Lebanese Authorities Accused of “Conspiring” with Hizbullah Cell Detained in Egypt
Investigation with the so-called Hizbullah cell detained in Cairo has reportedly uncovered a "conspiracy" between the Shiite group and Lebanese authorities – putting Lebanon in a weak position for a confrontation with Egypt.
Pan-Arab daily Al Hayat, citing well-informed Egyptian sources, said Tuesday that Egypt will file an official request with Lebanon demanding to open an investigation into what it called "serious deviations" the probe has revealed, most significantly of all is Lebanese authorities” "conspiracy" in facilitating the work of the Hizbullah cell.
The sources spoke of "grave breaches," including the usage of official Lebanese stamps to mark approval on forged documents.
They said Hizbullah detainee Mohammed Youssef Mansour, known as Sami Shehab, entered Egypt several times on a forged passport under the name of Salim Bassem Sami Hashem.
The sources said the fake passport carried the real picture of Mansour, an indication that an official Lebanese authority or a person working for that authority has facilitated access to the passport.
They said the official document requesting to assign attorney Montasser al-Zayat to represent Mansour "was issued in the same way."
The power of attorney, according to the sources, is signed by the name of Walid Shehab in his capacity as the defendant”s who confessed he has no brother under that name.
The forged document was nevertheless officially authenticated, the sources added.
They said the power of attorney was signed by a Beirut notary with an official Lebanese stamp on it and then authenticated by the Lebanese foreign ministry followed by approval from the Egyptian embassy in Beirut.
The sources said they believed Lebanese authorities or Lebanese people working for official Lebanese bodies had conspired with Hizbullah in preparing the forged documents with genuine stamps.
Meanwhile, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said defendant Nasser Abu Amra was interrogated up to 10 times over the past few days, given that he is the link between Mansour and a number of other detainees.
It said Abu Amra confessed that he possessed explosive belts he planned to smuggle into the Gaza Strip.
Mansour was among 49 suspects arrested over the past five months and accused of plotting attacks in Egypt on behalf of Hizbullah, a claim the Lebanese group denied, saying Mansour was responsible for helping transport arms to the Gaza Strip.