in Beirut. The Berris returned to Lebanon while the country was in the
midst of a civil war, and their apartment was located on the so-called “green line” between the East
and West Beirut, where Hezbollah militias maintained checkpoints.
        Sami’s testimony regarding the Hezbollah militia’s treatment of him varies. He testified that
on the first day he arrived at his apartment, militia members accused him of being an Amal member
(on the basis of his surname) sent to spy on them, and demanded that Sami give them money to
support the militia. Sami initially testified that he was never arrested or detained and left Beirut after
the militia threatened him two times, but later testified that the militia was living in the same
building as his family andcame to his apartment up to ten times a day. He also testified that the
militia had taken him to a detention room where he was threatened, kicked, slapped, pushed and
beaten to the point that he bled.
         The Berris also alleged that the militia was responsible for bombing their car and apartment,
although outside of their testimony, they provided no evidence of this happening. With respect to
the car, Sami testified that it was blown up during the daytime while they were away from the house.
However, Tina testified that their car was bombed in the middle of the night while the family was
sleeping upstairs above the building’s garage. In order to escape the Hezbollah militia, the family
sometimes stayed with friends in the suburbs