Officers, Security Personnel Referred to Military Court as New Roumieh Courtroom Inaugurated

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel inaugurated on Monday a new courtroom at Roumieh prison to speed up the trials for the Fatah al-Islam inmates, as 11 security personnel and two officers were referred to the Military Court over the recent prison break.

“The chamber at the prison is completely equipped and includes bulletproof glass,” Qortbawi said.

He noted that the law obliges judges to interrogate prisoners, saying that “every judge will interrogate a certain number of detainees to swiftly begin trials.”

For his part, Charbel pointed out that the new courtroom will hasten the trials of “all detainees not only the Islamist.”

Asked about the prison break of three Islamists that was discovered last week, he said that “the security guards at the prison are responsible for the scandal.”

“We assigned (over the past years) the worst security members in Roumieh prison to maintain the sectarian balance,” he told reporters.

Charbel stressed that the security guards that helped the three Islamists flee will be detained and “share with them the same cell.”

He noted that the three men used fake identification papers that were provided by some security guards at the facility.

“We will not allow any inmate to break out of prison anymore. We will show no mercy to any violators,” he added.

Earlier, Charbel wondered in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) “how prison security could be complicit with the inmates in helping them escape. Their punishment will be great this time around.”

Later on Monday, media reports said eleven security personnel and two officers were referred to the Military Court over the prison break on charges of "negligence and direct responsibility."

Security forces on Sunday raided Bloc B in Roumieh prison, where Fatah al-Islam inmates are jailed, seizing prohibited items, including cellphones and sharp objects, media reports said.

An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday that it is likely that the prisoners used a month ago fake identification cards to exit the prison through its main entrance.

It said that there was no evidence that implies that they fled through other means as no ropes or broken glass were found anywhere near their cells.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr ordered the detention of 11 guards at the prison. It was found that five were involved in the jailbreak that took place about three months ago, reported An Nahar.

Later on Sunday, media reports said Saqr ordered the detention of Roumieh prison commanding officer Major Ahmed Abou Daher and Lieutenant Abdul Hafiz Fawwaz.

However, the prison break was not revealed earlier because the Islamists are a united group and they do not disclose any information to anyone. Moreover, since the latest riot in the prison the security forces only conduct a headcount from outside the cell bars for fear that the inmates could assault them.

Investigations have also shown that five security guards are complicit in the jailbreak, according to the newspaper.

Roumieh, the oldest and largest of Lebanon's overcrowded prisons, has witnessed sporadic prison breaks in recent years and escalating riots over the past months as inmates living in poor conditions demand better treatment.