Naharnet - Army Arrests Two of Makassed Hospital Attackers

After the attack on the emergency ward of the Islamic Makassed Hospital in Beirut on the night of July 7/8 by unidentified assailants, the intelligence directory conducted a series of investigations and inquiries through which it was able to identify the identity of the attackers, and to arrest two of them after observation, the Army Command - Orientation Directorate announced Friday.
The army identified the two detainees only by their initials -- H. M., Palestinian, and M. N., Lebanese.

The detainees are being interrogated in order to unveil whether they were involved in other crimes, the army added.

President of the Private Hospitals Association Suleiman Haroun has threatened to shutdown emergency rooms across Lebanon unless immediate action is taken to protect hospitals.

"If action was not taken within two or three days to protect hospitals, we will order the closure of all emergency departments," Haroun warned.

His remarks came a day after gunmen attacked Makassed hospital in Beirut and began spraying gunfire randomly.

None of the hospital staff was hurt in Thursday's 6:00 am attack, but the hospital sustained damage.

The assault also forced the hospital to close the emergency ward pending appropriate security protection.

The attackers, who apparently were relatives of the man with an arm injury, had demanded immediate care for him.

A hospital statement said the gunmen began shooting and breaking glass inside rooms after the patient was given "appropriate" medical care.

An-Nahar newspaper on Friday said police arrested a man suspected of involvement in the shooting while search continued for the remaining attackers.

Health Minister Mohammed Jawad Khalife on Friday discussed ways to curb hospital attacks with Haroun, president of the Doctors Association Sharaf Abu Sharaf and head of the North Lebanon Hospitals Association Fawaz Baba.

"There can be several reasons behind this phenomenon, mainly the absence of security and accountability," Khalife said at the end of the meeting.