'Would-be suicide bomber' detained in Lebanon

The detained individual is a Syrian national and according to Lebanese security statements was also attempting to recruit people to fight for a 'terrorist organisation' in Syria

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

31 December, 2016

Lebanese security forces remain wary of cross-border spillover from Syria [Getty]

Lebanon's directorate of general security said it had arrested a Syrian national accused of plotting to carry out a suicide bomb attack in the country.

The suspect identified in reports simply as Kh.M. is said to have confessed upon interrogation to plans to recruit individuals to fight for an unspecified "terrorist organisation" in Syria against President Bashar al-Assad.

The suspect is also said to have confessed to plans to carry out a suicide bomb attack in Lebanon in coordination with a Lebanese national referred to as Abou Baseer or Abou Hajar al-Loubnani.

In a statement, the directorate said that the suspect had been referred to special authorities to further process the case, with work ongoing to apprehend his associates.

More than 1 million Syrian refugees are currently in Lebanon, over a quarter of the country's population. The influx has stretched resources, while Lebanon's security situation has intermittently been threatened by spillover from Syria.

Hundreds of Lebanese have travelled to Syria to fight with Syrian opposition brigades, while others have joined the Islamic State group and the al-Qaeda affiliated Fatah al-Sham.

The Lebanese Shia paramilitary group Hizballah is also fighting in Syria in support of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.