Police are investigating the suspected murder of a well-known Lebanese pop singer in Dubai. Suzan Tamim was found dead in her apartment in the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex after neighbours raised the alarm on Monday night. Police sources said the singer's body was found on Monday evening, but she was believed to have been killed that morning. She had been repeatedly stabbed.
No one had been arrested in connection with the death as of last night. Lebanon's information ministry confirmed the singer was found dead in Dubai, and Dubai police officials confirmed the case was being treated as a murder. Dubai Properties, the developer of the residential complex, said in a statement: "A person was found dead in an apartment in the Rimal sector of Jumeirah Beach Residence. "JBR authorities took immediate action and notified Dubai police. Dubai Properties will provide every assistance to the police investigation."
Tamim, who was in her 20s, had been living in Dubai since the start of the year, although it was not known how long she had been staying in the complex. She found fame after winning a television talent contest and had been married twice. Her latest relationship - with the music producer Adel Matook - was reported to be on the rocks. She released two albums and was among a new generation of Lebanese pop singers.
One neighbour said when he returned to his home on the 22nd floor about 10.30pm on Monday, there was "blood outside the apartment" and "police and ambulance were crawling all over the place". Naaman Aboumrad, the owner of the Deli D cafe, which is located on the ground floor of the complex's Rimal One tower, said: "This is shocking. A murder can happen anywhere, of course, but to happen in a place that has so much security is even more shocking."
Security at Jumeirah Beach Residence was tight yesterday, according to a resident at the nearby Bahar cluster within the complex. "The security guards started to do more serious checks at the entrances to buildings, asking us questions about which flat we lived in," said Cem Sabri Pozam, from Turkey. "Before, we used to be able to walk straight in, so this is a welcome change. There are even rumours that we will be given car stickers to prove we are residents when we enter the underground car parks."
Subhas Pradhan, the manager of a Giordano clothing outlet opposite the tower, said: "I feel very sorry for the family, it's very sad. "People here pay two or three million dirhams to live in a secure area. It's something that you just don't think can happen here." Located 15 minutes from Dubai Media City, Jumeirah Beach Residence is one of Dubai's best known high-end residential developments. The project stretches along 1.7km of beachfront in the Dubai Marina district and contains nearly 7,000 residential units.
Dubai Police said it would issue a full statement regarding the case when it had completed more of the investigation. * Additional reporting by Robert Ditcham, Rym Tina Ghazal and Nour Samaha
