Beirut bank hostage-taker to remain in custody until next week

Bassam Hussein has faced a first round of questioning after surrendering following standoff on Thursday

A gunman who surrendered after taking hostages at a Beirut bank and demanding access to his trapped savings is expected to remain detained until at least next week.

Bassam Hussein, 42, is being held at a Beirut intelligence branch and faced his first round of questioning on Thursday night, a legal source told The National.

Prosecutors decided not to release him after questioning.

It remains unclear if the bank or hostages will press charges against Mr Hussein or if he will be charged by prosecutors, after surrendering on Thursday night.

Mr Hussein's brother, who accompanied him from the bank, said he has not been able to speak to him since.

Family members and supporters blocked a road on Friday morning in protest at Mr Hussein's detention and said his continued confinement breached an agreement reached on Thursday to end the standoff.

Mr Hussein entered a branch of the Federal Bank of Lebanon in Beirut's Hamra neighbourhood on Thursday and took customers and staff hostage. He was said to be armed with a shotgun.

He doused the interior of the bank with petrol and threatened to kill his hostages and set himself on fire if he could not take out his $210,000 savings to pay for medical treatment for his father.

After a seven-hour standoff, he handed himself in to police, after the bank reportedly agreed to give him around $35,000 of his trapped savings.

His brother Atef had told journalists that Mr Hussein “wants to get just $5,500 to pay hospital bills”.

He said Mr Hussein had grabbed the weapon “from the bank and did not bring it with him”.

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  Bassam Al Sheikh Hussein, an armed man who took hostages at a Federal Bank branch in Beirut, sits in a police car after his arrest. AFP

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  He was arrested as he left the bank. EPA

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  He held several customers hostage as he demanded the return of his bank deposits so that he could pay his father's medical bills. AFP

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  A woman who was held hostage inside the Federal bank of Lebanon enters a car after her release. Reuters

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  Mr Al Sheikh Hussein was reportedly armed with a rifle and is said to have doused the interior of the bank with petrol. AP

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  A woman held hostage in the bank cries. AP

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  The siege ended without violence eight hours later on Thursday when the gunman reportedly left the bank and was arrested. Reuters

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  Many sympathised with Mr Al Sheikh Hussein and took part in protests outside the bank as they denounced local lenders and chanted 'We are all Bassam'. AP

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  Lebanese bank customers stand near the bank where the armed man took customers and employees hostage. EPA

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  A Lebanese security official said Mr Al Sheikh Hussein was threatening to set himself ablaze unless he received his savings. AP

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  The demonstrations grew more heated, with protesters facing off against security forces dressed in riot gear. AP

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  Army soldiers, behind, and security forces, front, stand guard outside the bank in Beirut. AFP

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  The incident is the latest between local banks and angry depositors unable to access their savings because of informal capital controls. Jamie Prentis / The National

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  At least two shots were heard after the man entered the branch just before noon, according to witnesses and local media. Some customers managed to escape before he shut the branch doors. AP

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  The Lebanese Red Cross on standby outside the bank, which was cordoned off by security forces. Reuters

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  Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Mr Al Sheikh Hussein was demanding to withdraw $210,000 and had threatened to set himself ablaze and kill everyone at the bank. Reuters

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  His father was in hospital and required $50,000 worth of treatment, according to the Association of Depositors in Lebanon. Reuters

A devastating economic collapse that first became apparent in 2019 and pushed much of Lebanon into poverty has caused the local currency to plunge in value by more than 90 per cent.

Inflation has soared and there are widespread shortages of water, bread, electricity, medicines and other basic supplies.

In 2019 banks imposed informal capital controls, severely restricting access to hard currency, which compounded the difficulties people in Lebanon face.

Banks stopped giving dollars to depositors, allowing withdrawals only in vastly devalued Lebanese pounds.

During the stand-off, protesters gathered outside the bank in support of Mr Hussein.

“We are all Bassam,” some chanted, as security forces, some dressed in riot gear, looked on.

Thursday's events are not the first time this has happened in Lebanon.

In January, coffee shop owner Abdallah Assaii held up a branch of Lebanese bank BBAC in the town of Jeb Jannine, in the Bekaa Valley.

He held seven employees hostage until he received $50,000 of his own money. He then surrendered to police.