The Lebanese military tribunal’s decision to release on bail on Wednesday the killer of a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeper has stirred debate in the country.
In June, the tribunal charged Mohamad Ayyad and four others with the killing of Pvt. Seán Rooney, 24, of Newtown Cunningham, Ireland, following a half-year probe. Rooney was killed on Dec. 14, 2022. Ayyad was detained in December 2022.
The four others facing charges — Ali Khalifeh, Ali Salman, Hussein Salman, and Mustafa Salman — remain at large. All five are allegedly linked with Hezbollah. Hezbollah has repeatedly denied any role in the killing.
The development comes as UNIFIL monitors ongoing clashes along the border between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops.
Political and legal circles in Lebanon charged that Hezbollah had pressured the tribunal to release Ayyad.
A prominent source at the court stressed that the decision wasn't politically motivated, explaining that he was released for health reasons and the jail could not meet the expenses for his treatment.
Two Lebanese officials confirmed that Ayyad was released on bail, which one of them said was in an amount of 1.2 billion Lebanese pounds (approximately $13,377).
The official said Ayyad had cancer and his lawyer had provided the necessary medical documents, adding that the trial is still ongoing and that Ayyad would go to jail should he be convicted and sentenced.
The source clarified that the court had previously released other prisoners for similar health and humanitarian reasons because prison authorities cannot put their lives in danger by keeping them detained and deprived of the needed treatment.
UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told Asharq Al-Awsat that the court had informed the peacekeeping force that Ayyad was being released due to his “deteriorating health.”
He will still make a court appearance on December 15.
Tenenti stressed that UNIFIL will continue to demand that Rooney’s killers be brought to justice. The murder, he added, is a crime according to international and Lebanese law.
A source from the opposition expressed concern that Ayyad’s release will have “negative repercussions on the Lebanese state’s credibility in punishing people who assault the UN forces.”
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the release won’t impact UNIFIL’s mission, but it will be open to various interpretations.
It may give the impression that the state gives cover to anyone who attacks UNIFIL or that it may create justifications to undermine attacks against it, he added.
