Two Lebanese employees of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were released after their arrest for allegedly spying for Israel, UNIFIL said on Thursday.
UNIFIL spokesperson Yasmina Bouziane said the Lebanese authorities notified UNIFIL about two separate arrests of Lebanese UNIFIL employees, on May 26, 2009, for allegedly spying for Israel.
She said the first employee was released on May 31, 2009, and the second on June 3, 2009, adding that they are back to their jobs after preliminary investigations. "UNIFIL is assisting the Lebanese authorities in their investigations, per the agreement between Lebanon and the UN on the situation of UNIFIL."
Meanwhile, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams said he discussed with Premier Fouad Siniora Thursday the upcoming report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as spy networks.
Williams said the two officials discussed the cluster-bomb maps that Israel handed to UNIFIL and the issue of recently uncovered Israeli spy networks "which the UN is following closely."
Lebanon has formally complained to the UN about the alleged spying, which it says is a breach of a Security Council resolution that halted the 34-day conflict.
On Wednesday, the army intelligence arrested a man identified as Ali Mallah from the southern village of Ain Qana on suspicion of spying for Israel.
Lebanon”s chief of police said Tuesday he expected more arrests in an investigation into spying for Israel that has already led to some 35 people being detained. "We have not completed the mission," Achraf Rifi said. "We have files that are still being prepared for arrests."
However, he declined to discuss the thread that led to the arrests: "It”s too early to reveal the secret. Nobody would surrender the key that led to this before finishing the mission."