Army Colonel Arrested as Mossad Agent was “Modest,” “Brilliant, and “Loved”
Lebanese army Col. Mansour Diab, who has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel, was "modest," "brilliant," and "loved," according to colleagues in the military community.
The daily As Safir on Wednesday said investigation focused on how Diab, a resident of Antelias, was recruited to work for the Israeli secret service, Mossad, and what tasks where given to him.
It said among the questions that are likely to be raised are:
– Was Diab asked to facilitate the entry and exit of Israeli troops via maritime routes when he was working for the Lebanese army Special Navy Forces at that time?
– Did Diab facilitate the entry of what is known as the "dead mail"?
As Safir said Diad, who hails from the northern town of Idbil in the Akkar province, is married and has a daughter and a son.
Pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat, however, said high-tech communication devices — similar to those seized from other Israeli espionage cell members arrested in southern and eastern Lebanon as well as Beirut suburbs — were confiscated from Diab”s house.
It said Diab”s involvement as a Mossad agent was a "great shock" to the Lebanese military command.
Meanwhile, a senior security source told Al-Akhbar newspaper that several army officers have underwent investigation "designed to determine the nature of their relations with the detained colonel."
The source said Diab underwent interrogation in 1997 after one of the pictures taken during a military training program in the United States showed him standing alongside Israeli officers.
As Safir said Diab”s opening to Israel likely took place in the first half of the 1990s.
In a related development, security forces on Tuesday arrested two Palestinians – Samir al-Hajj from Ain el-Hilweh and Khaled al-Kun from Mieh Mieh – in addition to Mahmoud Serhal from Baissariyeh.
Pan-Arab daily Al Hayat said there is no evidence that the three detainees work for the Mossad, adding that they were the key that led to the arrest of the Mieh Mieh suspect allegedly involved with spying for Israel.
Also on Tuesday, a police patrol raided the house of Raymond Q. from the border town of Rmeish and confiscated equipment. No other details were given.
Raymond is the brother of Tanios Q. who fled to Israel last week along with his family.
Also on suspicion of spying for Israel, security forces raided the house of customs officer Hashem A. in al-Khodr village in Baalbek overnight Monday and arrested him.