Syrians Raid American U. Dorms, Arrest 15 Students

Heavily armed Syrian troops stormed the men’s dormitories of the American University of Beirut at dawn today and arrested 15 students suspected of belonging to Muslim militia groups, witnesses said.

They said the troops, led by an officer, entered the Penrose and Newman dormitories and searched the premises for arms and ammunition.

“We have a list with the names of some 20 students who are seeking to close down the university and we intend to break their necks,” a student quoted the Syrian officer as saying.

The American University administration had no immediate comment on the incident, the latest Syrian military action against Muslim militiamen in West Beirut.

Militia Offices Closed

The command of the Syrian army in West Beirut also refused to comment.

About 7,000 Syrian troops entered the Muslim half of the Lebanese capital more than two weeks ago to end militia rule and the worst factional fighting in years. The Syrians have since closed all militia offices and arrested dozens of people in a crackdown designed to restore law and order.

“The students are talking about the incident, but I was not officially informed about this,” university spokesman Radwan Mawlawi said.

Witnesses, however, said the Syrians arrived outside the two men’s dormitories in three trucks at dawn today and searched the buildings for weapons.

15 Students Arrested

“The Syrians interrogated a number of students and arrested 15 of them,” said a witness who declined to be named.

The detainees were described as “student militia leaders” belonging to Amal, the Lebanese Communist Party, the Progressive Socialist Party, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah and other militant groups.

American University, the main teaching institution in Lebanon, has been a hotbed of Muslim militia agitators for the last several years. The Syrian move was seen as an attempt to discourage students from involvement in politics.

Several Americans from AUB’s staff have been abducted in West Beirut in the last two years. They include the university’s hospital director, David Jacobsen, Dean of Agriculture Thomas Sutherland, librarian Peter Kilburn, Comptroller Joseph Cicippio and acting President Malcolm Kerr.

Kilburn and Kerr were later killed. Jacobsen was released last November.