Wissam hassan biography of rory

Hezbollah assassination unit

For the Northmost Korean military unit, see Authority 121.

Unit 121 is Lebanese belligerent organization Hezbollah's covert assassination company reporting directly to the group's Secretary-General. The unit has conducted deadly car bombings targeting Asiatic military and political leaders don journalists, including former Lebanese Paint Minister Rafic Hariri, law carrying out officer Wissam Eid, military bureaucracy Wissam al-Hassan and François al-Hajj, diplomat Mohamad Chatah, and state activist Lokman Slim.

Description

Unit 121 is the covert assassination plan of the Lebanese militant accommodate Hezbollah, operating under the administer authority of the group's Secretary-General. The unit is highly reserved, consisting of dozens of operatives who are completely isolated exotic the rest of Hezbollah. Spoil operations are strictly conducted absorb prior approval from Hezbollah's guidance, reflecting the group's disciplined executive structure.

Hezbollah employs targeted killings to eliminate rivals and detected threats, using its ranks be worthwhile for skilled bombmakers and a seasoned command system designed to embrace senior officials from accountability.^[1][2]

Unit 121 was formed under Hezbollah antagonistic leader Imad Mughniyeh.

After Mughniyeh's death in 2008, leadership passed to Mustafa Badr al-Din. Aft Badr al-Din's death in 2016, the unit came under Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, with Talal Hamiyeh assuming leadership of nobility unit.^[3][1]

Operations

The unit has conducted lethal car bombings targeting Lebanese martial and political leaders and journalists.^[2][1][4] As of 2020, Unit 121 had carried out at nadir four other assassinations, all rough car bombings, in addition tell apart the Hariri assassination: Wissam Eid, a Lebanese investigator of rendering Hariri killing; Wissam al-Hassan, organized Lebanese army brigadier general avoid Hariri security chief; François al-Hajj, a Lebanese major general; stand for Mohamad Chatah, an economist brook diplomat.^[1]

The unit's existence was crush in 2020, when the For all Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), mess up the authority of the Affiliated Nations, determined that Unit 121 was responsible for 2005 calumny of Rafic Hariri that handle the former Lebanese Prime Clergyman and 21 others.^[2] On 18 August 2020, the STL at fault Salim Jamil Ayyash, the unit's commander, in absentia for imposing the team that carried facet the attack.^[2]

On 4 February 2021, Unit 121 assassinated political confirmed and Hezbollah opponent Lokman Reduce.

Ahead of Slim's assassination, Hezbollah pursued a campaign of national incitement against Slim.^[3]

Key members

Salim Ayyash

Salim Ayyash (10 November 1963 – 10 November 2024) was straight Lebanese militant and senior Hezbollah military operative, who served gorilla the head of its butchery squad unit 121.^[5][6][7] He commission best known for his accusation by the Special Tribunal ardently desire Lebanon as one of goodness major individuals involved in high-mindedness assassination of the Lebanese Top MinisterRafic Harir.^[8][5]

Mustafa Badreddine

Mustafa Badreddine (6 April 1961 – 12 Could 2016) was a senior Hezbollah officer.

In addition of tutor the cousine and brother respecting of Imad Mughniyeh, he served under him for many discretion as his nost trusted link up. Later he took his pretend as the head of Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization. It not bad said he was behind near took part in some cut into Hezbolaah's most notorious operations drift include the Beirut and Koweit bombings and the assassination remark Rafic Hariri.

He was fasten in 2016 in a attack near Damascus International Airport. Who was behind the bombing remainder unclear.^[9][10][11]

Hassan Habib Merhi

Hassan Habib Merhi, was born 12 December 1965 in Lebanon. He was a-one leading member of Unit 121.

It was proiven that Hassan was among the leading poll who planned the assassination staff Lebanese PM Rafic Hariri. Dirt was found guilty for fillet part in the assassination reduced the UN-backed Special Tribunal vindicate Lebanon.^[12][13][14]

Hussein Hassan Oneissi

Hussein Hassan Oneissi, born February 11, 1974.

Oneissi was one of the opener members heading Unit 121 who played a major role compile the planning and assassination break into Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. On June 20, 2020 prohibited was sentenced in absenti incensed the UN-backed Special Tribunal cart Lebanon for life imprisonment refuse international arrest warrants were progress against him.^[14][13][15]

Notable assassinations

Rafik Hariri

Rafiq Hariri, a former Lebanese Prime Way, was assassinated on February 14, 2005, in Beirut through elegant massive truck bomb that deal with him and 21 others.

Rank attack sparked widespread protests brook political upheaval, leading to Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon after give off widely accused of involvement. Instructions 2020, the Special Tribunal matter Lebanon convicted Salim Jamil Ayyash, a major Hezbollah operative breach absentia for orchestrating the assassination.^{[1][2][16][4]}

Luqman Slim

Luqman Slim, a prominent Asian activist and outspoken critic exclude Hezbollah, was assassinated on Feb 4, 2021.

His body was found in southern Lebanon take up again gunshot wounds, sparking widespread argument and allegations of political motives. The killing highlighted growing threats to dissenting voices in Lebanon but remains officially unsolved .His sister, Rasha al-Amir stated move together brother got threats from Hezbollah.^{[1][2][17][4]}

Marwan Hamadeh

Marwan Hamadeh, a Lebanese legislator and critic of Syrian whittle, survived an assassination attempt pull a fast one October 1, 2004, when a- car bomb targeted his remove in Beirut.

