Latest news with #GeneralSecurityDirectorate
L'Orient-Le Jour
06-08-2025
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanese-Gabonese influencer arrested in Beirut for blackmailing Gabon's president
Gabonese influencer Nazih Marwan al-Azzi, of Lebanese descent, was arrested in early August in Beirut at the request of Gabonese authorities, according to Lebanon's General Security and a source cited by RFI (Radio France Internationale.) The 25-year-old is accused of attempting to blackmail Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema by demanding six billion CFA francs — about ten million dollars. In exchange for not releasing content he described as "compromising" against the president himself and other influential figures in the Gabonese regime, according to several international media outlets and the influencer's posts on Facebook. "The General Security Directorate has arrested Lebanese citizen Nazih Marwan al-Azzi for undermining diplomatic relations between the Lebanese state and the Gabonese state, which compromised the interests of the Lebanese community in Gabon," reads a statement from the institution published on Aug.t 1. This arrest comes after Nazih posted a first audio recording of what he presented as a private conversation between himself and the Gabonese head of state. The leak reportedly alarmed authorities in Libreville, especially since the influencer claims to possess no fewer than 46 other recordings and 14 "sensitive" videos. This blackmail attempt, made public on social media, sparked an outcry in Gabon and neighboring countries. The Lebanese community in Gabon, has been established for several generations, has distanced itself from their young compatriot, calling for respect for Gabon's institutions. "The Lebanese community in Gabon strongly and vigorously condemns the behavior of Nazih, considered a black sheep and a stray, who is damaging social harmony," wrote its president Hassan Mezher Nfoumou in a statement, while also expressing "total deference" toward the Gabonese president. Nazih, who had already been briefly detained and then released by Gabonese security services before leaving Libreville, repeated the act once he arrived in Lebanon by promising new revelations against Nguema. Possible extradition to Lebanon The Gabonese presidency has not yet officially responded to the case. According to RFI, judicial sources in Libreville said that the authorities were preparing to open a criminal investigation upon Nazih's arrival in the country. Although there is no judicial cooperation agreement between Beirut and Libreville, the two countries are reportedly negotiating a compromise for the possible return of Nazih to Gabon, where he could face charges of "organized group corruption, blackmail, and public insults," according to Gabonese media. Contacted by L'Orient Today, General Security did not immediately respond to our inquiries, while the extradition of a Lebanese citizen to a foreign country is prohibited under Lebanese law. The Gabonese-Lebanese, who has tens of thousands of followers on his social media accounts such as TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, made headlines in Gabon after posting videos critical of Gabonese authorities. He sometimes presents himself as an anti-corruption activist, sometimes as a victim of the "mafia regime," according to his own words. "I asked the chief for six billion, and they offered me a monthly income to keep quiet," he said in one of his latest audio files published on Aug. 1, 2025, before his arrest. Political opponents of Nguema, who won by landslide in the last elections in April 2025 two years after leading a military coup against former President Ali Bongo, accuse the young man of being a former collaborator of the Gabonese General Directorate of Special Services (DGSS) before turning against the current government. However, until last July 11, Nazih had been posting messages praising the Gabonese head of state. "The triumphant return of President Oligui: People march for their leader," he wrote on the day of Nguema's return from the United States, where he had met with several other African presidents and Donald Trump at the White House. Photos of his Lebanese passport, indicating he was born in 2000 in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and of his father, Marwan al-Azzi, are also circulating on Gabonese social media.
LBCI
29-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Return plan takes off: First convoy of Syrian refugees returns from Lebanon
Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Seventy-seven Syrian refugees departed Lebanon through the Masnaa border crossing on Tuesday, marking the first phase of a government-led plan for their organized return to Syria. The initiative, launched on July 1, 2025, is being implemented by Lebanon's General Security Directorate in coordination with Syrian authorities, and with the presence of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Though modest in number, the departure of two buses signaled a long-awaited political decision and the practical beginning of a pilot phase that the Lebanese government sees as critical in tackling one of its most pressing and complex challenges. Each refugee was allowed one suitcase weighing up to 30 kilograms inside the buses, while each family was allotted four cubic meters in an accompanying truck for larger belongings such as furniture and household items, according to information obtained by LBCI. Lebanon currently hosts nearly two million Syrian refugees, of whom around 1.45 million are registered with the UNHCR. The rest either entered the country legally but did not renew their residency permits or crossed the border irregularly. General Security has so far removed more than 120,000 names from UNHCR lists after confirming that those individuals had already returned to Syria. Meanwhile, registration for voluntary return remains ongoing. Over 20,000 refugees, primarily those registered with the UNHCR, have signed up so far. The plan also includes Syrians residing in Lebanon without valid permits who wish to return home. As the first buses slowly made their way toward the Syrian border, they carried not only passengers but years of displacement, political deadlock, and humanitarian uncertainty. While hopes are high for the success of this initiative, a lingering question remains: will the return be sustainable?
