Beirut bank hostage-taker: necessity made him a villain, instead he became a national hero – The National

Beirut bank hostage-taker: necessity made him a villain, instead he became a national hero – The National

After seven hours, Bassam Al-Sheikh Hussein, who took several hostages and held up a bank in Lebanon, surrendered on Thursday evening — but not before he successfully negotiated the withdrawal of $35,000 from his own account.

The armed man had taken at least six hostages — customers and employees — in a Federal Bank of Lebanon branch in Beirut, threatening to kill them and self-immolate if he did not receive his money.

In a scene typical of hostage situations, negotiators and security forces could be seen standing outside the bank entrance throughout the lengthy hold-up, while Mr Sheikh-Hussein's family as well as the families of the hostages anxiously looked on.