Nine in Lebanon held on terrorism allegations
BEIRUT, Lebanon – Military intelligence arrested nine people suspected of planning terrorist acts, including the possible assassination of the leader of the Shiite Hezbollah guerrilla group, officials said Monday.
The plot against Sheik Hassan Nasrallah was “in the phase of intentions” and had not reached “the phase of implementation,” said a senior Lebanese military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
He said nine Lebanese and Palestinian suspects were detained and would be handed over to a military prosecutor Tuesday for more questioning and indictment.
A judicial official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was too early to say whether Nasrallah was a target, pending an interrogation of the suspects.
In preliminary charges, the nine were accused of forming a gang with the intent of “carrying out terrorist acts” and trading in arms and bombs. The charges did not specifically mention a plot to kill Nasrallah.
The daily newspaper As-Safir reported Monday that military intelligence had arrested the plotters last week after they were seen acting suspiciously near Hezbollah’s headquarters in the southern Beirut district of Haret Horeik. Authorities were looking for more members of the plot, the paper said.
The military official said some of As-Safir’s details were true, “but others are not so accurate.” He would not elaborate.
Nasrallah’s political adviser, Hussein Khalil, confirmed the assassination plot and arrests.
Hezbollah, which the United States and the European Union brand as a terrorist group, is a major political force in Lebanon.
The foiled attack on one of Lebanon’s top Shiite Muslim cleric and politician came as fears of sectarian strife have rippled through the Middle East.
On Saturday, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak all but blamed Shiites, minorities in the Arab world, of being disloyal to their states and following orders from Iran, the only country with a Shiite leadership.