Lebanon’s Judicial Council Sentences 23 Terrorists to Death

Lebanon’s Judicial Council sentenced 23 people to death Friday over their involvement in the 2007 Fatah al-Islam attacks on the Army, a judicial source said.

The source added that three other terrorists were included in the Judiciary decision, one of them, Rafat Khalil, was sentenced to 15-year hard labor, the second, Khodor Merhi, was sentenced to seven years in prison, while the other, Fadi Ibrahim, was found innocent and released from custody.

The Judicial Council has proofs that the defendants belong to Fatah al-Islam, and sought different ways to support the group and achieve its objectives.

“They also sought to create a destabilized security ground in Lebanon, through acts of terrorism, bombings, killings, looting and other crimes, in order to weaken the Lebanese state and to erode trust in its institutions, led by the Lebanese army, as a prelude to establish a takfiri radical emirate firstly in North Lebanon firstly, before being extended to all Lebanese regions,” the Judicial council said in a statement.

The convicted terrorists were involved as well in fighting the Lebanese army and internal security forces, whether by firing shots and rockets, or by using explosives.

“Those acts left number of military personnel martyred and several others killed, in addition to the destruction of Lebanese army facilities, in whole or in part, with their knowledge they belong to others. They also deliberately sabotaged and destructed military cars and vehicles by firing shots and rocket-propelled grenades at them,” the statement added.

Al-Manar

Maher Taki