The National
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon set to return home with financial incentives
Up to 400,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon may be set to return home under a UN-backed plan providing financial incentives, according to a document seen by The National. Under the scheme endorsed by the Lebanese government, thousands have already registered to leave this week aided by $500 for each family, Lebanon's Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed said. Reuters reported the minister as saying Syrians will be provided with $100 before departing in addition to $400 for each family upon arrival in Syria. Transport costs are also covered, while border fees and fines for overstaying in Lebanon have been waived, a Lebanese security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The National. Last week, Lebanon's General Security Directorate – the country's primary intelligence body concerned with foreigners – implemented a three-month scheme to waive all fines related to entry and residency violations in a bid to encourage refugees to return to their home countries. 'In a best-case scenario, up to 400,000 Syrians, including 5,000 PRS [Palestinian refugees from Syria ], may voluntarily return from Lebanon by the end of 2025,' says a copy of the Lebanon Response Plan seen by The National. That number would constitute around 25 per cent of Lebanon's Syrian refugee population. Already, the document said, more than 123,000 Syrians have departed – around 65,000 of whom were verified by the UN refugee agency as having travelled home. The Lebanese government is prioritising the closure of informal tented settlements – unofficial refugee camps where around 200,000 refugees live, the Lebanese security official told The National. More than six million Syrians fled their country in the years after 2011 during a 13-year civil war. The vast majority sought refuge in nearby countries Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. Lebanon took in the highest concentration per capita, hosting 1.5 million refugees – accounting for around 25 per cent of Lebanon's population. Returning to Syria was previously viewed as unsafe during the war due to fears of prosecution by the Assad regime. Former president Bashar Al Assad was toppled in December by Islamist insurgents and since taking over, the new government has said all Syrians are welcome home. Syria is in need of major reconstruction, with much of the country struggling with a lack of basic infrastructure and services such as water and electricity.
The National
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
‘Terrorist cell' uncovered in Beirut was plotting attacks on major religious gathering
Members of a "terrorist cell" arrested in Beirut were plotting attacks on the Shiite community during Ashura religious events this weekend, security sources told The National. Lebanon's General Security Directorate said on Monday it had arrested a terrorist cell in Beirut that sought to carry out attacks in sensitive areas in the Lebanese capital. It said the cell was linked to extremist organisations and planned to launch synchronised attacks. The members had been monitored for several weeks. 'They were planning to attack large gatherings of Shiites during Ashoura this weekend,' one of the security sources said. 'This is terrifying. Lebanon is highly exposed in terms of security and entering a dangerous phase,' the security official added. For Shiite Muslims, Ashura marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, in 680AD, along with his family members and loyalists. Lebanon, a multi-faith country, has previously experienced attacks during religious events by extremist groups and armed militias. On Monday, before the arrests, a security official in Beirut told The National that Lebanon feared possible attacks by extremist groups following the deadly church bombing in neighbouring Syria. The Lebanese army announced last week the arrest of the suspected leader of ISIS in Lebanon, accusing him of planning attacks. The man, identified as RF and also known by the alias Qasoura, was captured after a series of surveillance and intelligence efforts by the military's Intelligence Directorate. Threat far from over Weapons, ammunition and drone-making equipment were seized during the raid, the army said. 'He was educated, a school teacher of chemistry with experience in telecommunications and surveillance,' a security source told The National on Sunday. The army described him as a "prominent leader of the terrorist organisation Daesh" and said he had assumed control of the group's Lebanon branch following the arrests of several senior figures in December, including his predecessor, known as Abu Saeed Al Shami. Authorities fear that dormant ISIS and other extremist cells in Lebanon could now be activated in retaliation or as part of a wider plan to destabilise the country. The concerns come amid renewed instability in neighbouring Syria, where a suicide bomber killed at least 25 people at a Damascus church earlier this month. Syrian authorities blamed ISIS for the attack. Although largely driven underground after a major military defeat in 2017, ISIS and other extremist groups have fought bloody battles with the Lebanese army in the past and carried out bombings against Hezbollah and its supporters. Now, with Syria's political landscape shifting after the collapse of President Bashar Al Assad's regime last year, Lebanese officials warn that the threat is far from over.
Shafaq News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Ayatollah Sistani's office raided in Damascus, Baghdad protests to Syrian authorities
Shafaq News/ Individuals claiming ties to the General Security Directorate in Rural Damascus raided the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, vandalizing property and abusing staff, according to a complaint from the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus. The embassy, in an official note addressed to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent similar incidents, describing the raid, as 'a provocation to the feelings of millions of followers of the supreme religious authority in Iraq and around the world.' The statement warned that the actions amounted to a clear affront to the religious standing of the Shia cleric, whose role is widely recognized for 'moderation, wisdom, and a tolerant approach across the Islamic world and beyond.' Reaffirming Iraq's position, the embassy stressed its commitment to 'preserving Syria's social peace and ensuring the rights of all religious, sectarian, and ethnic groups.' It called on Syrian authorities to 'hold those responsible to account and prevent such practices from recurring.'
