Associates of Hamoush's Suspected Killer Held as Young Man Laid to Rest

Security forces on Thursday arrested two associates of Roy Hamoush's suspected killer Mohammed al-Ahmar, as the young man who was murdered in cold blood at dawn Wednesday was laid to rest in Mansourieh.

The two men were arrested in two separate operations, according to media reports.

“After a delicate surveillance operation and following cooperation with the other security agencies, a patrol from the Directorate General of State Security managed to arrest H.M. in the Nahr Ibrahim area, and he is one of the individuals who took part in the killing of the young man Roy Hamoush overnight Wednesday in the Karantina area,” a State Security statement said.

“The 25-year-old detainee hails from the Baalbek district town of Jrabta,” the statement added.

State-run National News Agency later said that security forces had managed to arrest the third culprit in the case, identifying him as A.Gh., “the driver of the BMW that was also carrying his companions H. al-Mawla and M. al-Ahmar.”

Al-Ahmar, who reportedly shot Hamoush in the head, had been arrested Wednesday evening in the Bourj Hammoud area by the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch.

According to reports, Roy and his friend Johnny Nassar were in the latter's car when it crashed into the vehicle of the three culprits in the Jal el-Dib area.

The accident led to a dispute that soon escalated into a car pursuit. The three suspects then managed to intercept Roy and his friend in the Karantina area where Hamoush was shot dead at the hands of al-Ahmar.

Nassar managed to escape and inform authorities of the incident.

According to reports, al-Ahmar has a criminal record.

President Michel Aoun has called on security and judicial agencies to "probe the real causes of the crime and hand the culprits and instigators the harshest penalties."