Sidon eatery bombed
Lebanon, Local, 9/15/1997

A restaurant in a Sidon suburb that was believed to serve spirits was bombed on September 14, three days after 20 men were indicted on charges of bombing other shops that sell alcohol.

The Maria restaurant, owned by Saad Tanios Zaqleet on the main road from Sidon to Maghdoushe, was partially destroyed when an explosive device detonated in its entranceway, a police official said.

The explosion--which occurred while the restaurant was closed--also damaged two cars, but no casualties were reported.

Zaqleet, who estimated his losses at 20,000 US dollars, said he had seen two men on a motorcycle repeatedly riding by the restaurant in a suspicious manner after midnight on September 14.

Twenty alleged members of the radical Islamic group Esbat al Ansar were charged on September 13 with staging terrorist acts since 1993 against shops selling alcohol in Sidon.

The suspects, four Lebanese and three Palestinians, face life sentences if convicted.

Esbat Al Ansar is a small militant Sunni Muslim group lead by Ahmed Abdel Karem Sandi, also known as Abu Mehjan. In January, he was sentenced to death in absentia for masterminding the killing of a rival cleric in 1995.

Previous Stories:
  Unexploded bomb found in Lebanon church   (9/8/1997)
  New Hospital at Nabatiyeh   (9/5/1997)
  Toxic waste may put Beirut water supply at great risk   (9/3/1997)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search