BEIRUT, Oct 4 (Reuters) – New robberies took place at three Lebanese banks on Tuesday as customers sought to withdraw their savings that had been frozen since the economic crisis began three years ago.
On Tuesday morning, a man armed with a pistol and a grenade entered the BTC Bank branch in Chtaura for his savings amounting to 24,000 dollars, according to the association “Cri des dépositors”.
The latter told Reuters in a statement that the man, Ali al-Saheli, was in debt and also wanted to send money to his son who was studying in Ukraine.
Security forces then entered the agency and arrested Ali al-Saheli without access to the money, the group added.
Contacted by Reuters, BTC had no immediate comment.
Meanwhile, a group of employees from a public power station in the north of the country stormed a branch of the First National Bank in the port city of Tripoli, according to witnesses.
They were irritated by the delays in paying their wages and the fees imposed by the bank, said Talal Hajer, their union representative.
Also on Tuesday, an armed man took hostages at Byblos Bank Tyre, in the south, the Association of Savers reported.
According to the association, this man had a gun and demanded to recover his savings, ie 44,000 dollars.
Byblos Bank did not immediately comment.
On Monday, Zaher Khawaja and a few associates managed to withdraw $11,750 from an account containing more than $700,000 at a BLOM Bank branch.
BLOM Bank said Zaher Khawaja was unarmed and would investigate the incident. (Report Maya Gebeily, written by William Maclean; French version Valentine Baldassari, told by Kate Entringer)