Lebanon sentences 10 more for collaboration with “Israel”

“ A Beirut military court handed down 10 more sentences Monday against Lebanese accused of assisting “Israel” during its 22-year occupation, including two people who each received three years in prison, a judicial source said.

The two who received three years prison time were both convicted of "collaboration with intelligence services" of the South Lebanon Army (SLA), “Israel’s” proxy militia during the occupation. A former member of the SLA also received one year in prison.

Another defendant was sentenced to two months in prison, in part for "participating in demonstrations," and another six got three weeks in prison each and fines of between 500,000 and one million Lebanese pounds (333 to 733 dollars) for traveling to “Israel”.

One defendant was acquitted and two others were convicted of "collaborating with enemy services," but were not sentenced because they also assisted the Lebanese side, the source said.

The convictions bring to 2,175 the number of sentences handed down since June 5, just two weeks after “Israel’s” withdrawal, when Lebanon began trying more than 2,500 Lebanese accused of collaboration.

Eleven people have been sentenced to death and three others to life in prison, but all in absentia.

 AFP, 15-1-2001.