Paralyzed Lebanon lures Islamist militants
BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 7 Political paralysis in Lebanon in the aftermath of last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be attracting Islamic militants.
Hundreds of people have been killed in recent weeks in fighting between government forces and militants based in a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. Major Gen. Achraf Rifi, head of the Internal Security Forces, told the New York Times that the group includes fighters from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen, all veterans of the Iraqi insurgency.
The leader, Shakir al-Abssi, was an ally of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, who died in a U.S. air strike last year. Abssi is under a death sentence in Jordan for his part in the assassination of a U.S. diplomat in Amman.
"One reason we attacked Abssi was to get a message to those people that you don't have to come to Lebanon after your mission in Iraq," Rifi said.
Other groups appear to be active in the country, with increasing numbers of car bombs.
"We have no sleeper cells in Lebanon," a Lebanese Army official who did not want his name used told the Times. "They are all waking up."
Pertinent Links:
1) Paralyzed Lebanon lures Islamist militants
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment