Lebanon Extradites Two Saudi Nationals to Riyadh

Lebanese authorities deported to Riyadh two Saudi nationals based on a request by their country as another batch of detainees is expected to follow, a Saudi diplomat told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Wednesday.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri confirmed in remarks to the daily that the Lebanese state extradited Abdullah Ahmed Mohammed al-Bishi to Riyadh on Tuesday evening.

Asiri said that the Lebanese authorities cooperated with its Saudi counterparts to resolve the conditions of Saudi detainees in Beirut, noting that the embassy is working on deporting all Saudi inmates back to their home country.

“Al-Bishi was detained over terrorism charges but he was later on acquitted,” Asiri told the newspaper.

Al-Bishi was reportedly detained by the Internal Security Force intelligence bureau during an attempt to flee to Syria via the country's northern border.

The detainee allegedly confessed then for bribing several people to organize his escape operation to Syria after he found out that he was lured into Lebanon.

Al-Bishi was detained for being involved in a Fatah al-Islam assault against the army, however, he was later acquitted.

The Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon was almost totally destroyed during a months-long conflict between the Lebanese army and the al-Qaida-inspired group Fatah al-Islam in 2007.

The fighting killed some 400 people, including 168 soldiers. Some Islamist leaders escaped despite the army siege of the camp.

The inmates were arrested on charges of fighting or aiding the Fatah al-Islam fighters in Nahr al-Bared that lies near the northern coastal city of Tripoli.

Several of them have escaped from Roumieh in daring prison breaks.

Another Saudi national identified as Meshaal al-Omari, who was detained over drugs charges, was also deported to Saudi Arabia.

Asiri said that the two detainees traveled to Riyadh via Beirut's Rafik Hariri International airport, accompanied by Saudi bodyguards.

H.K.

G.K.