Man Accused of Attempt on Harb's Life 'Killed in Syria'

Mahmoud Hayek, a Hizbullah member charged with involvement in a botched assassination attempt against Telecom Minister Butros Harb, has been “killed in Syria,” according to media reports.

“Mahmoud Hayek, who was charged with attempting to assassinate Minister Butros Harb, has been killed in Syria,” Future TV reported on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, news website alkhabarpress.com, which is close to Hizbullah, confirmed that “Mahmoud Hayek was martyred while performing his jihadist duty,” an expression Hizbullah uses to announce the death of group members killed fighting in Syria.

According to the website, Hayek hails from the southern town of Adchit.

“Security sources said they're aware of reports about Hayek's death and that they obtained information confirming his death,” MTV reported in the evening.

The sources, however, declined to confirm or deny the news in a final manner.

For his part, Minister Harb denied to MTV receiving any official information on Hayek's alleged death.

Hizbullah had on Sunday announced the death in Syria of Fawzi Ayyoub, a top military leader who hails from the southern town of Ain Qana.

Harb escaped the assassination bid in July 2012 after residents of a building in which his office is located in the Beirut district of Badaro discovered individuals trying to booby-trap the elevator.

An arrest warrant in absentia was issued in 2013 against Hayek, described as a Hizbullah official, for his alleged involvement in the botched attempt.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr had demanded life in prison with hard labor for the man.

Hizbullah has sent thousands of fighters into Syria to support President Bashar Assad's forces against mainly Sunni rebels seeking to oust him.

The group argues that its members are defending an "axis of resistance" against extremist Islamist groups, Israel and the West.

Y.R.

S.D.B.