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The available data and evidence gathered by military intelligence support the claim that the incident involving Pascal Sleiman, the coordinator of the Lebanese Forces (FL) in Jbeil, was indeed an attempted car theft that took a dramatic turn, ultimately leading to Sleiman’s death.
Based on information from security sources, the four armed individuals in the stolen Hyundai – originally taken from the Rabieh neighborhood – tried to intercept two vehicles before taking on Pascal’s car. Despite their efforts, one car, driven by a woman, and another, driven by another individual, refused to stop. However, when Pascal Sleiman came to a stop, he was attacked and hit on the head, after which, two of the attackers got into the car and drove away.
Security sources stated that based on the detainees’ testimonies, the victim tried to resist his kidnappers all while in his car, prompting one of them to strike him on the head, resulting in his death. The gang proceeded to an abandoned hotel in the northern region of Qalamoun. There, they swapped vehicles, leaving behind the Hyundai, and continued their journey in two cars, one of which belonged to Pascal Sleiman. They laid the victim’s body in the trunk and headed towards the Syrian border, where they disposed of it.
Reports suggest that three of the individuals involved in the kidnapping operation were lured by intelligence operatives from Syria into Lebanese territory, where they were arrested. It has also been revealed that this mob group had already conducted scouting operations in Keserwan and northern Lebanon, aimed at car theft. Security sources affirm that investigations are ongoing to identify all those involved and whether there are any Lebanese nationals among them. They emphasize that the evidence, confessions, and circumstances surrounding this crime leave no room for doubt regarding its motive: theft.
On the other hand, LF circles remain skeptical regarding the crime’s purported motive of theft, instead suggesting it carried a political message directed at the Lebanese Forces. These circles assert that in the assassination of Lebanese Forces official Elias al-Hasrouni, the perpetrators attempted to portray the crime as being a traffic accident, which could have deceived many if not for surveillance footage uncovering a kidnapping operation carried out by different groups.
These same circles raised pertinent questions: What concrete evidence supports the claim that the gang attempted to intercept other vehicles? They stressed the need for transparency and demanded that the identities of the man and woman involved in this incident be revealed. Furthermore, the LF circles expressed their dismay at the fact that a car theft gang would bring along the owner of the stolen vehicle. Even if they intended to ask for a ransom, why resort to killing him under the pretext that he tried to resist them? More importantly, according to the same sources, how could such a gang have such deep knowledge of mountainous pathways, which lead them from Jbeil to Koura via Batroun, while managing to successfully avoid army checkpoints, especially the infamous Madfoun checkpoint?
