One of the halls of Beirut airport. (Credit: L'Orient-Le Jour)
The case involving $2.5 million in cash seized from the suitcase of a passenger who arrived on Feb. 28 at the Beirut airport and allegedly destined for Hezbollah is being examined by various judicial bodies. Acting Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Jamal Hajjar, initiated proceedings in this case before transferring the file to the newly appointed general prosecutor at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, Sami Sader, who succeeded Ghada Aoun on Monday. Judge Sader subsequently forwarded the file on Wednesday to the chief investigative judge of the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, Nicolas Mansour, according to a judicial source contacted by L'Orient-Le Jour.
The ownership of this money, which was transported by a man arriving from Turkey, was claimed earlier this week by the Higher Shiite Council, the highest religious authority of the Shiite community in Lebanon, confirmed this source to L'Orient-Le Jour. The council, known to be close to Hezbollah, sent a note to the Lebanese judiciary requesting the return of this sum, which is said to be intended as donations received from organizations abroad. Contacted on Tuesday by L’Orient-Le Jour, the council's spokesperson said they had no information on the matter.
On Feb. 28, three sources confirmed to Reuters the seizure at of $2.5 million in cash intended for Hezbollah. One of these sources said, however, that this was the first seizure of its kind.
According to information from the MTV channel on Monday, the suspect arrested at the airport was handed the money at the free zone of Sabiha Gökcen Airport in Istanbul by a man from Iran. The suspect, who had left without luggage, reportedly returned with a suitcase to Beirut. MTV claims to have information suggesting the money was intended for Hezbollah, a claim denied by the traveler.
Hezbollah's financial situation has significantly deteriorated after 13 months of war against Israel and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria in early December, thus cutting the direct supply line between Tehran and the party. Supply difficulties have been exacerbated by the reinforced control of land, sea, and air borders, and increased monitoring by Washington and Tel Aviv of alternative smuggling routes operating via Turkey.
Israel has repeatedly accused the party of using Lebanon's only airport to receive weapons and money from Iran. On Feb. 17, Lebanon announced the indefinite extension of the suspension of flights to and from Iran after having refused to grant landing permits for two flights of Mahan Air due to Israeli threats to bomb Beirut airport. These bans provoked demonstrations by Hezbollah supporters, who blocked the road leading to the airport, near the southern suburbs of the capital where the party is heavily implanted.