By Jenna Alawi
UPDATED
It is not the first time a thug gets his way in Lebanon. Infuriated by the loss of two juridical lawsuits, CEO of SGBL and owner of restaurant Centrale Antoun Sehnaoui takes his revenge with his own hands.
Consumed by hate, and assessing that he could control or intimidate public opinion, Antoun Sehnaoui carried out on Mazen Zein and guests at Maison Blanche as if he could get away with assault and attempted murder in broad daylight. But while the Sehnaoui’s case held fictitious, due to his escape from the country, and testimonies from Zein and eyewitnesses, the carnage will set off an unprecedented wave of popular outrage throughout the city making Zein’s case apparent, pressuring a straightforward legal action against Sehnaoui, rebuffing political influence and financial manipulation. Whether it was because the assault came on the heels of the devastation, Sehnaoui wrought in Maison Blanche, or because of Sehnaoui’s relentless persecution of numerous persons in Beirut, including kin and employees scandals, or because of the sheer cowardice of the assault, the Maison Blanche eye witnessed rampage appeared to mark a turning point in public opinion reminiscent of the people’s reaction.
johnnyFPM Tayyar.org blog: “Antoun Sehnaoui is the same person that was implicated in the Café Najjar Valet Parking shooting during last year's elections. He's known to be close to Pharaon and always escorted by hardcore LF'ers. Eye witnesses on sight (La Maison Blanche night club - facing Sodeco) saw several people injured by the shooting, of which a young man from the Zein family (who happens to be one of the shareholders of another prominent nightclub in the city)…”
Who are the Lebanese forces?
“On September 16 and 17, 1982, members of the LF (the "Lebanese Forces"), a Christian-Maronite militia, carried out a massacre targeting civilians at the Palestinian refugee camps Sabra and Shatila, located in the southern part of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Nearly 2000 people lost their lives in this massacre and many other were wounded.”
The Daily Star, BEIRUT: “The drug police arrested a prominent drug dealer wanted for 59 arrest warrants in connection with drug trafficking. Butros Habshi was arrested while driving a car owned by Lebanese Forces MP Elie Kairouz. A statement by Kairouz’s media office denied any connection with Habshi. It said Kairouz’s bodyguards, who took permission to drive the MP’s Mercedes, were stopped by a man who asked for a lift to Beirut on their way back from the Bekaa town of Deir al-Ahmar. “On the Dahr al-Baidar highway, they were stopped at a police checkpoint that asked for their their IDs,” the statement added. It said Habshi was arrested “after it turned out that he was wanted on an old warrant for possession of drugs.” The report added that the MP’s bodyguards were allowed to continue their journey. “
johnnyFPM Tayyar.org blog: “Antoun Sehnaoui is the same person that was implicated in the Café Najjar Valet Parking shooting during last year's elections. He's known to be close to Pharaon and always escorted by hardcore LF'ers. Eye witnesses on sight (La Maison Blanche night club - facing Sodeco) saw several people injured by the shooting, of which a young man from the Zein family (who happens to be one of the shareholders of another prominent nightclub in the city)…”
Who are the Lebanese forces?
“On September 16 and 17, 1982, members of the LF (the "Lebanese Forces"), a Christian-Maronite militia, carried out a massacre targeting civilians at the Palestinian refugee camps Sabra and Shatila, located in the southern part of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Nearly 2000 people lost their lives in this massacre and many other were wounded.”
The Daily Star, BEIRUT: “The drug police arrested a prominent drug dealer wanted for 59 arrest warrants in connection with drug trafficking. Butros Habshi was arrested while driving a car owned by Lebanese Forces MP Elie Kairouz. A statement by Kairouz’s media office denied any connection with Habshi. It said Kairouz’s bodyguards, who took permission to drive the MP’s Mercedes, were stopped by a man who asked for a lift to Beirut on their way back from the Bekaa town of Deir al-Ahmar. “On the Dahr al-Baidar highway, they were stopped at a police checkpoint that asked for their their IDs,” the statement added. It said Habshi was arrested “after it turned out that he was wanted on an old warrant for possession of drugs.” The report added that the MP’s bodyguards were allowed to continue their journey. “
Sadistic gunman, fanatic warlord and convict Samir Geagea (leader of the Lebanese Forces) is responsible for atrocities and assassinations of respected Lebanese political figures, including Prime Minister Rashid Karame. Today, he is roaming freely after being released from prison due to political pressures and is represented by 7 deputy delegates and parliament members in Lebanon including the minister of justice.
