Syrian man admits killing Lebanese father after refusing marriage to his daughter

Two Syrian suspects, who killed Lebanese father in Feb. 7, arrested Tuesday by ISF officers who seized with them hashish, murder weapon and counterfeit currency (Twitter)

• Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces arrest two men over February killing in Beirut
• Authorities say murder had no political motive and no connection to killing of activist Luqman Slim

BEIRUT: A Lebanese father was murdered by a Syrian man after he refused to allow him to marry his daughter, Lebanese security forces said on Thursday.
The 26-year-old and his accomplice, also Syrian, were arrested on Tuesday for shooting the mechanic dead in Beirut on Feb. 7.
The father died in a hail of bullets outside a cafe in the Al-Ouzai district after the two men had tracked him for two weeks leading up to the ambush.
“Following thorough interrogations and onsite investigations the Syrian duo were identified as F.K., 26, and A.I., 25, as the killers of the Lebanese victim Y.M., 44,” the Internal Security Forces’ (ISF) said.
“The suspects admitted to murdering Y.M. for disallowing F.K. to marry his daughter.”
A special police team placed the suspects under surveillance before raiding their hideout in Beirut’s southern suburbs and arresting them.
The officers confiscated the machine gun used to fire 30 bullets at Y.M.’s car at 3 a.m. near Beirut International Airport’s perimeter fence.  
The suspects admitted renting a Hyundai car, removing its number plate to avoid being identified and committing the murder.
A senior security officer told Arab News that the suspects were identified and tracked down through the getaway vehicle.
“CCTV cameras available around the crime scene helped recognize the rented car and the culprits’ details were obtained through the data information system,” the officer said. “They were placed under observation before they were arrested in a swift raid on Tuesday.”
He said there were no “political motives” behind the murder and no connection to the killing of Shiite anti-Hezbollah activist Luqman Slim.
Slim was found dead in his car on Feb. 4 after he was shot several times, with many blaming the militant group for his killing.
Because the murders happened within days of each other, rumors appeared on social media that they were linked.
ISF officers seized hashish, the murder weapon and counterfeit US dollars and Syrian pounds when they raided the killers’ home.
The two men have been referred to the public prosecution.