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A Lebanese man who was found dead in the town of Beit Mery in the Metn area was under US sanctions for allegedly funneling money from Iran to Palestinian militant group Hamas, a security source told AFP on Wednesday.
The body of Mohammad Srour, struck by more than five bullets, was discovered on Tuesday in a villa in the mountain town of Beit Mery. He was found in possession of an undisclosed sum of money that the killers did not touch, the source said, adding that Srour was subject to US sanctions, for working with financial institutions belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah, a Hamas ally.
The National News Agency (NNA) reported late on Tuesday that the body of a 57-year-old Lebanese man, who had been missing for three days was discovered in Beit-Mery. He was identified as Mohammed Ibrahim Srour. He had disappeared on Saturday after withdrawing money from a stockbroker in the town.
According to AFP, the US Treasury announced, in August 2019, sanctions against several people including Srour, accusing them of funneling "tens of millions of dollars" from the foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards through Hezbollah in Lebanon "to Hamas for terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip."
The Treasury said that Srour "served as a middle-man" between the Guards' Quds Force and Hamas "and worked with Hezbollah operatives to ensure funds were provided" to Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
"As of 2014, Srour was identified as in charge of all money transfers" between the Quds Force and the al-Qassam Brigades, the Treasury added.
He also "has an extensive history working at Hezbollah's sanctioned bank, Bayt al-Mal," the Treasury said. Washington blacklisted Bayt al-Mal in 2006.
Last month, US Treasury official Jesse Baker met with political and financial officials in Beirut, asking them to prevent funds from transiting through Lebanon to Hamas, media reports said at the time.
According to Al Hadath media, Srour would have been killed by the Israeli Mossad which has been searching for him since 2018 for transferring Iranian funds to Hamas.
With AFP
The body of Mohammad Srour, struck by more than five bullets, was discovered on Tuesday in a villa in the mountain town of Beit Mery. He was found in possession of an undisclosed sum of money that the killers did not touch, the source said, adding that Srour was subject to US sanctions, for working with financial institutions belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah, a Hamas ally.
The National News Agency (NNA) reported late on Tuesday that the body of a 57-year-old Lebanese man, who had been missing for three days was discovered in Beit-Mery. He was identified as Mohammed Ibrahim Srour. He had disappeared on Saturday after withdrawing money from a stockbroker in the town.
According to AFP, the US Treasury announced, in August 2019, sanctions against several people including Srour, accusing them of funneling "tens of millions of dollars" from the foreign operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards through Hezbollah in Lebanon "to Hamas for terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip."
The Treasury said that Srour "served as a middle-man" between the Guards' Quds Force and Hamas "and worked with Hezbollah operatives to ensure funds were provided" to Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.
"As of 2014, Srour was identified as in charge of all money transfers" between the Quds Force and the al-Qassam Brigades, the Treasury added.
He also "has an extensive history working at Hezbollah's sanctioned bank, Bayt al-Mal," the Treasury said. Washington blacklisted Bayt al-Mal in 2006.
Last month, US Treasury official Jesse Baker met with political and financial officials in Beirut, asking them to prevent funds from transiting through Lebanon to Hamas, media reports said at the time.
According to Al Hadath media, Srour would have been killed by the Israeli Mossad which has been searching for him since 2018 for transferring Iranian funds to Hamas.
With AFP
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