Lebanon dismantles terrorist network aimed at attacking the American embassy
Lebanon-USA, Local, 5/16/2003

The Lebanese army announced on Thursday that it was able with Syria's help of "disclosing and arresting a terrorist network" that was preparing to implement attacks in Lebanon, especially against the US embassy in Beirut.

The official in charge of the guidance directorate in the Lebanese army Lt. Gen. Elias Farhat said that the Lebanese intelligence and the intelligence of the Syrian army in Lebanon, arrested two Lebanese and two Palestinians, members in a network that was planning to execute attacks against the US embassy in Lebanon.

He explained that number of the network members is nine and they are Palestinians and Lebanese. Lt. Gen. Farhat said that the network also intended to "attack Lebanese military positions and other positions for the Syrian army in Lebanon and kidnap a Lebanese political figure."

Earlier, the Lebanese army announced in a statement that "as a result of the chasing and monitoring operations, the intelligence directorate in the Lebanese army in collaboration with the security department in the Syrian forces working in Lebanon was able to unmask and arrest a terrorist network that includes other cells planning to carry out attacks at various targets including the embassy of a major western state and security and military centers."

The statement explained that the network was also planning to kidnap official figures as a means to pressure for the release of persons held by the Lebanese judiciary.

He added that "necessary investigations were held with arrested persons and they were brought before specialized judiciary."

On May 8th, the military court in Beirut started chasing two Lebanese accused of planning three attempts to attack the American ambassador to Lebanon, Vincent Battle, his procession and the headquarters of the American embassy. The Lebanese military court is chasing the two persons in addition to other five Lebanese and two Palestinians who were arrested recently on charge of carrying out attacks by dynamites during recent months against four branches of the American take-away food restaurants and a British Trade Center.

In all, some 31 persons have been chased, some of them still have not been captured. They include a Yemeni known as Ibn al-Shaheed ( the son of the Martyr). He is unidentified and expected to be the planner of the network's operations.

On May 8, the Syrian authorities handed over the Lebanese authorities a Lebanese suspected to belong to the group arrested inside its territories.

Previous Stories:
  Fire and explosives attacks renew in Ein al-Helweh camp, south Lebanon   (5/10/2003)
  Lebanon: An attack on western missionaries resulted in death the executor   (5/7/2003)
  Fire exchange and explosions in Ein al-Helweh   (4/29/2003)

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