Pop Star Transformed into Radical Fighter Fadel Shaker Surrenders to Lebanese Army Following 12 Years in Hiding
A former pop star who turned into a sought-after radical Islamist fighter has turned himself in to the country's army intelligence after spending 12 years evading authorities.
Context of the Situation
The singer had been in hiding since bloody confrontations broke out in the summer of 2013 in the coastal city of Sidon, pitting Sunni Muslim militants against the national military.
He was tried while absent and sentenced to 22 years in prison in the year 2020 for offering assistance to a militant organization.
Handover Process
Late Saturday, a Lebanese military intelligence force arrived at one of the access points of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh near Sidon and took Shaker into detention.
Authoritative sources confirmed that the former singer had been hiding inside the refugee settlement for more than 12 years.
This surrender occurred following arrangements between mediators and representatives at the ministry of defense.
Legal Implications
Authorities indicated that now that the defendant is in custody by Lebanese authorities, the verdicts that he was given while on the run will be voided.
He will be questioned in preparation to face court proceedings on new charges of committing offenses targeting army personnel.
Shaker's Previous Denials
During his years as a fugitive, Shaker had rejected claims of playing any role in the Sidon clashes and stated he did not support bloodshed.
The 2013 Incident
The 2013 shootout, which pitted followers of radical Sunni cleric Ahmad al-Assir against the Lebanese army, caused the loss of at least 18 military personnel and deepened communal strife in the country between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
In a video posted to the video platform on the following day of the urban conflict in the city, a bearded the singer called his opponents as swine and canines and mocked the army.
Career Transformation
The artist rose to become a pop star across the Arab world in the early 2000s with a smash hit.
Roughly a decade after, he came under the sway of the cleric and surprised followers by showing up next to the hardline cleric at public gatherings.
Later, he announced that he was giving up singing to draw nearer to the divine.
Latest Updates
In July, the former singer, along with his son Mohammed, released a new song that became extremely popular across the Middle East and gathered more than 113M views on the video platform.
Broader Context
This surrender coincides with the Lebanese army initiated the process of gathering weapons from the nation's 12 Palestinian refugee camps that have historically remained off limits to government forces.
