The Lebanese people have been concerned for a while now due to the amount of non-political crimes being committed by organized groups seeking to make money. Meanwhile, security forces are failing to put an end to these acts, as their perpetrators enjoy the protection of various people.
These crimes — especially the kidnapping of people, including children, to ask for a ransom in exchange for their release — have been added to the country’s already existing acts of violence, which reflect the political and sectarian conflict over key issues plaguing the country. These contentious issues include the ongoing crisis in Syria, the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, and Lebanon's place in the great conflict that the Middle East has been grappling with for years.