Resistance Brigades Distances Itself from Bleiq's Alleged Killer
The Hizbullah-linked Resistance Brigades on Thursday denied any involvement in the killing of Wissam Bleiq in Beirut after media reports said a member of the Brigades was behind the murder.
In a statement, the Brigades voiced regret over “the incident that led to Wissam Bleiq's death in the city of Beirut,” stressing that it “had nothing to do whatsoever with this incident” and describing it as “an individual dispute that has no partisan, sectarian or political motives.”
“We extend the warmest condolences to the family of the aggrieved victim and his loved ones over their great loss,” the Brigades added, calling for “leaving the entire case to the judiciary so that it unveils its circumstances and issues the fair rulings.”
On Wednesday, media reports said that the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch had uncovered the identity of Bleiq's murderer and that he fled to Syria to avoid arrest.
Bleiq was a member of Beirut's firefighting department and the administrator of the Nijmeh football club YouTube channel.
Media reports said the assailant was identified as Hussein al-Houwwari, an alleged member of the Resistance Brigades. Other media reports said Houwwari has been recently expelled from the Resistance Brigades due to his “hooliganism and alcohol addiction.”
The decision to create the Resistance Brigades was taken in 1997 by Hizbullah's leadership. The group comprised Lebanese young men who wanted to fight the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon without having to officially join Hizbullah.
Bleiq was killed by a shot to the head on Saturday night.
Speculation had emerged on whether he was the victim of murder or a stray bullet.
A security source told An Nahar newspaper that the trajectory of the bullet, which had broken his vehicle's rear window and penetrated his head, could not have been made by a stray bullet.
Bleiq, 38, was killed as he was driving back to his Zidaniyeh home from his exchange shop.
He leaves behind a wife and three children.
Y.R.
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