SIDON, Lebanon: A gang of suspected thieves alleged to be behind a pharmacy robbery in the southern city of Sidon earlier this week has been detained by the elite Palestinian security force in Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp and handed over to the Lebanese Army.
The military intelligence now holds the four fugitives, who were identified as Syrian nationals Samir Ahmad, Bashir Ahmad and Mohammad Abbousi, and Lebanese national Abdel-Rahman Sheghri.
“Those fugitives or robbers cannot mess with the camp’s security or the security of the surroundings,” Maj. Gen. Sobhi Abu Arab, the head of the Higher Palestinian Security Committee that governs the elite security force, said after transferring the suspects to the Army Friday.
The elite forces’ chief Brig. Gen. Khaled al-Shayeb was also present for the transfer, which was performed at an Army checkpoint near the upper entrance to the camp.
“One of the robbers had escaped into the camp while he originally lived outside it. We arrested him and brought the second from the nearby Taamir neighborhood into the camp for interrogation,” he said. “We coordinated with the Lebanese Army Intelligence at every step.”
An amount of money and a quantity of drugs that were found with on the suspects were also submitted to the military.
The elite force has been responsible for the Palestinian camp’s security since July 2014, and combines representatives of all factions.
It was formed to end the clashes and tensions that had erupted frequently between different armed groups, and to end instability in an area where Lebanese security forces are not present.
Shayeb said his forces regularly “arrest, interrogate and punish” criminals in the camp, but this case needed to be handed over to the Lebanese authorities because it included an assault on an off-camp establishment.
Advertisement
No comments:
Post a Comment