Palestinian fugitive announces he is in Syria

BEIRUT: Bilal Badr, who was a leader of a militant extremist group in Ain Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, said in a statement that he has moved to Syria.

The statement was circulated on social media and bears the signature of Badr, who is wanted by Lebanese authorities.

He had been hiding in Ain Al-Hilweh for more than a month, and there were rumors that he had left the camp.

In the statement, a copy of which was obtained by Arab News, Badr addressed his followers, saying: “From the land of jihad and pride, from the den of the lions in the Levant which we have immigrated to only to support the religion of God, raise the banner of monotheism, and support the oppressed and beleaguered Muslims. I would like to thank you for helping your sister, who is your honor. I congratulate myself for having brothers like you. May God gather us as His obedient followers in this world, and in paradise in the hereafter.”

Badr was referring to Bara’ Hujeir, his Palestinian wife, who was arrested by the Lebanese Army while leaving Ain Al-Hilweh. She was interrogated about the whereabouts of her husband and released half an hour later. A Lebanese security source who is responsible for the file of wanted persons in the camp linked “the timing of the statement attributed to Badr with the release of his wife, especially since Badr announced his location.”

The commander of the Palestinian National Security Brigade in Lebanon, Maj. Gen. Subhi Abu Arab, told Arab News: “The available information confirms that Badr is in the Syrian city of Idlib.”

The city is controlled by the Tahrir Al-Sham Islamist coalition, which is led by the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front).

Ghassan Ayoub of the Palestinian People’s Party told Arab News: “About 25 fugitives wanted by the Lebanese state for terrorism charges and state security crimes left the camp (Ain Al-Hilweh) last month.”

They “moved to Syria, and some of them are in Turkey or Belgium now,” he said. “The fugitives belong to the same Islamic extremist brand.”

There are “about 250 fugitives wanted by the Lebanese state in Ain Al-Hilweh for charges that don’t involve state security, but are related to shooting, theft and other violations,” Ayoub added.

Final lists are being prepared for the number of wanted persons, but the “problem can only be solved through a general amnesty law,” he said.

Badr’s group includes 25 militants. Last Monday evening, the Titaba and Safsaf neighborhoods of Ain Al-Hilweh witnessed heavy gunfire by the group’s militants after his wife was arrested at a Lebanese Army checkpoint.

Bilal Al-Arqub, “who leads another extremist group, is still hiding in the camp,” said Ayoub. “He’s one of the militants whose hands have been stained with Palestinian blood.”