By Patrick Galey and Carol Rizk BEIRUT: Militant Sunni Muslim preacher Omar Bakri was arrested Sunday following a violent stand-off with security forces, just hours after boasting he would not spend a day in jail upon being sentenced to life imprisonment for “terrorism” offenses.
The National News Agency (NNA) reported that Bakri was involved in an altercation with security forces close to his home in Tripoli after resisting arrest.
“The self-styled religious-fundamentalist cleric was apprehended following a shootout with security operatives in Abou Samra, Tripoli, which left no casualties,” the NNA said.
Bakri “has been placed under lock and key by Internal Security Forces (ISF) intelligence undercover operatives early today,” it added.
Bakri, who was sentenced in absentia Thursday, was detained upon the request of a tribunal judge for undermining the state authority and inciting violence against the Lebanese Army.
Following the pronouncement of the court’s verdict the preacher had also given successive interviews in which he denied the legitimacy of the military court that had tried him.
A police statement confirmed that the fundamentalist preacher had tried to escape his arresters.
“As the patrol went to arrest him … he tried to flee. A member of the security forces opened fire and two bullets hit the back tires,” it said. Bakri was transferred to Beirut following his arrest.
A senior security officer said that Bakri had been under surveillance by intelligence agencies since his return to Lebanon in 2005, following his expulsion from Britain.
“Bakri is hiding behind his supposed status as a preacher. The truth is his activities are intelligence and illegal activities and he has many networks working for him,” the officer told The Daily Star. “The [ISF] Information Branch has been observing him since he entered Lebanese territory upon his return from Britain due to his suspected connection with the charges mentioned in the verdict of the Military Tribunal and due to other suspicious activities.”
The officer said that extra charges may be brought against Bakri, who was sentenced to life in jail Thursday after being convicted of inciting murder and supporting contraband militant groups.
The officer said that extra charges may be brought against Bakri, who was sentenced to life in jail Thursday after being convicted of inciting murder and supporting contraband militant groups.
“The Branch keeps a complete file that will be inspected one final time before being sent to the Military Tribunal. This file may lead to filing several lawsuits against Bakri in addition to the current case at the Military Tribunal,” he said.
Bakri was found guilty along with 53 individuals of Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian and Saudi nationalities. Of those convicted, 22 were sentenced in absentia, including Bakri, who claimed ignorance of the trial and challenged security forces to arrest him in an interview Friday with The Daily Star.
The controversial cleric, who has joint Lebanese-Syrian nationality, spent 20 years preaching in Britain following involvement with Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb ut-Tahrir in Lebanon. He shot to notoriety following the September 11 attacks in the United States, praising the perpetrators of attacks which killed roughly 3,000 as the “magnificent 19.”
Bakri has two wives – one British and one Lebanese – and is awaiting the birth of his eighth child.
He returned to Tripoli after being barred by the UK government of travelling to London. Judicial sources, following his sentencing, said Bakri had been involved in Fatah al-Islam attacks on the Lebanese Army which preceded the 2007 Nahr al-Bared conflict.
A judicial source with information on Bakri’s file told The Daily Star that it was possible the cleric would be retried following his arrest. His in absentia verdict could be rescinded, the source said.
“Because he was arrested, the verdict issued against him will be cancelled and he will be tried again. The second decision might differ from the first verdict,” the source said. “[Bakri] is currently at the Military Tribunal and he will remain there until his trial. He is being detained with other suspects in the cell.”
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