All articles - Lebanon

Jihad El Annan Part II: The Czech Connection

In the second part of our series on the Lebanese entrepreneur, we look at how he has spun his web as far as the Czech Republic through a network of partners with strong ties to local defence circles.

Jihad El Annan, once connected to pro-Hezbollah circles, supplies Lebanese intelligence

The businessman's former ties with the Amhaz brothers, blacklisted by the US for their connections with Hezbollah, have not stopped him from expanding his defence and intelligence businesses in Lebanon.

Lebanese telecom tycoon Joe Zoghzoghi tries hand at defence

Zoghzoghi, the business partner of several European defence groups in the Middle East, wants to boost his activity in the defence sector.

Washington counts on General Joseph Aoun to maintain its local investment in Lebanon

The commander of Lebanon's armed forces Joseph Aoun has an extensive political network in the US, which has stage-managed a bid to move him from the barracks to the presidential palace.

Byblos Groups new branch B-Guard ME opens in Beirut

French security firm Byblos Group is going to do business in Beirut, in owner Simon Hoayek's native country. He is counting on Sami el-Hoyek, a former Lebanese Armed Forces general, to get the new branch off the ground.

Spotlight
On the run from Mohammed bin Salman, King Abdullah's key arms broker finds refuge in Beirut

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's investigators are still on the hunt for Salah Fustok, the main negotiator of arms contracts with the National Guard under King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. The fugitive agent holds secrets about many Western defence companies' business dealings in Saudi Arabia.

Bahaa Hariri swaps CT Group for BGR to promote his political ambitions in Lebanon

A powerful businessman and son of the former prime minister murdered in 2005, Hariri will pay BGR $600,000 for a year's work. Lobbyists on the contract include Ed Rogers, a veteran of the Reagan and Bush Sr.

Lebanon's Selcom Marine interfaces with US and French shipyards

The well-connected Selwan family's company Selcom Marine brokered the sale of vessels from US company Safe Boats International to the Lebanese Army.

Deloitte and Lebanese ex-partner Al Fadl escape LCB shareholders' wrath for now

A legal battle between Deloitte and former shareholders in Lebanese Canadian Bank, relaunched in February, involves an array of characters including a member of the Qatari royal family and Beirut financial consulting figure Joseph Al Fadl.

The Intelligence Gazette
Intelligence Academy seeks director, Abbas Ibrahim's mandate, Moscow's anti-drone battle, CIA's PCRB problem, Bulgarian intelligence

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week we look at Moscow, Washington, Paris, Sofia and Beirut.

France Intelligence Academy advertises for new director

Lebanon Berri joins push to extend Ibrahim's mandate

Russia Intelligence at forefront of fight against drones

United States CIA publication review process questioned

Bulgaria Internal security under scrutiny

Al Fardans lose counterclaim against Lebanon's Bank Audi

Close to Qatar's reigning Al Thani family and a key player in the country's economy, Fahad Hussain Al Fardan recently lost his bid to overturn a Qatari court's ruling against him in favour of Lebanon's Bank Audi.