More than 100 people protested Friday outside the U.S. embassy in Awkar ( a suburb of Beirut) against the imprisonment by the Czech authorities of a Lebanese citizen who could be extradited to the United States, where he is accused of collaborating with terrorists
Relatives and friends of Ali Fayad, who hails from the southern town of Ansar was arrested at a Prague hotel in April last year over suspicion of terrorism and drug trafficking,.
“Give us your proof if you are truthful,” one sign read in reference to Fayad’s arrest.
From Awkar, northeast of Beirut, the protesters rode buses to the Czech Embassy in Baabda, east of Beirut, where they chanted slogans calling for Fayad’s release.
According to Czech media, Fayad was arrested in Prague after the United States accused him of collaborating with terrorists. Faouzi Jaber, from the Ivory Coast, and Khaled Marabi, a dual Lebanese- Cote d’Ivoire citizen, were detained at the same hotel. All 3 are wanted by the US.
In December, Czech state attorney Renata Rychnovska told thePrague Municipal Court that she saw nothing that would prevent the three men from being extradited to the U.S., which suspects them of selling arms and drugs to terrorists.
She said it was up to the Czech justice minister to decide whether to extradite Fayad and the other two to the U.S.
It is important not to confuse him ( Ali Fayad) with MP Ali Fayyad , a Shiite member of the Lebanese Parliament representing Hezbollah in the Marjeyoun/Hasbaya district.
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