🔗 Share this article Singer Transformed into Radical Fighter Fadel Shaker Gives Himself Up to Lebanese Army Following a Dozen Years on the Run A ex- pop star who became a wanted radical Islamist fighter has voluntarily surrendered to the country's army intelligence following over a decade evading authorities. Background of the Case The singer had been a fugitive since bloody confrontations broke out in June 2013 in the port city of Saida, involving Sunni Muslim militants against the Lebanese army. He was tried while absent and sentenced to over two decades in jail in the year 2020 for offering assistance to a terrorist group. Handover Event On Saturday night, a army intelligence unit reached one of the access points of the refugee settlement of Ain al-Hilweh near Sidon and apprehended the fugitive into detention. Security and judicial officials confirmed that the former singer had been taking refuge inside the refugee settlement for more than a dozen years. This surrender took place after coordination between intermediaries and officials at the Lebanese defence ministry. Judicial Consequences Authorities indicated that since the defendant is in custody by Lebanese authorities, the sentences that he was given during his fugitive status will be dropped. Investigators will interrogate him in preparation to stand trial on new charges of perpetrating offenses targeting army personnel. The Defendant's Past Statements During his years as a fugitive, the former pop star had rejected claims of playing any role in the 2013 confrontations and maintained he did not support bloodshed. 2013 Confrontation The 2013 shootout, which pitted supporters of radical religious leader Ahmad al-Assir against the national military, caused the loss of at least 18 soldiers and intensified sectarian tensions in Lebanon between Sunni and Shia Muslims. In a video posted to YouTube on the second day of the urban conflict in the city, a unshaven Shaker referred to his enemies as pigs and dogs and mocked the military. Career Transformation Shaker became a celebrity singer throughout the Middle East in the early 2000s with a chart-topping song. Roughly a decade after, he came under the sway of the cleric and shocked followers by appearing next to the radical preacher at public gatherings. Subsequently, he declared that he was giving up singing to draw nearer to the divine. Recent Developments In July, the former singer, together with his son Mohammed, put out a fresh track that went viral across the Middle East and gathered more than 113 million watches on the video platform. Broader Context This surrender coincides with the Lebanese army began the procedure of collecting arms from the country's dozen Palestinian settlements that have historically remained off limits to government forces.