The owner of a Lebanese television channel has been arrested and charged with spying for Israel and acting against a friendly country.
| That'd be Syria, I'll betcha, or our favorite princes, or both... |
Officers from the anti-terrorism and espionage department initially raided the headquarters of New TV on Saturday to arrest Tahsin Khayyat, Al-jazeera correspondent in Beirut said. They did not find Khayyat at his office, however. Shortly afterwards, the officers went to Khayyatâs house and arrested him there. Court sources have refused to comment on the case and there has been no word from Khayyat himself. The charge of acting against a friendly country is believed to be a reference either to Syria or Saudi Arabia.
The president of Lebanonâs National Council for Information, Abd al-Hadi Mahfuz, said the issue was related to information obtained by the military court about links between âthe owner of the channel and a hostile partyâ.
| That'd be us, or them danged Zionists... |
âThe detention of Khayyat does not effect the transmission of the channel,â said Mahfuz. âIt is a personal matter and does not concern the managing company.â |