The Terrorism Den in Arsal
Radwan Mortada - al-Akhbar newspaper
Below are the story of Bir al-Abed blasts and Hermel bombs, and the story of the authors of rockets launching and Wadi Rafeq crime. A group of mercenaries who worked as smugglers and who swam with the tide of the so-called "Syrian revolution." Little is known about them, except that they are a group of bandits, who have grown their beards to go along with the "religion trend." They work under the command of some guy pretending to be a Sheikh, under the wing of a group they called "the phalange of Baba Amr martyrs."
Arsal is now in an unenviable situation. The "capital of terrorism" byname and the abounding terrorists are irking this Bekaa town. Hundreds, even thousands of gunmen are swarming its streets and terrains, confiscating the decision of its locals, attacking them sometimes, and all under the guise of religion. They make people pay the "protection money" and kidnap for ransoms. They have obnoxious practices like looting and theft. Their constant motto is "the aggrieved Ahl el-Sunnah (Sunnites). Under this guise, they collect money to fight Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hizbullah.
Mostly Lebanese and Syrians, they deploy in the common border areas between Lebanon and Syria. They control illegal crossings where they established their "state." They move in their tinted-glass 4x4 vehicles, most of which are stolen, stained with the "Phalange of Baba Amr Martyrs" motto and waving the Free Syrian Army flag. This is how they differentiate themselves from the rest of armed groups moving in the area. They adopt a show Hollywood style, wearing military uniforms, and carrying pistols at their ankles. Their top-notch weapon is the exorbitant US M4 rifle. Some of them wear sunglasses, in a Rambo-like look, the Salafist version though. Among this group, religion is just an appearance, showoff is the truth. Still, this group is considered the fiercest and the best prepared among others.
No one in Arsal and its terrains hasn't heard of Sheikh Raed Jouri, 25. The young man was just a minor smuggler before the Syrian crisis. Afterwards, he became "Sheikh Raed." From a crook, he turned into a "rebel," just like many others did. He entered Baba Amr and fought there before it was recuperated by the Syrian army. He then moved to Qusayr heading an armed group, where he did not stay for long. Locals kicked him out because of his conduct and practices. For him, killing and random executions were a piece of cake. Later on, he moved to Qara nearby Qalamoun mounts, where he announced the formation of the "phalange of Baba Amr martyrs." Today he lives in the border region between Lebanon and Syria, where nothing can pass without his green light, and of course, without receiving the kickbacks.
The "religion dealer" enhanced his ties with the hardliner groups centered in Qalamoun mounts. He has a good relation with the Prince of al-Nusra Front in the region, Abu Hoda Jazrawi, Saudi, and his Kuwaiti assistant known as "al-Karrar." He gave them money and weapons so he obtains their consent and legitimate cover. Most of the fighters under his command are Lebanese from Arsal. They turned from smugglers into "rebels," weapons dealers, and rich men. They are involved in tens of thefts and murders under the guise of "Jihad in Syria." Jouri's group's dexterity is abductions for ransom, especially the kidnapping of foreign journalists. The last operation accordingly was on last April 29, when Polaris agency's photojournalist Jonathan Alpeyrie was snatched. He was released just weeks ago for a 450-thousand-dollar ransom. Information say that those communicate and coordinate with the group that has kidnapped Italian reporter Domenico Quirico in Homs last April, according the commands of the brother of a Lebanese MP who is quite active in mediation in order to glean a deal of USD half million. Jouri and co are also active in transferring explosives. Within this frame, a blast was heard the Arsal terrains a couple of months ago. It was said to have resulted from the explosion of a diesel cistern. Al-Akhbar learned that the tank was full of explosives and that it blew up by mistake, killing more than ten of Jouri's men.
Jouri was also quoted as claiming publically responsibility for the infamous killing of four men, two from Jaafar family, one from Amhaz family, and a Turkish from Oglu family, in Wadi Rafqa in Arsal terrains on last June 16, under the pretense that they form "a reconnaissance unit affiliated with Hizbullah."
It is worth-mentioning that most of the suspects in Bir al-Abed blast on July 9, rockets firing, and killing army soldiers at a checkpoint in Bekaa, whom Defense Minister has mentioned in a fresh statement, are working under the command of Jouri. Al-Akhbar also learned that these work as hitmen who only mobilize according to their narrow interests and money, and not religion or Fatwa. As to Ahmad Hemayed, accused of participating in the killing of a military man and setting bombs, information reveal that he is the cousin of Khaled Hemayed, killed by the army intelligence service in Arsal last February. Information also state that Ahmad is not like his martyr cousin, known for his religious commitment, while the former drinks alcohol and smokes joints. The source states these info to confirm that it is impossible that Hemayed was moved by religious motives.
Same sources say these gunmen are now between Qara town and Qalamoun mounts in Syria, indicating that they are bracing for a looming battle with the Syrian army and Hizbullah and for setting ambushes and bombs in Qalamoun and Yabroud. They also detain developed rockets and they were preparing for a military operation to recuperate Jousseh village nearby borders after they have failed twice.
Notably, Qalamoun, which is surrounded by many Syrian oppositionist towns, is an extension of Arsal terrains and entering it definitely means entering the terrains.
