ISF arrests suspect in Beirut stabbing, 11 months after crime
"On Aug. 3, 2024 an altercation occurred in the Ras al-Nabaa area between [N. S., born in 1982, Lebanese] and [M. D. K., born in 2003], due to a financial dispute, which developed into a fistfight. During the altercation, the former stabbed the latter with a knife in his chest, after which he took him to the emergency department of a hospital and fled", the ISF statement reads.
As a result of the investigations and inquiries carried out by the ISF's Information Division at the time, it turned out that N.S. fled the country, and "an arrest warrant was issued against him."
On June 16, 2025, N.S. returned to Lebanon illegally through the Syrian border. According to the statement, 2o days after his return to Lebanon, the ISF managed to locate him in the village of Charoun (Aley district) where he was ambushed and arrested",
"Under interrogation, he confessed to what was attributed to him, and that after the stabbing operation, he fled to Syria, then to several countries", the statement continues.
"The legal requirements were carried out against him, and he was sent to the relevant authority, based on the reference of the competent judiciary", the statement concludes.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Prison food: Suppliers demand cash payments or threaten to halt deliveries
The providers responsible for supplying meals and food products to Lebanese prisons are threatening to suspend their deliveries starting at the end of July if the state does not quickly pay them the money it owes, in cash and in advance, as was done until recently, the official National News Agency (NNA) reported Wednesday. In a statement addressed to the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces (ISF), the suppliers denounced the lack of funds to cover the amounts owed to them as of July 31, 2025. They lamented that their request for an additional 75 billion Lebanese pounds to cover payments for May and June has gone unanswered. "In response, the Finance Ministry proposed to make payments to the ISF in the form of bank transfers. This is a solution we cannot accept," they said. The suppliers cited payment delays of several months due to administrative routines, but also their fear of another collapse of the Lebanese pound and a rise in prices. "Once invoices are issued, they take about a month to be signed by the director general, then are sent to the Finance Ministry, where processing takes more than three months," they lamented. They also expressed fear of a new depreciation of the Lebanese pound, recalling the heavy losses suffered during the previous financial crisis when the value of their capital plummeted due to the fall of the national currency. "If our payments are not made in cash, we simply risk bankruptcy," they warned, threatening to follow through on their warning if no solution is found. Since the collapse of the Lebanese pound in October 2019, Lebanon has seen the rise of an economy operating primarily in cash, fueled by mistrust of banks that have been paralyzed for five years. This is a reality authorities are attempting to reverse, so far without result.
L'Orient-Le Jour
5 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Rumors, tension over Syrian Druze militia leader's whereabouts in Lebanon: What we know
BEIRUT — Dozens of angry people gathered in front of the Raj hotel in Aley on Tuesday night following rumors claiming that Syrian Druze military leader Laith al-Balous — who some accuse of being expelled from the Syrian city of Sweida over disputes with Druze factions — was staying there. However, Balous told the Saudi news channel Al-Hadath on Wednesday that he was still in the province of Sweida. A source at the establishment and another close to the main Druze political party, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), told L'Orient Today on Wednesday that Sheikh al-Balous was not present at the scene. Earlier this month, clashes took place between Druze armed groups and Sunni Bedouin tribes in Sweida, backed by governmental forces, leading to massacres that killed more than 1,300 people, including hundreds of civilians. Al-Balous leads a Druze faction called the "forces of dignity," a group that split from the Men of Dignity (a federation of Druze tribes led by Laith's father, Wahid al-Balous). He has cooperated with Damascus and is seen as the regime's primary liaison in Sweida. During the clashes, he has facilitated the army's entry into Druze-held villages. However, after the regime forces pulled out from Sweida and reports of atrocities against Druze emerged, researcher Cédric Labrousse claimed that Laith "may fear for his life." Al-Balous in the Raj hotel? On Tuesday, reports on social media claimed that the Lebanese Army imposed a cordon around the Raj Hotel in Aley after the arrival of Laith al-Balous and that dozens of young men tried to storm the hotel amid gunfire. Contacted by L'Orient Today, a security source was "unable to confirm" these reports on Wednesday. Meanwhile, three mokhtars of Aley said they had no information on the alleged incident. The rumors intensified when the founder of the Druze Tawhid party and former minister Wiam Wahhab wrote on X on Tuesday: "We heard that party members brought a Sheikh, who was expelled from Sweida and pursued by the people [of the city], to Lebanon without stamping his papers at the border. We will follow up on this matter because it is dangerous and unacceptable, and we hope no one is trying to spark strife between people, as whoever is expelled from Sweida will not be welcomed here. The blood of our people is a red line, and whoever tampers with it will be punished." During the Sweida clashes, Wahhab, who says he does not oppose Israeli support to Druze factions in Syria, took a controversial stance, calling for the creation of a militia dubbed the 'Tawhid Army" to support the Druze community there militarily. In comments made to Al-Hadath, Balous stated that he was 'within the geographical boundaries of the province of Sweida' and that he was 'overseeing what is happening there.' Denying that he was in Lebanon, he claimed that these rumors 'were spread by figures with ties to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Iran and Hezbollah,' in a probable reference to Wahhab. He finally accused 'certain parties,' without naming them, of 'wanting to push Lebanon into sedition.' Contacted by L'Orient Today on Wednesday, a source at the Raj Hotel said that the Lebanese army was dispatched to the hotel for two hours after around 100 men gathered near it. The source added that there was no attempt to storm the hotel and no gunfire took place. It noted that those who gathered in the area, as well as the Lebanese Army, left the premises after the latter confirmed that al-Balous was not in the hotel. PSP involved? A source close to PSP also denied the reports about the sheikh's stay at the Raj hotel and the alleged gunfire: "The rumor is not true, it is a fabrication," it said, noting that the army was present to prevent those who gathered near the hotel from approaching it. An X account, under the name of "Mira Medusa" claimed on Tuesday, without citing any source, that al-Balous was smuggled out through the hotel's parking garage, adding that he was secretly moved to the residence of PSP MP Akram Chehayeb in preparation for his transfer to Mukhtara in the Chouf, which is the political stronghold of the Joumblatt family. The source close to PSP denied these claims, saying that the party does not know anything about al-Balous nor does it have a direct relationship with him. The source added that, to its knowledge, the sheikh is not even in Lebanon. The PSP is politically opposed to Wiam Wahhab, who was a close ally of the Assad regime before its collapse in December 2024. While Wahhab is a strong critic of the new Syrian authorities, Walid Joumblatt, the former leader of PSP, has stressed the importance of preserving Syria's unity and promoting understanding among all its citizens under the authority of the Syrian state. These rumors take place as fears from a sectarian spillover from Syria to Lebanon are being voiced by several political leaders, notably Joumblatt, who has been calling for unity and calm.
