Nizar Banat’s family Says “there is no trust in a committee designated by authority”

By Al Mayadeen
26 Jun 2021 09:46

Nizar Banat's cousin told Al Mayadeen that Banat's family is calling for the arrest of 27 officers involved in the assassination, in addition to the head of the Preventive Security Service in Al-Khalil.

Ammar Banat: The martyr’s family does not trust the investigation committee set up by the authority.

Ammar Banat, Nizar Banat's cousin, said that "the Banat family demands the arrest of 27 officers from the Military Intelligence unit engaged in the assassination", adding that "they should be subjected to a public trial."

According to Ammar Banat, the martyr's family assured that "the so-called Maher Abu al-Halawi, the deputy head of the Preventive Security Service in Al-Khalil, is directly responsible for the murder of Nizar since the arrest warrant was issued by him and executed in his office."

"As a result of his prior knowledge of the assassination, Banat's family ordered the formation of an investigation committee, the dismissal of Al-Khalil Governor Jibril al-Bakri, taking the necessary legal measures against him" Ammar Banat told Al Mayadeen.

Furthermore, Ammar pointed out that "the martyr's family does not trust the investigation committee set up by the authority. The family supports a special investigation conducted by Human Rights Commission and Al-Haq Foundation."

عمار بنات ابن عم الشهيد #نزار_بنات: عائلة بنات تطالب بتوقيف المشاركين في عملية الاغتيال وعددهم 27. #نزار_شهيد pic.twitter.com/mPJaF3ePV1
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) June 25, 2021

He stated that his words "come to clarify the family's demands, which should be implemented as soon as possible." Ammar also stressed that "the names he mentioned are not a figment of the imagination, but rather real names for those who outlined a plan to assassinate Nizar."

Ammar Banat's statement was preceded by another report by Nizar Banat's cousin, Atiyah Banat, in which he confirmed that "Nizar was assassinated, and the family wants to prosecute whoever did that."

The martyr's family held the security services affiliated with the authority responsible for his assassination, and his wife said, "If they kill him, there will be a thousand Nizar's."

On her part, Nizar Banat's mother told Al Mayadeen that her son Nizar "has been chased for two months by the authority."

Thousands marched through the streets of Al Khalil on Friday at the funeral of the Arab fighter and resistance figure Nizar Banat.

On Thursday morning, members of the security services raided the house where he was staying. According to his family, the officers sprayed pepper gas in Nizar's eyes before "viciously beating him" and dragging him away. Two hours later, his family learned that Banat was martyred.