3 Women Referred to Judiciary over Smuggling of Palestinians, Lebanese to Libya

The Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch detained on Thursday three women in the southern port city of Sidon linked to the smuggling of Lebanese and Palestinian people to Italy on a ferry traveling from Libya.

Two Lebanese women identified as Ghinwa Z. and Rita R., who own a traveling agency, and a Palestinian female Hasiba H. were arrested by police in Sidon, media reports said.

The state-run National News Agency said that a Sudanese national was also arrested.

The detainees were interrogated over charges of facilitating the illegal travel of people to Libya.

Later on Thursday, NNA said the women were referred to South Prosecutor Rafih Ramadan after the end of the preliminary interrogation.

“A search and arrest warrant was circulated for Sudanese national Mohammed al-Mikkawi over his role as an intermediary between the women and a group operating in the same manner outside Lebanon,” the agency added.

Media reports pointed out that the migrants have been leaving Lebanon to Sudan illegally then entering Libya through the desert and off to Italy via the sea.

A ferry carrying illegal migrants from Libya to Italy, including Lebanese and Palestinians, sank off the port of Sabratha.

The southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh announced on Monday the survival of seven illegal Palestinian immigrants on the ferry, while a person was still missing.

H.K./Y.R.