Indictment Issued against Bank Robbery Gang

The Military Tribunal charged on Thursday 12 people with robbing a number of banks and the attempted murder of a soldier and two judges, reported the National News Agency.

It said that Mohammed al-Jouni and 11 others were accused of robbing seven banks and the attempted murder of an Army Captain from al-Jurdi family and two judges.

They were also charged with undermining the authority of the state.

Jouni was also charged with forging an army service exemption certificate.

If convicted, the suspects could face a maximum sentence and the death penalty.

Arrest warrants have been issued against the 12 suspects in order for them to be referred to the permanent military court for trial.

Some of the suspects had already been arrested, including al-Jouni who was detained in August.

During the robbery of BLOM’s Elissar branch on August 9, al-Jouni opened fire on al-Jurdi, severely injuring him, and stole his gun.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported in September that the bank robbery network had a list to target several politicians and officials.

According to the report, the cell led by al-Jouni was planning to assassinate Speaker Nabih Berri, former Ministers Michel and Elias al-Murr, MPs George Adwan, Akram Shehayyeb, Nohad al-Mashnouq, Ahmed Fatfat, Mohammed Kabbara, Judges Abdul Rahim Hammoud, Henri Khoury, Dani el-Zaenni and former LBCI anchorwoman May Chidiac.

Al-Jouni had admitted to preparing explosives to target Judges Abdul Rahim Hammoud and Henri Khoury, but security forces found a notebook among his possessions that included the names of the previously mentioned politicians, other officials, and Internal Security Forces and army officers.

Sources said that the network has ties to al-Rmeileh terrorist cell whose members were arrested with a large cache of weapons.

In July, the army raided the residences of the Rmeileh suspects and seized 1,211 detonators, several electric-detonators, Israeli-made devices used to ignite mines, Russian and American-made anti-personnel mines, Israeli-made mortar shells, 21 hand grenades, weapons and other equipment.