A Lebanese man sanctioned by the US over alleged Hamas links is found shot dead near Beirut

BEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese man sanctioned by the U.S. for his alleged links with the Palestinian group Hamas was found dead Wednesday after he went missing for a week, Lebanese state media and judicial officials said.

Mohammad Srour, 57, was sanctioned by the U.S. in August 2019 for giving “financial, material, technological support, financial or other services” to Hamas and for his affiliation with Hezbollah. He was accused of transferring tens of millions of dollars annually from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, which is currently at war with Israel’s military in Gaza.

Lebanese judicial officials say Srour worked for Hezbollah’s financial arm.

A top U.S. Treasury official visited Lebanon in March and pressed authorities to obstruct funds being funneled to Hamas through the Mediterranean country.

Srour’s relatives in a televised statement said all his financial transactions were transparent and he simply worked in money exchange. They urged security agencies to swiftly find the perpetrators.

The circumstances of Srour’s death are unclear.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, referring to Srour by his initials, said he went missing for several days after he went to a money transfer shop to withdraw a payment sent to him. The NNA said his body was found with bullet wounds.

Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press