BEIRUT: A 38-year-old Lebanese man was under investigation on Sunday after creating a security threat in the coastal city of Jounieh, about 16 km north of Beirut.
It initially appeared that he was psychologically unstable, a security source told Arab News.
The army’s command said that the citizen “J.H.” was arrested because he “opened fire in the air and terrorized citizens.”
A Kalashnikov weapon, 16 grenades, a large quantity of military ammunition, equipment, and flags were seized, according to an army statement.
Witnesses had reported that the man, who was carrying an assault rifle and wearing ammunition magazines on his chest, placed sandbags at a roundabout in Jounieh.
The man was seen raising the flag of the Lebanese Forces party and broadcasting songs.
He later fired into the air, scaring residents in the area. The man then threatened to shoot himself in front of passers-by unless the media arrived to cover a press conference in which he wanted to talk about the difficult economic situation.
The Lebanese Army Intelligence Directorate intervened and military force arrived to arrest the man, who was born in the Achrafieh area of Beirut.
The Lebanese Forces party did not comment on the incident.
Activists believe that the incident was provoked by “tension simmering for months, and it exploded on the ground in the form of an individual armed initiative.”
Lebanon has witnessed recent public cases of anger in the wake of an economic crisis that has lasted since 2019.
Human Rights Watch last year conducted a study on the alarming levels of poverty and food insecurity in the country due to the decline in economic activity, political instability, and the high cost of living.
It found that the majority of people in Lebanon were unable to secure their social and economic rights amid the worsening crisis, with limited-income families bearing the greatest burden.
The organization warned of “the seriousness of the situation in light of the current social protection system that is unable to confront the crisis for many.”
