🔗 Share this article Pop Star Turned Islamist Militant Fadel Shaker Surrenders to Lebanese Military Following 12 Years on the Run One ex- pop star who became a wanted Islamist militant has voluntarily surrendered to Lebanese military intelligence following over a decade on the run. Context of the Situation Fadel Shaker had been in hiding since violent street clashes broke out in June 2013 in the port city of Sidon, involving radical Sunni fighters against the national military. He faced trial while absent and given to over two decades in jail in the year 2020 for offering assistance to a terrorist group. Handover Process On Saturday night, a Lebanese military intelligence force reached one of the access points of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh near Sidon and apprehended the fugitive into detention. Security and judicial officials confirmed that Shaker had been taking refuge inside the camp for over a dozen years. The handover took place after coordination between intermediaries and officials at the ministry of defense. Legal Implications Authorities indicated that since Shaker is in custody by the government, the verdicts that he received while on the run will be dropped. Investigators will interrogate him in readiness to face court proceedings on new charges of perpetrating offenses targeting army personnel. The Defendant's Previous Denials Throughout his time in hiding, Shaker had rejected claims of playing any role in the 2013 confrontations and maintained he did not support violence. The 2013 Incident That year's armed clash, which involved supporters of hardline religious leader Ahmad al-Assir against the national military, caused the loss of at least 18 soldiers and deepened communal strife in Lebanon between the two main Muslim communities. Through a recording uploaded to the video platform on the second day of the street fighting in the city, a bearded Shaker referred to his enemies as swine and canines and mocked the military. Career Transformation The artist rose to become a celebrity singer throughout the Arab world in 2002 with a smash hit. Almost 10 years later, he fell under the influence of Assir and surprised fans by appearing next to the radical preacher at public gatherings. Later, he announced that he was abandoning his music career to draw nearer to the divine. Latest Updates This past summer, Shaker, along with his son Mohammed, put out a new song that became extremely popular across the Middle East and accumulated more than 113 million views on the video platform. Wider Implications Shaker's handover comes as the national military initiated the procedure of gathering arms from the country's dozen Palestinian settlements that have historically remained off limits to authorities.