Marjayoun rocked by early morning bomb
Eighth attack in the South targeted shop owned by collaborators tax collector

A bomb exploded in Marjayoun early Monday morning, causing no injuries but extensive damage to the shop of a suspected “Israeli” collaborator.
The shop, which sold bathroom products, is owned by Maroun Abu Rizk and his sons.
However, Abu Rizk’s sons, Camille and Youssef, insist that their father “has nothing to do with the shop.”
The pair say they have owned and operated it by themselves for over a decade.
Abu Rizk, the brother of former General Labor Confederation president Elias Abu Rizk, was in charge of levying taxes for the civil administration body of the “Israeli”-proxy South Lebanon Army militia during the occupation.
However, he has not been charged with collaboration because a Beirut court ruled that at 72, he is too old to stand trial.
Security sources who arrived on the scene said the bomb, which was placed at the shop entrance, contained one kilogram of TNT and was “extremely explosive.” The resulting blast created a 7-centimeter hole in the ground, in addition to damaging several neighboring shops.
A patrol from UNIFIL’s Indian battalion also inspected the scene and prepared a report in collaboration with members of the Internal Security Forces.
The explosion came following the distribution of a series of threatening flyers, warning collaborators to leave the region.
Despite the other attacks, Monday’s explosion is the first time a shop had been targeted in Marjayoun. Booby-traps were previously restricted to cars in the towns of Houla, Aitaroun, and Kfar Kila.
Nabatieh Public Prosecutor Ghassan Rabah arrived at the shop at noon to say he “was following up the issue,” adding that the case could be referred to the military court if the motives are determined to be political.
Another attack took place on Sunday, when unknown assailants burned the car of Ahmad Jahjah, near his home in the border village of Kfar Kila.
Jahjah, who was an employee of “Israel’s” civil administration during the occupation, fled following last May’s withdrawal, but later returned and handed himself over to authorities here.
He was subsequently released after serving a six-month jail term.

The Daily Star, 8-5-2001.