U.S. Senator Says Fakhoury 'is Finally Coming Home'
A Lebanese-American citizen who had faced decades-old murder and torture charges in Lebanon has been freed, a U.S. senator who had pushed for his release announced Thursday.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said in a statement that she had spoken with Amer Fakhoury on the phone soon after his release.
Lebanese officials alleged that Fakhoury, 57, of Dover, New Hampshire, who had been jailed since September, was responsible for the killings and abuse of prisoners in Lebanon as part of the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army militia two decades ago.
His case had put a significant strain on already troubled ties between the U.S. and Lebanon. Lawmakers in Washington had threatened to withhold critical aid to the country and impose sanctions on the Lebanese military, which is seen by the Trump administration as a bulwark against Iranian-backed Hizbullah.
"Anytime a U.S citizen is wrongfully detained by a foreign government, we must use every tool at our disposal to free them," Shaheen said in her statement. "I'm very glad that Amer is finally coming home and will be reunited with his family. No family should have to go through what the Fakhoury family has gone through,” she added.
Hours before Shaheen announced Fakhoury's release a U.S. Marine Osprey was seen landing at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
Fakhoury was ordered released on Monday because more than 10 years had passed since he allegedly tortured prisoners at a jail run by the South Lebanon Army militia. But he was not immediately allowed to leave the country after a Lebanese military judge on Tuesday appealed the decision, asking the Military Court of Appeals strike down the decision to free Fakhoury.
A judge of urgent matters in the southern town of Nabatiyeh issued a ruling preventing Fakhoury from leaving Lebanon for two months. Judge Ahmad Mezher's decision came after a request filed by former inmates.
Fakhoury is a former SLA member who became a U.S. citizen last year. His case has been closely followed in New Hampshire, where Shaheen and other officials have called for imposing sanctions on Lebanon to pressure Beirut to release him.
Fakhoury was jailed last year after returning to Lebanon on vacation to visit family. Lebanon's intelligence services said he confessed during questioning to being a warden at Khiam Prison, which was run by the SLA during Israel's 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon.
Human rights groups have described the prison as a center for torture.
Fakhoury's family and lawyer, however, said he had no direct contact with inmates and was never involved in any interrogation or torture.
Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel's creation in 1948. Lebanon bans its citizens from traveling to Israel or having contact with Israelis.
Fakhoury's lawyer and family say he fled Lebanon in 2001 through Israel and eventually to the United States because of death threats he and many other SLA members received after Israel ended its occupation of Lebanon in 2000.
Fakhoury was formally charged in February by a military judge with the murder and torture of inmates at Khiam Prison.
4 years
11 CATOBAR carriers, all nuclear-powered:
Nimitz class: ten 101,000-tonne, 333-meter-long (1,092 ft) fleet carriers, the first of which was commissioned in 1975. A Nimitz-class carrier is powered by two nuclear reactors providing steam to four steam turbines and is 333 meters (1,092 ft) long,
Gerald R. Ford class, one 100,000-tonne, 337-meter-long (1,106 ft) fleet carrier. The lead of the class Gerald R. Ford, came into service in 2017, with another nine planned.
4 years
9 amphibious assault ships carrying vehicles, Marine fighters, attack and transport helicopters, and landing craft with STOVL fighters for CAS and CAP:
America class: a class of 45,000-tonne amphibious assault ships, although the lead ship in this class does not have a well deck. One ship in service out of a planned 11 ships. Ships of this class can have a secondary mission as a light carrier with 20 AV-8B Harrier II, and in the future the F-35B Lightning II aircraft after unloading their Marine expeditionary unit.
Wasp class: a class of eight 41,000-tonne amphibious assault ships, members of this class have been used in wartime in their secondary mission as light carriers with 20 to 25 AV-8Bs after unloading their Marine expeditionary unit.
4 years
I'm sure that somewhere in his, and everyone elses US Passport there is a notice saying that when an American citizen is in the country of his other citizenship, then the US authorities will be unable to assist him. So why this interference?
4 years
Dudes.. I can only imagine the next time.. Gebran Bassil visits the USA.. and spots Amer Fakhoury.. at the JFK airport waiting for him.. tears of joy in his eyes... Gebran with his tinny little legs runs over to greet him.. even as Chantale reminds him.. to practice social distancing... Gebran still in full speed.. looks back at her and says.. "fuck social distancing.. this is Amer Fakhoury.. my friend, Amer Fakhoury.. and I'm a gonna hug him.. and kiss his.. and tell him.. it's been so long time since I've seen you, old pal".. then with teary eyes.. produces a beautiful wool sweater from a bag.. "this was made especially for you by Sayyed Hassin... Between the hiding in the sewers since 2006,. afraid for his life,. and the coronavirus.. he's become a wiz at knitting.. and he knows how cold New Hampshire could get...
NATO is a suicide pact. It doesn't need an enemy for it to die in glory. It's doing it to itself. This senator's drastic overreach here illustrates who NATO is in terms of particular persons and what they believe. Imagine a Lebanese helicopter landing in Concord, New Hampshire (a tiny state, to be sure), and removing an eighty-three-year-old former Auschwitz guard.
When all the US Navy's aircraft carriers are mothballed, the world will breathe a big sigh of relief. Cancel the US Marine Corps, the shock troops of US foreign policy.