Ain el-Hilweh Leadership to Investigate Mawlawi's Presence, Rejects Shaker's Statements
The Palestinian leadership at the southern Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp pledged to investigate the presence of Islamist fugitive Shadi al-Mawlawi and singer turned fugitive Islamist Fadel Shaker, fearing the occurrence of a war similar to Nahr al-Bared.
As Safir newspaper reported on Monday that contacts are ongoing between the Army intelligence and the Higher Palestinian leadership at Ain el-Hilweh over Shaker's recent statements and Mawlawi's reported presence in the camp.
The Army intelligence reportedly urged the Palestinian leadership to investigate Mawlawi's presence in Ain el-Hilweh and carry out the necessary measures in this regard.
Media reports said last week that Mawlawi fled Bab al-Tabbaneh neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli to take the southern refugee camp as a refuge to prepare for a security operation in cooperation with wanted Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, who is also hiding there.
Al-Asir had gone into hiding following deadly clashes between his supporters and the army near Sidon in June last year.
Mawlawi has been charged with belonging to an armed terrorist group in order to stage terrorist acts, and holing up at a Tripoli mosque with the aim of preparing bombs and explosive devices to target Lebanese troops in the area.
Earlier this month, the militia led by Mawlawi and Osama Mansour clashed with the army in Tripoli and Akkar district. The gunbattles left dozens of fighters, soldiers and civilians dead and injured.
“The Palestinians have no interest in harboring a fugitive wanted on terrorist charges,” Palestinian sources told As Safir newspaper.
The sources also slammed recent comments by Shaker after the Army intelligence said they will leave a bad effect on ties between the military and the camp's leadership.
Shaker stressed on Saturday that his ties with Asir have reached an end after the 2013 Abra clashes.
“I will not hand myself over to the judiciary,” Shaker said, denying that he assaulted the army during the clashes with the army in the southern town of Abra, near the city of Sidon.
Shaker had fled justice more than a year ago following bloody incidents that erupted in June 2013 in Abra, between the army and supporters of al-Asir.
Sidon’s clashes were the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria, and have resulted in the death of at least 16 troops.
According to As Safir a Palestinian higher political committee held a meeting on Sunday night to tackle Mawlawi's and Shaker's cases.
Sources described the meeting as “stormy,” fearing that a war similar to the northern refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared would occur in Ain el-Hilweh.
“We will evict Mawlawi if he was found at the camp,” the sources quoted gatherers as saying, revealing that a committee was formed to investigate the matter.
Nahr al-Bared was almost totally destroyed in the fierce fighting between the military and a small al-Qaida-inspired group called Fatah al-Islam in 2007.
Some 400 people were killed, including 168 soldiers, and 30,000 camp residents fled.
H.K.
G.K.
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