Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine
Is there a hidden link or a missing piece in the case of the kidnapping and murder of Pascal Sleiman, the coordinator of the Lebanese Forces in Jbeil and an IT official at Bank BLOM?
Many questions arise regarding what prompted a car theft gang to kidnap, murder, and transport Pascal's body to Syria if their goal was solely to steal his car?
Amidst these inquiries, intersecting security sources provide a narrative, stating:
The perpetrators of the operation are four Syrians belonging to a car theft gang, led by Bilal D, known for previous thefts spanning from Mount Lebanon to Tripoli. On Sunday, they attempted to intercept two other cars unsuccessfully before targeting Pascal's vehicle.
When they stopped Pascal's car, they attacked him. When he resisted, they struck him on the head, causing him to faint. They then placed him in the trunk of his car, where three kidnappers boarded, while the fourth remained in the vehicle used in the operation.
The kidnappers headed to Qalamoun, where Mohamed K stayed in a hotel, while the other three crossed the border in Pascal's car towards Haouik, but it appeared to them that Pascal passes away, and his body was dumped there.
The kidnappers failed to sell Pascal's car after the gangs knew about the killing, and some of them cooperated with Lebanese Army Intelligence to disclose the kidnappers' identities and their locations.
This collaboration, coupled with the discovery of Pascal's phone and the testimony of a citizen who promptly reported the operation, enabled Army Intelligence to apprehend Mohamed K at a hotel in Qalamoun. They also seized the stolen car used in the operation, which was also recovered, along with the three kidnappers from Syria, all holding forged Lebanese IDs.
Security sources confirm that all those involved in Pascal's theft, kidnapping, and murder have been apprehended. They emphasize that such gangs steal cars and transport them to the border to sell them to mostly Lebanese-led gangs or smuggle them into Syria.
Pascal's car, used by the kidnappers to enter Syria with his body, was retrieved by the Lebanese Army Intelligence Directorate on Tuesday and is undergoing forensic examination. Investigations continue to uncover any additional leads.