L'Orient-Le Jour
13 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Far-right Israeli lawmakers seek to visit Gaza to 'explore settlement possibilities'
Release of two Australian nationals detained on humanitarian ship Handala Tan Safi and Robert Martin, two Australian nationals detained by the Israeli army aboard the humanitarian vessel Handala bound for Gaza, have been released, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, as reported by Al Jazeera. The Handala, carrying food and medicine along with 21 unarmed civilians, was intercepted by the Israeli military off the coast of Gaza on Saturday night. According to the same source, Safi and Martin were released from Givon Prison in the city of Ramla and have since been transferred to the Australian Embassy in Jordan. Far-right ministers and MPs request visit to Gaza to 'explore settlement possibilities.' Israeli far-right ministers and members of the ruling coalition have asked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for permission to visit the northern Gaza Strip to "explore the possibilities for settlement", according to Haaretz. They argue that the area is fully under Israeli military control, is empty of Palestinians, and poses no significant security restrictions. Signatories include Likud ministers Miki Zohar, May Golan, and Shlomo Karhi, as well as Itamar Ben-Gvir, Amichay Eliyahu, and Yitzhak Wasserlauf from the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, the left-leaning Israeli daily reports. 12:12 Beirut Time Syria denies claims that Sweida is under government siege Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine el-Baba stated that allegations claiming the southern province of Sweida is under siege by the Syrian government are "completely false and misleading," according to the official Syrian news agency SANA. He added: 'The Syrian government has opened humanitarian corridors to deliver aid to our civilian compatriots in the province, in cooperation with local and international humanitarian organizations, and to allow the temporary departure of those wishing to leave areas controlled by outlawed groups.' Israeli drone drops bomb near cemetery in Aita al-Shaab, South Lebanon An Israeli drone dropped a bomb near the cemetery of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon, according to our regional correspondent. No casualties were reported. 12:08 Beirut Time UK rejects criticism that recognizing Palestinian state rewards Hamas The United Kingdom has rejected criticism suggesting that its move toward recognizing a Palestinian state amounts to rewarding Hamas. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has issued an ultimatum to Israel, giving it until September to take steps to improve the situation in Gaza and advance peace efforts. This prompted a sharp response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed it was tantamount to "rewarding Hamas and punishing the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack." Asked about this criticism, UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander, speaking on behalf of the government during a round of media interviews, said: 'This is not a reward for Hamas. Hamas is a vile terrorist organization that has committed horrific atrocities. This is about the Palestinian people. It's about the children we see starving in Gaza.' 'We need to increase pressure on the Israeli government to lift restrictions and allow the return of humanitarian aid to Gaza,' she told LBC radio. 11:34 Beirut Time France and 14 countries, including Canada and Australia, are calling on the international community to express their willingness to recognize a Palestinian state, according to the French Foreign Minister. " In New York, along with 14 other countries, France is issuing a joint appeal: we express our intention to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who have not yet done so to join us," wrote Jean-Noel Barrot on X, following the 'New York Appeal' made after a ministerial conference at the UN aimed at advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel reportedly considering 'alternatives' to Gideon's Chariots Operation in Gaza Israeli radio has reported that Israeli security organizations are exploring several "alternatives" to the military's 'Operation Gideon's Chariots' in Gaza, which they consider to have failed, particularly regarding the release of hostages still held in the enclave. These alternatives include an 'extreme option' involving territorial annexation, a total blockade of populated areas in Gaza, and a ban on all food aid. However, these plans remain "theoretical," according to a source cited by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, pending progress in negotiations with Hamas. 11:27 Beirut Time South Lebanon: Machine gun fire on Kfar Shuba Israeli machine gun fire has reportedly targeted the outskirts of Kfar Shuba, in the Hasbaya district, as Israeli drones continue to fly over the entire South. 11:25 Beirut Time Naim Qassem to speak at 6:30 p.m. in tribute to Fouad Shukur In the context of these ongoing Israeli violations and attacks, and debates over Hezbollah disarmament, Hezbollah's deputy secretary-general Naim Qassem is scheduled to give a speech at 6:30 p.m. today to commemorate the first anniversary of the assassination of Fouad Shukur, a former military official of the group, killed on July 30 last year in an Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut. 11:24 Beirut Time French-led diplomatic appeal for recognition of Palestine France and 14 other countries — including Canada and Australia — are calling on the international community to express their support for recognizing a Palestinian state, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has announced. 'In New York, with 14 other countries, France is issuing a collective appeal: we express our will to recognize the State of Palestine and invite those who haven't done so to join us,' Barrot posted on X. This 'New York Appeal' was made following a ministerial conference at the U.N. focused on advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
