Adonis Diaries

Hot headed Salafist? Lebanese from Saida, Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir

Note: He is now jailed for life. His uprising against the army failed miserably, and a few soldiers died in that battle. He was caught at the airport after shaving his beard.

BEIRUT: A suspect arrested following clashes between the Army and gunmen  loyal to Salafist  Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir  admitted during investigations he  had transferred quantities of weapons to the complex once controlled by the  fiery preacher, the military said Tuesday.

“During the investigation with [Ghali] Hadara, he admitted he transferred  large amounts of arms and ammunition to the so-called security perimeter in  Abra,” the Army said in a statement, referring to the eastern neighborhood of  Sidon, south Lebanon.

Suspect admits sending arms to  Assir complex: Lebanese Army July 02, 2013  04:52 PM (Last updated: July 02, 2013 05:24 PM)

The caption says: “You stand as a lion, you have a vulture eyes, and your heart is that of a tiger: You are indeed a wild and strange animal”

Read more:  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Jul-02/222303-suspect-admits-sending-arms-to-assir-complex-lebanese-army.ashx#ixzz2Y00ffVER (The Daily Star :: Lebanon News ::  http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

“The last [weapons’ transfer] took place two days before the attack against  the Army checkpoint in the said [Abra] area,” it added.

Lebanese  soldiers gesture at the entrance of the Bilal Bin Rabah complex in Abra ,  Tuesday, June 25, 2013. (The Daily Star/Mohammed Zaatari)

Read more:  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Jul-02/222303-suspect-admits-sending-arms-to-assir-complex-lebanese-army.ashx#ixzz2Y000OOJN
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News ::  http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

The clashes erupted on June 23 after gunmen loyal to Assir opened fire on an  Army checkpoint situated near a complex controlled by the fiery sheikh in Abra.

The initial attack on the checkpoint led to the death of three soldiers.  Eighteen soldiers and at least 28 of Assir’s fighters were killed in the two  days of fighting that ended with the military seizing control of the Abra  complex.

Assir’s fate is unknown.

The arrest of Hadara, who hails from Tripoli  and is believed to be a supporter of Assir, stirred protests in the northern city and aggravated Salafist sheikhs who  accused the Army earlier Tuesday of conspiring with Hezbollah  against Sunni  youths.

The Army said Hadara was arrested on June 28 at a Kesrouan resort.

During the  arrest, the military said it also seized items used for making explosives. The  items were electronic detonators and fuses, the Army said.

Hadara, according to the Army, also appeared in footage alongside a partisan  of Assir, singer Fadel Shaker.

In the footage, the Army said, Shaker admitted to  killing two soldiers during the Abra clashes.

Salafist sheikhs met earlier Tuesday in the north of the country and slammed  the Army’s conduct in both Tripoli and Abra. They accused the military of  conspiring with Hezbollah against “Sunni youth.”

In a statement following the clashes in Abra, the Army said it fought alone  against Assir’s fighters. Hezbollah has also denied fighting alongside the  military.

Read more:  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Jul-02/222303-suspect-admits-sending-arms-to-assir-complex-lebanese-army.ashx#ixzz2XzzpiRna (The Daily Star :: Lebanon News ::  http://www.dailystar.com.lb)