Nasrallah's bodyguards
The members of the Shiite bodyguard unit are distinguished Hezbollah men who had proven their loyalties and fighting skill. The unit expanded in the wake of the Second Lebanon War and today comprises 19 men, all tasked with safeguarding the secretary general. Bodyguards are recruited after several years of field service.
A Shiite youngster who wishes to become Nasrallah's bodyguard must undertake basic and advanced training, which usually takes place in northern Lebanon. After proving his skill in handling guns, explosives, communication equipment and anti-tank weapons, and especially after showing that he is ideologically fit for the job, a candidate is examined in the field. There is no shortage of tests under fire in Lebanon, and those who wish to stand out have an opportunity to do so.
In the next phase, the young men are sent to a Revolutionary Guards training camp near Tehran. Just like Hezbollah men earmarked for other posts, the bodyguards undergo additional basic training. Only after successfully completing this phase, Nasrallah's guards advance to learning bodyguard techniques.
The instructors are Iranian bodyguards who belong to the Revolutionary Guards and possess great skill. In a state where assassination attempts are a matter of routine, there is no other way.
The Second Lebanon War and Nasrallah's move to the bunker forced his bodyguards to develop further skills. A defense official estimates that in recent years the guards have also turned into communication experts. They are responsible for connecting Nasrallah to the outside world by recording his speeches and facilitating coded broadcasts and calls.
Hence, any Nasrallah speech, whether recorder or live, is facilitated by his bodyguards. The fear of Israeli infiltration is so great that even employees of the group's television station, al-Manar, are not allowed to enter the secret bunker.
According to Shiite websites, the Hezbollah chief's bodyguard unit is headed by Abu-Ali, Nasrallah's son-in-law. He is also regularly escorted by Abu al-Fadel, a loyal sniper who has been trained by the Revolutionary Guards.