March 2010 - Daily Star - Fatah al Islam inmates riot at Roumieh prison

BEIRUT: Roumieh prison was the scene of a stand-off between Islamist inmates and security personnel on Friday. Security sources said the inmates, from the Fatah al-Islam group, objected to restrictions on their face-to-face meetings with relatives, and the quality of food they receive in jail, which they deemed “impure.” The inmates broke some windows, threw the glass into the jail’s courtyard, and banged on windows and doors. The commotion prompted security personnel to lock down their cells and deploy in the corridors and the courtyard of the facility to contain the unrest. The head of the Gendarmarie, Brigadier Antoine Shakour, rushed to the prison where he handled negotiations with the protesters in a bid to contain the situation. Unconfirmed reports said the prisoners launched their protest when Roumieh officials tried to transfer five Fatah al-Islam inmates to another building, but official security sources denied this. Several clerics also took part in negotiating an end to the stand-off. – The Daily Star