detaining five men shortly after the explosion. "We are currently interrogating witnesses that are helping in the investigation and have no suspects so far," he said.
I was actually expecting that. They've had a lot of booms so far, and not a single person arrested that I've heard about...
The magistrate added that the latest bomb, while similar to previous ones in size (some 20 to 30 kilograms of explosives) was more dangerous than its predecessors as it was contained in "a small bag that was placed in a dark tight corner easily missed by security," in contrast to the previous bombs placed underneath parked cars. No arrests have been made in connection with any of the 10 attacks this year.
Maybe they should ask the Egyptians for help? They might not arrest the right people, but they'd arrest somebody. They could ask the Frenchies, but then Hezbollah would collectively poop.
According to Fahd, "The aim of all these explosions appears to be to sow fear and terror in the hearts of citizens and cause as much material damage as possible to destabilize security and harm the tourist season."
Boy. Not much gets by old Fahd, does it?
Meanwhile, Zalka Mayor Michel Murr released an official statement yesterday to announce that everything was now "back to normal."
"Remain calm! All is well!"
"Everything can now be cleaned up near the bomb site from shattered glass to other debris, leaving the actual bomb site off limits for 48 hours, open only to the local investigations," he said. The explosion will not affect Zalka, he added. "The marketplace will return as busy and bustling with life as ever." Murr said that all shops within "a 500-meter radius" from the blast were damaged, adding that the municipality, with help from sanitation workers and Civil Defense members, had "helped citizens clean the damage from the explosion from their houses and shops."
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Police chiefs to discuss probes into bombings
2005-04-13
The police chiefs assigned by Military Public Prosecutor Jean Fahd to handle investigations into the recent bombings in Kesrouan and Metn will meet with him Thursday to discuss the results of their inquiries. Each area commander or police chief will submit the results of their investigations into the Sadd Bouchrieh, New Jdeideh, Kaslik and Broummana blasts. Sources say military experts believe those who planted the bombs were highly experienced professionals, and could be part of a sleeper cell that has now been reactivated.
Yassss... Prob'ly international criminal masterminds...
Military experts said each of the explosions was caused by roughly 30 kilograms of TNT, which left no traceable evidence. The sources said the only tangible piece of evidence was a confiscated Pajero four wheel drive vehicle with Lebanese Army license plates used by former chief of Syrian Intelligence Major General Ghazi Kenaan while he still held his post. Kenaan did not return the license plates to the Lebanese Army when he returned to Syria. Two Syrian soldiers who work with Kenaan's son Yurob were in the car when they were arrested. They were later released and the car was returned to the army. The sources said the issue of a pickup truck carrying 50 kilograms of explosives, seized in the Bekaa last week, will also be the subject of discussions in the meeting.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Investigations fail to reveal new truths
2005-03-22
Investigations conducted by the military judiciary have failed to reveal any new information regarding the identity of those responsible for planting the car bomb that exploded over the weekend in New Jdeideh.
"Nope. Nope. Didn't find a thing. We asked around and everything!"
A car bomb exploded in New Jdeideh just after midnight on Friday, wounding 11 people and causing extensive damage to surrounding homes and shops in the area. Preliminary investigations showed that 25 kilograms of the explosive TNT, equipped with a timed detonator, had been planted beside a parked car in the neighborhood. Military Tribunal Public Prosecutor Jean Fahd held a meeting at his offices Monday with Military Investigating Magistrate Samih Hajj and security officers charged with conducting the investigation. Fahd gave strict instructions to intensify efforts in order to expose the perpetrators. Judicial sources said one man had been detained but was soon released after investigations showed that he had no connection with the incident. Meanwhile, investigations are almost at a standstill in the case of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Sources said investigators here are awaiting the report of the United Nations fact-finding team, which is due to be announced in New York Thursday.
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Authorities request Swiss help in murder probe
2005-02-18
The Lebanese judiciary announced Wednesday it was requesting the assistance of Swiss experts to probe the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, judicial sources said. Military Tribunal chief investigating magistrate Rashid Mezher is seeking the help of experts specialized in explosives and DNA, upon the request of Lebanon's military prosecutor Jean Fahd. Mezher said the expenses of the foreign team would be carried by the Lebanese government, adding that the experts would start their mission only after being sworn in by the Military Tribunal. The announcement came after repeated calls from the French government, subsequently backed by the United States, for an international investigation into Hariri's murder. The calls were rebuffed by Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh Tuesday, although the minister had not ruled out seeking assistance from experts from a neutral country. But speaking earlier, president Lahoud conceded he was considering allowing international help "if Lebanon needed it".
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
35 al-Qaeda members charged in plots against Western targets
2004-10-03
A military prosecutor has charged 35 Arab nationals and alleged members of an al-Qaeda-linked terror group with plotting to bomb foreign targets in Lebanon, including the Italian and Ukrainian diplomatic missions, judicial officials said Saturday. But only nine of the 35 defendants are in police custody, the officials said on condition of anonymity. The remaining suspects, including Lebanese, Saudis, Palestinians and Syrians, remain at large.
"But don't worry, we got them surrounded!"
Lebanese police, in cooperation with Italian intelligence authorities, arrested 10 Lebanese men on Sept. 17 over alleged plots to bomb the Italian and Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Beirut, assassinate Western diplomats and attack Lebanese security facilities. One of the 10 detainees, Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib, died in custody last week from what police said was a heart attack. Thousands of al-Khatib supporters denounced Lebanese authorities, plus the United States and Israel, following his death.

Beirut military court judge Jean Fahd issued an indictment sheet Wednesday laying out the charges and accusations against the 35 suspects, which was also published in Lebanese newspapers. Of the 26 suspects at large, four are Saudis, five Palestinians and three Syrians. The remainder are either Lebanese citizens or people whose nationalities are unknown. Fahd accused the suspects of obtaining weapons and explosives to "carry out terrorist acts ... (by) targeting some foreign interests and security centers, including the Italian embassy in Beirut and Ukrainian consulate," plus local security targets.

The judge claimed that the suspects intended to use car bombs and other explosives to carry out the attacks.

Among the nine Lebanese men in custody is Ahmed Salim Mikati, who Lebanese officials have described as a mastermind of the plots and one of Lebanon's most dangerous criminals, who was allegedly trying to establish al-Qaida cells in the country. Mikati, 36, from northern Lebanon and the other detained suspects will be tried by a military court and if found guilty could face life in prison with hard labor. No trial date has been set.

Mikati was known to be hiding in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon. The camp is notorious for its lawlessness and as a refuge for fugitives and Islamic extremists. Lebanese authorities have no presence in the camps and officials did not say how they arrested al-Khatib.

Last month, Lebanese Prosecutor General Adnan Addoum Addoum said Mikati belonged to the "Dinniyah group" — a group of Muslim fundamentalists who fought Lebanese troops in the northern region of Dinniyah in 1999. More than 40 people, including 11 soldiers, were killed. While at large, the military court sentenced Mikati to death for involvement in attacks last year that wounded five people. That sentence is expected to stand now that he has been captured, but it remains unclear if authorities will actually carry out his execution.
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