Beirut: An armed man who held a bank in the Lebanon capital here hostage for over six hours after being unable to withdraw savings, has been hailed a hero by the public. Banks in Lebanon have put tight rules on how much money people can access, amid a deep economic crisis. The suspect entered the bank with a rifle on Thursday, poured petrol, and demanded his money for hospital bills, international media reported.”You are a hero” chants were raised by the public gathered outside the bank as the crisis unfolded, the BBC reported.
The standoff ended peacefully with no injuries after negotiators struck an agreement allowing the suspect to receive $35,000 of his savings upfront, the LBC TV channel reported. Police escorted the hostages and suspect away from the Federal Bank branch near Hamra Street, in the west of the city. Officials have not yet said whether the man will face charges. According to LBC, the suspect’s family was in dire need of their savings, with some family members in the hospital.BBC quoted the suspect’s brother saying: “My brother has $210,000 in the bank and wants to get just $5,500 to pay hospital bills.
