Fatah al-Islam Inmates Questioning to Kick Off Friday

Head of the Higher Judicial Council Judge Jean Fahd set on Monday the date of interrogations of Fatah al-Islam inmates, who battled the Lebanese army in 2007 in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in the north.

The questioning of the prisoners will kick off on Friday.

According to the state-run National News Agency the trials will kick off after the preliminary interrogations with the prisoners ends.

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel inaugurated in October 2012 the courtroom at Roumieh prison to speed up the trials for the Islamist inmates.

Nahr al-Bared was almost totally destroyed during a months-long conflict between the Lebanese military and the al-Qaida-inspired group Fatah al-Islam.

The fighting killed some 400 people, including 168 soldiers.

Some Islamist leaders escaped despite a 15-week army siege of the camp.