Singer Turned Islamist Militant Fadel Shaker Gives Himself Up to Lebanese Military Following 12 Years in Hiding
A former pop star who turned into a sought-after radical Islamist fighter has voluntarily surrendered to Lebanese military intelligence following 12 years on the run.
Background of the Case
The singer had been a fugitive since bloody street clashes erupted in the summer of 2013 in the port city of Sidon, pitting radical Sunni fighters against the Lebanese army.
He faced trial while absent and given to 22 years in jail in the year 2020 for offering assistance to a terrorist group.
Handover Process
On Saturday night, a Lebanese military intelligence force reached one of the entrances of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh near the city and took Shaker into detention.
Authoritative sources confirmed that the former singer had been hiding inside the refugee settlement for over 12 years.
This surrender took place after coordination between mediators and officials at the ministry of defense.
Judicial Consequences
Authorities explained that since Shaker is in custody by Lebanese authorities, the sentences that he received while on the run will be dropped.
Investigators will interrogate him in preparation to stand trial on fresh allegations of perpetrating offenses targeting army personnel.
The Defendant's Previous Denials
Throughout his time in hiding, the former pop star had denied playing any role in the 2013 confrontations and maintained he never advocated bloodshed.
2013 Confrontation
That year's armed clash, which pitted followers of radical religious leader Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir against the Lebanese army, caused the deaths of at least 18 military personnel and intensified communal strife in the country between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
In a video uploaded to the video platform on the second day of the street fighting in the city, a unshaven the singer called his enemies as pigs and dogs and taunted the military.
Career Transformation
Shaker rose to become a celebrity singer across the Middle East in 2002 with a chart-topping song.
Roughly a decade after, he came under the sway of the cleric and surprised fans by showing up alongside the hardline cleric at rallies.
Subsequently, he announced that he was abandoning singing to draw nearer to God.
Latest Updates
In July, Shaker, together with his son Mohammed, released a new song that became extremely popular across the Arab world and accumulated more than 113 million watches on YouTube.
Wider Implications
Shaker's handover comes as the Lebanese army initiated the procedure of gathering arms from the nation's 12 Palestinian refugee camps that have historically remained off limits to authorities.
