Pop Star Transformed into Radical Fighter Fadel Shaker Surrenders to Lebanese Army After 12 Years on the Run
A former pop star who became a wanted radical Islamist fighter has voluntarily surrendered to the country's army intelligence following over a decade evading authorities.
Background of the Situation
The singer had been in hiding since bloody street clashes broke out in June 2013 in the port city of Saida, pitting Sunni Muslim militants against the national military.
He was tried while absent and sentenced to 22 years in jail in the year 2020 for offering assistance to a militant organization.
Handover Process
Late Saturday, a Lebanese military intelligence force arrived at one of the entrances of the refugee settlement of Ain al-Hilweh near Sidon and took Shaker into custody.
Security and judicial officials stated that Shaker had been hiding inside the refugee settlement for over 12 years.
The handover occurred after coordination between intermediaries and representatives at the ministry of defense.
Legal Implications
Authorities indicated that since the defendant is in custody by the government, the verdicts that he received while on the run will be dropped.
He will be questioned in preparation to stand trial on fresh allegations of committing offenses targeting army personnel.
Shaker's Previous Denials
Throughout his time in hiding, the former pop star had denied having any involvement in the Sidon clashes and maintained he did not support violence.
The 2013 Incident
The 2013 shootout, which involved followers of radical Sunni cleric Ahmad al-Assir against the Lebanese army, caused the deaths of at least 18 military personnel and deepened communal strife in Lebanon between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Through a recording uploaded to the video platform on the second day of the urban conflict in Sidon, a unshaven the singer referred to his enemies as swine and canines and mocked the military.
Professional Evolution
The artist became a pop star across the Arab world in 2002 with a chart-topping song.
Roughly a decade after, he came under the sway of Assir and surprised fans by showing up alongside the hardline cleric at public gatherings.
Later, he declared that he was giving up his music career to draw nearer to the divine.
Latest Updates
This past summer, Shaker, together with his son, put out a fresh track that became extremely popular throughout the Middle East and gathered over 113 million views on YouTube.
Broader Context
This surrender comes as the Lebanese army began the procedure of gathering weapons from the country's dozen Palestinian settlements that have traditionally been restricted areas to government forces.
