TEHRAN — A few days after his arrest, the chief of Lebanon's al-Qaeda branch was pronounced dead by the authorities. “His health condition deteriorated,” said a military source in Beirut, explaining that Majid al-Majid suffered from kidney failure. “He was treated at the hospital before his arrest, and later, after falling in the hands of the army, he was given appropriate care. But God’s will is above all wills.”

According to another source — an officer close to the investigation process — Majid wasn’t interrogated. “His health condition didn’t give the investigators the chance to ask him. He was in a dire situation, and the priority was to save his life,” said the source. Majid died early Saturday, Jan. 4, and what was believed to be a fortune of information and secrets was transformed into a sort of mirage. Many were awaiting his confessions, hoping that he would solve many of Lebanon's bloody riddles. 

While details of Majid’s arrest were discussed in a previous piece by the author, the details of his death have been kept secret. Most Lebanese, despite their political differences, are treating the news with skepticism. Some believe that Majid — the man who heads the Lebanese branch of the most dangerous group in the world — was killed so that his secrets, which could harm many people, died with him. This is the point of view on the street and on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, which have been used to convey a unified message that they don’t buy the news, and that the Lebanese government is responsible for his life and death.

Before Majid’s death, several countries expressed interest in interrogating him, including Iran. One security source said the United States also sent a request. Saudi Arabia called upon the Lebanese authorities to hand him over, as he was one of the kingdom's 85 most wanted men.