Trials start for Lebanese accused of collaboration with "Israel"

" The military court ordered Monday jail sentences of up to five years to 100 Lebanese accused of collaboration with "Israel", mostly while serving in an "Israel"-backed militia, in formerly occupied south Lebanon, judicial sources said.

Most accused received sentences of between six months and 18 months, but the court handed down terms of three years and five years to a handful of the defendants, they said.

They were accused of joining the now-disbanded “Israeli” South Lebanon Army militia or Civil Administration, as well as providing information to "Israel" or entering the Jewish state.

The Civil Administration was set up by "Israel" in the border zone in southern Lebanon it occupied for 22 years until May 24.

Forty-five accused had their trials postponed because of lack of necessary documents or a proper defence team, they said.

The 100 accused had pleaded guilty to the charges on the opening day of a military trial for members of the militia and others accused of collaboration with "Israel".

The defence team was made up of 35 lawyers, designated by the Beirut bar.

Of the roughly 1,700 Lebanese who surrendered to the Lebanese authorities or were arrested after the "Israeli" pullout from southern Lebanon, some 500 have been interrogated by the military prosecutor. The rest are still being questioned by army intelligence services, judicial sources said.

Trials for the about 1,700 men and women will be held on mondays, wednesdays and fridays for several weeks in group trials.

Forty-eight of the 1,700 have been released for humanitarian reasons, connected with their age or the marginal role they played, on condition that they abide by residential restrictions imposed by the court.

More than 6,000 Lebanese, mostly “Israeli”-allied militiamen and their families, fled to "Israel" before the pullout fearing trials or revenge attacks.

AFP, 5-6-2000.