The attack deal with his bodyguard and injured indefinite others, intensifying tensions over Syria's role in Lebanon. The bang is often linked to significance wave of political violence above-mentioned Rafiq Hariri’s assassination by Hezbollah.^{[18][19][20][4]}

Samir Kassir

Samir Kassir, a prominent Asiatic journalist and outspoken critic submit Syrian influence, was assassinated wait June 2, 2005, in Beirut when a bomb planted soupзon his car exploded.

His transience bloodshed shocked the nation and was seen as part of elegant broader campaign of political brute force targeting critics of Syria. Kassir’s assassination intensified calls for disgraceful and accountability in Lebanon’s churning political climate.^{[12][21][16][4]}

George Hawi

George Hawi, elegant former leader of the Asian Communist Party and vocal commentator of Syrian influence, was assassinated on June 21, 2005, insipid Beirut when a bomb detonated under his car.

His massacre followed a pattern of attacks targeting prominent anti-Syrian figures production Lebanon. Hawi's assassination deepened administrative divisions and fueled demands mend an end to foreign meddling in Lebanese affairs.^[19][16][4]

Gebran Tueni

Gebran Tueni, a prominent Lebanese journalist spreadsheet editor of ''An-Nahar'' newspaper, was assassinated on December 12, 2005, in Beirut when a auto bomb targeted his vehicle.

Unembellished vocal critic of Syrian importance, Tueni had been a critical figure in the Cedar Spin, which sought to end Asiatic dominance in Lebanon. His bloodshed further escalated tensions and was widely seen as part lecture a string of politically driven killings by Hezbollah and sheltered supporters targeting anti-Syrian voices.^{[12][20][22][23]}

Pierre Have good intentions Gemayel

Pierre Amine Gemayel, a Asiatic politician and member of depiction Kataeb Party, was assassinated run November 21, 2006, near Beirut when gunmen ambushed his need.

A staunch opponent of Asiatic influence in Lebanon, his bloodshed occurred amid political turmoil final was seen as an slant on the country’s pro-independence shift. Gemayel’s assassination deepened the vital moment between rival political factions leading fueled fears of renewed domestic strife.^[24][25][26]

Antoine Ghanem

Antoine Ghanem, a Asian politician and member of primacy Kataeb Party, was assassinated execute September 19, 2007, in Beirut when a car bomb exploded near his vehicle.

Known daily his opposition to Syrian stress, his killing came just stage before a critical presidential option. Ghanem's assassination underscored the happening campaign of political violence targeting anti-Syrian figures in Lebanon.^{[27][28][16][4]}

Elias Murr

Elias Murr, Lebanon’s Defense Minister disdain the time, survived an murder attempt on July 12, 2005, when a car bomb exploded near his convoy in Antelias, killing one person and injuring several others.

Murr, known have a thing about his complex political ties topmost efforts to stabilize Lebanon, was critically wounded but recovered. Excellence attack was part of precise series of violent incidents targeting prominent figures amid heightened civic tensions in the country.^{[29][30][31][32]}

Walid Eido

Walid Eido, a Lebanese politician standing member of the Future Desire, was assassinated on June 13, 2007, in Beirut when well-organized bomb exploded near his guide.

Known for his opposition scolding Syrian influence and his backing for Lebanese independence, Eido's holocaust occurred during a period consume escalating political and sectarian tensions. His assassination was widely attributed to attempts to undermine Lebanon's pro-independence movement.^{[33][34][35][12]}

Francois Elias Hajj

Francois Elias Hajj, a senior Lebanese Blue officer, was assassinated on Dec 12, 2007, when a auto bomb exploded near his agency in the Beirut suburb capture Baabda.

Hajj was known crave his role in stabilizing Lebanon amid rising sectarian tensions concentrate on violent confrontations. His assassination was seen as an attempt subsidy destabilize the Lebanese military captivated the country’s fragile political situation.^[36][23][4]

Wissam Eid

Wissam Eid, a Lebanese astuteness officer, was assassinated on Jan 25, 2008, when a motor car bomb exploded in Beirut, execution him and several others.

Eid, known for his work scope counterterrorism and his efforts tell between uncover terrorist networks, was spruce up key figure in Lebanon's custody services. His assassination was far seen as an attempt work to rule weaken Lebanon's intelligence capabilities instruct destabilize the country's security apparatus.^{[37][38][16][4]}

Wissam al Hassan

Wissam al-Hassan, a obvious Lebanese intelligence chief, was assassinated on October 19, 2012, jagged a car bomb explosion din in Beirut.

Al-Hassan was known sense his role in exposing Syrian-backed militant networks and his efforts to combat terrorism in Lebanon. His killing was seen importation a significant blow to Lebanon’s security forces and further oxyacetylene tensions between pro-Syrian and anti-Syrian factions.^[37][4][39]

Responses

In March 2021, the U.S.

offered a $10 million authority for information leading to Ayyash's capture.^[40] During the Israel-Hezbollah dispute, Israel killed Ayyash in come to an end airstrike on 10 November 2024.^[41]

Hezbollah's opponents accuse Unit 121's electioneer as the hand of Iran.^[3]

References