Lebanese judge rules Pascal Sleiman killing was premeditated murder

A judicial decision has fundamentally altered the investigation into the kidnapping and killing of Pascal Sleiman, a coordinator for the Lebanese Forces in Jbeil. For over two years, the case was debated between two theories: a simple carjacking that resulted in accidental death, or a deliberate political assassination.

Investigating judge Nada Al-Asmar has officially rejected the carjacking hypothesis. The judicial findings indicate that the crime involved high levels of organization, including surveillance of Sleiman, careful selection of timing and location, the use of multiple vehicles, and coordinated roles among different groups. The investigation revealed that the perpetrators used tactics such as switching travel routes and putting phones on airplane mode to evade detection.

The case has been reclassified from a robbery resulting in death to a premeditated kidnapping and murder. Sleiman was abducted in the Mayfouq area on April 7, 2024, and his body was later found after being transported into Syrian territory. While the court has established the premeditated nature of the crime, the ultimate motive and the identity of those who benefited from the act remain subjects for upcoming judicial stages.