BEIRUTSTATEofMIND was returning from a beach-trip to Jiyyeh, 20 minutes south of Beirut, when a car bomb struck the Hezbollah stronghold of Dahiyeh on Thursday 15th August, claiming the lives of 24 people and injuring at least 250.
Deciding to head directly to the scene BEIRUTSTATEofMIND was picked up by some local Dahiyeh youths under the employ of Hezbollah and driven to a local safe-house, still wearing swimming trunks, for a spot of questioning:
The car pulled down a quiet backstreet and stopped outside what looked like a social club. They lead us in and a giant poster of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei - founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran - was hung from the back wall, flanked by lesser dignitaries from the Hezbollah theo-political pantheon.
My colleague and I were separated behind black partitions at either side of the hall. A glass of water was placed on the table behind the partition next to three brown plastic chairs. In the corner of the hallway a group of teenagers sat eating chicken tawouk.
The man in the cap left, and a clean-cut, smiling man named Issa joined us accompanied by a silent scribe with a shaved pate.
"I don't speak much English so you are going to have to help me in Arabic," says Issa, though he speaks good English.
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