Aita Al Foukhar -

Palestinian Detention Center

Aita al-Foukhar detention center is located less than a kilometre away from the Aita al Foukhar village, which lies 3km from the Syrian border in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. According to local reports, the main facility was located underground and could be accessed from the above basic ground structures. The detention center created in 1974 belonged to Fateh - The Revolutionary Council (Fatah al-Majles al-Thawry), a Palestinian splinter group from Yasser Arafat’s Fateh. The group was commonly known as Abul Nidal Organization (ANO), after his funder's name, Sabri al Banna (Abo Nidal). Abu Nidal Organization's main objective was to fight Israel and purge Fatah. This lead them to target the Israeli Army and any Lebanese militia who supported it. ANO also kidnapped and killed British and American nationals, among them, British reporter Alec Collett who was kidnapped in Beirut and taken to Aita al-Foukhar detention center were he was executed later on. Abu Nidal Organization was known for mass executions including its own members who were accused to be traitors. They were known for being a very violent and intransigent group, tortures included whipping, burning of skin and genitals and being buried alive.