Ahmed Al Assir, pictured addressing a crowd in Beirut in 2012, was sentenced by the Military Court in Lebanon. AFP
Ahmed Al Assir, pictured addressing a crowd in Beirut in 2012, was sentenced by the Military Court in Lebanon. AFP
Ahmed Al Assir, pictured addressing a crowd in Beirut in 2012, was sentenced by the Military Court in Lebanon. AFP
Ahmed Al Assir, pictured addressing a crowd in Beirut in 2012, was sentenced by the Military Court in Lebanon. AFP

Lebanon: Extremist cleric sentenced to 20 years of hard labour


Aya Iskandarani
  • English
  • Arabic

Hardline Sunni cleric Ahmad Al Assir has been sentenced to 20 years of hard labour by Lebanon’s Military Court on Monday, eight years after deadly clashes between his supporters and the army in the southern city of Sidon threatened to spill into sectarian conflict, state media said.

Al Assir was convicted for his involvement in a 2014 attack in north Lebanon that killed two Lebanese soldiers, arming the hit squad that carried it out and inciting the killings, the National News Agency said.

The military court stripped Al Assir of his civil rights and fined him 51 million Lebanese pounds ($124,000 at the official exchange rate but $2,684 at the current market rate).

He was sentenced to death in 2017 for inciting attacks on the army in 2013. An appeal against the sentence is pending.

Al Assir gained prominence after the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011 for supporting Syrian rebels and speaking out against Shiite Hezbollah and its involvement in the conflict. Clashes between his supporters and the army sparked fears of Syria’s war spilling into sectarian battles in Lebanon. He accused Hezbollah of instigating the fighting.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has intervened in the conflict alongside Syrian President Bashar Al Assad against predominantly Sunni protesters and rebels.

Al Assir became an influential figure in the southern city of Sidon, the main gate to Hezbollah's stronghold in the south, where his supporters staged weekly sit-ins that turned deadly.

In 2013 clashes between Al Assir supporters and the army left 18 soldiers dead. He went on the run for two years before he was arrested at an airport in 2015 while attempting to flee to Egypt in disguise.

Popular Lebanese singer Fadl Shaker was one of Al Assir's followers. He was last year sentenced in absentia to 22 years of prison including 15 years of hard labour.

He remains a wanted fugitive hiding in a Palestinian camp in Saida.

Fadel Shaker performing at the Emirates Palace Hotel as the last concert for the Abu Dhabi Festival 2012 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Friday, April 6, 2012. Photo: Charles Crowell for The National
Fadel Shaker performing at the Emirates Palace Hotel as the last concert for the Abu Dhabi Festival 2012 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Friday, April 6, 2012. Photo: Charles Crowell for The National


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Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)

Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)

Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)

Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)

Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)

Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)

Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)

Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)

Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)

Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)

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Squad

Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas) 

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Silent Hill f

Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

RESULTS
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

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Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE

1: Quinoa 

2. Bathua 

3. Amaranth 

4. Pearl and finger millet 

5. Sorghum

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THE BIO

Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland

Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers

Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum

57%20Seconds
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.

Updated: August 31, 2021, 5:55 PM