The following video's aren't particularly nice to watch. I did not shoot this stuff, I only found it on the Internet where these clips started appearing between 6 weeks and three days ago.
The clips, basically, show Lebanese and, possibly Palestinians, roughing up arrested members of Fatah al Islam, the Al-Qaeda-inspired terror group responsible for the violence in and around the Nahr al Bared camp (May 20th - September 2nd 2007), in northern Lebanon. Fatah al Islam killed around 170 Lebanese soldiers - which largely explains why these terrorists are being roughed up after they got arrested by the Lebanese authorities.
To some viewers the pictures may look terrible or cruel. To all of us, it will look disturbing.
But this story is all about context. It might be a good idea to remember how 'we' treated traitors after the Second World War. Yes, the body of Mussolini was hanged - up side down - on the roof of a petrol station. And to keep him in that position, they used a meat hook from a nearby butcher.
Not very nice indeed, but rather understandable. Same with the treatment of these Fatah al Islam guys (No meat hook though, 'only' some beatings). Do not forget that most of these fighters are actually foreign islamists who came to Lebanon to fight, kill and behead Lebanese civilians and soldiers who definitely did not ask for this kind of madness.
Again, I did not shoot these video's. Soon more on this though. I'm working on an English translation so people who don't speak Arabic (like me!) can understand what is said. I also will try to find out who is who in these video's and where and when did it take place. As so often with stuff from the Internet - you easily lose track of basics like: What, where, when, why and who.
Video 1:
Video 2:
Video 3:
Video 4 (first 50 seconds shows the blowing up of a building at Nahr al Bared, as of 0.51 the 'interrogation' of four Fatah al Islam members in the back of an ambulance):
The first three clips were originally published here: http://www.liveleak.com/user/khallass10542
The last one came from here: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=VeQLWFx8DdY
Most Fatah al Islam-members are currently detained in the Roumieh prison, nearby Beirut.
Harald Doornbos
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4 comments:
This story is not about 'context', it is about Lebanese soldiers commiting crimes, about the indisicpline of the Lebanese Army and about the Lebanese state not implimenting the international treaties on prisoners of war that it ratified.
I don't believe the translation will offer much by itself, it is rather the confession of the involved that will present you with the best interpretation(s). In the first video, one could recognize that he's sunni:
"you say you're saudi, huh? Well, Saudi Arabia will certainly disown you."
@biladsham,
I just don't agree. It is about context. To me there is a difference between randomly beating up a granny on the street and fatah al islam fighters moments after their capture in the nahr al bared camp. And your geneva convention argument isn't a valid one, since the geneva conventions don't apply to groups like fatah al islam. read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Geneva_Convention
I'm not saying to a good thing to beat the shit out of fatah al islam memebers, thats why i posted the video's. But, because of the context, its too easy to only critisize these Lebanese soldiers.
cheers,
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