A Lebanese who was known for collaborating with Israeli enemy was found killed east of the southern city of Sidon on Sunday, with local media relating the shooing to the case of notorious collaborator Amer Fakhoury who was airlifted by the US outside country despite a travel ban issued against him.
Antoine Youssef Al-Hayek retired policeman was found killed Sunday morning inside his grocery shop in the town of Miyeh w Miyeh near Sidon, the National News Agency said, adding that Military Police began investigations into the incident.
Local media reported he was shot by a silencer-equipped pistol from a close distance.
Al-Hayek has been known for his leading role at the Khiam Israeli prison, where he tortured Lebanese prisoners. He was responsible for the murder of at least two prisoners, and had relation with Amer Fakhoury.
Editor of Israeli affairs at Al-Manar TV Hasan Hijazi, who was also a prisoner at Israeli jails, narrated on Sunday some of what he knew about Al-Hayek.
“Antoine Al-Hayek was well known, among other prison guards, of using to turn the prisoners into a punching bag, and beat and kick them. He was also known for whipping prisoners,” Hijazi posted on his Twitter account on Sunday.
Hundreds of collaborators with Israeli enemy fled to the Zionist entity following the liberation of south Lebanon in 2000, including Fakhoury, fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences.
Al-Hayek was one of those who stayed in Lebanon. He was brought to trial in 2001 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail. But then, he was released because of a “statute of limitations”.
Reports on Sunday related shooting of Al-Hayek to the case of Fakhoury, an ex-commander in the so-called South Lebanon Army (SLA) – a proxy militia backed by Israeli occupation during the 1982-2000 occupation of Lebanon.
The reports said that the shooting could be a message of retaliation to Fakhoury’s release.
Fakhoury oversaw the torture of thousands at the Khiam Prison in the 1980s and 1990s and was personally involved in the murder of several detainees, earning him the nickname “Butcher of Khiam.” Last week, he was acquitted by the military court following pressures by the United States, which then on Thursday (March 19) airlifted Fakhoury outside the country, in a move considered as a violation of the Lebanese sovereignty and came despite a travel ban issued against him.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
