Lebanon’s Military Tribunal has sentenced to death in absentia the commander of the former South Lebanon Army on charges of collaborating with Israel, a step which was seen as a way stop him receiving payments from the Lebanese government.
Major General Antoine Lahd was not present in court, though notifications of the trial were posted in Marjayoun, as well as his in hometown of Kfar Qatra in the Chouf. He currently resides in Israel.
According to the Lebanese Daily Star, Lahd was charged with enlistment in the Israeli Army, heading a militia that collaborated with Israel, revealing information to the Jewish state, perpetrating terrorist acts, entering Israel, possessing unlicensed military weapons and contacting Israeli intelligence.
Lahd was also stripped of his civil rights, which included an end to his pension as a former Lebanese Army officer. Retired major generals receive a LL2.7 million monthly salary as an end-of-service indemnity.
Defense Minister Khalil Hrawi had previously said his ministry could not block the salary unless Lahd was stripped of his rights or his nationality.
The tribunal previously sentenced Lahd to death in absentia in 1996 on similar charges of collaboration, as well as illegal expropriation of public lands and forming an association with the aim of undermining the state authority and perpetrating crimes against citizens.
Families of SLA victims predict Nabatieh’s judiciary to issue additional verdicts against Lahd concerning several lawsuits filed. The SLA was trained and financed by Israel to help police a zone on Lebanese soil in order to protect Israel’s northern border, prior to Israel’s withdrawal from the South in 2000. (Albawaba.com)
