William Noun, a spokesperson for one of the groups representing the relatives of the victims of the Beirut port blast, during a protest in Beirut, on Jan. 12, 2023. (Credit: Joao Sousa/L'Orient Today)
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State Security released bereaved activist William Noun Saturday, a day after he was taken into custody for comments about the Aug. 4, 2020 blast probe, perceived to be threatening to the judiciary. Noun reported to State Security Friday, after which he was held in custody for allegedly threatening during a televised interview to blow up the Beirut Justice Palace, his sister Nancy told L’Orient Today. During Noun’s arrest, state security patrol conducted a search of his family home, including “the belongings” of Noun’s brother, a member of the Fire Brigade who was killed while responding to the port blast, Nancy Noun added. Noun and fellow activist Peter Bou Saab, whose brother Joe was also killed in the explosion, face separate charges of rioting and vandalism following a protest, held at the Beirut Justice Palace last Tuesday, in which dozens of blast victims’ relatives decried the stalled investigation. The blast probe paralysis is linked to delayed judicial appointments — which are preventing rulings on complaints that political figures (who are themselves implicated in the case) have filed against lead investigator Judge Tarek Bitar. Noun’s arrest prompted accusatory statements from political groups, outrage among citizens and a protest that blocked the road outside the barracks where Noun was detained.
The Lebanese Army announced Friday it had rescued two children kidnapped nearly three months ago in the Bekaa Valley. Brothers Mouhannad and Ghaleb Aroub, 13 and 15 years old, were abducted while on their way home from school on Oct. 22, 2022. Upon their release, they were moved to the army garrison in Zahle’s Ablah barracks to await their parents’ arrival. The operation that secured the teens’ release follows several army raids, during which one alleged kidnapper was killed and another was injured, following protests by the abductees’ relatives and area residents. The kidnappers reportedly tortured the boys during their captivity in an attempt to extort ransom money. Majd Arroub, the boys’ father, told L’Orient Today he refused to pay the kidnappers’ ransom demands.
Financial difficulties threaten to interrupt the Railways and Shared Transportation Authority (OCFTC) newly deployed bus service within two weeks, OCFTC director Ziad Nasr told L’Orient Today. Facing a lack of state funding, OCFTC official Antoine Sahyouni said he expected the bus service would cease within “maybe a week, maybe 10 days, maybe five days. It depends, but not more than that.” The OCFTC intends to launch a tender to private sector actors to operate the 50 French-donated buses, only 10 of which are currently circulating due to shortages in financial, material, and human resources. “We do not have sufficient funds to finance the fuel and maintenance costs of more buses," Nasr said last December ahead of the new bus services’ launch. While still operational, the 10 buses circulate along four lines, charging riders LL20,000 per trip.
Hezbollah announced the enlistment of more than 9,000 new recruits a few days ahead of the interception of an Israeli drone by the Lebanese Army and a meeting between party head Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussing “the threats emerging” from the new Israeli government. The new recruits are reservists who “have their regular jobs in civilian life the rest of the time and cannot fully dedicate themselves to military activities. So not all of them are operational,” Mohanad Hajj Ali, a researcher at the Carnegie Middle East Center said. Nasrallah’s statement comes after the formation of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, a topic of concern during the party leader’s Friday meeting with the Iranian foreign minister. The same day, the Lebanese Army announced that members of a patrol in South Lebanon fired at an Israeli drone that had “violated Lebanese airspace,” though it was not clear whether they had managed to shoot down the drone.
In case you missed it, here’s our must-read story from over the weekend: “Newly launched Beirut bus service may be halted for lack of funds”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz