Security Source Says Syria, Hizbullah Backing Salafists Amid Fears Over Killing Plots by Fatah al-Islam
Fears have lately emerged over a return to bombing and assassination attacks by Fatah al-Islam with a security source saying that Hizbullah and Syria are supplying arms to extremist groups in northern Lebanon.
"Syria and Hizbullah have allies in some parties with Islamist Salafist trends in Tripoli. They back them with money and weapons," a high-level security source told pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Thursday.
However, the source said the security situation was under control in the north and police have raided several weapons depots.
"There is no threat to civil peace if the situation remains as it is in Tripoli because there is solid cooperation between the region”s officials and leaderships" on the issue, he told the daily.
An Nahar newspaper also quoted sources involved in cabinet formation efforts as saying that reports about some factions being armed in some regions, including the north, were exaggerated and sometimes fabricated.
On reports about plots to carry out assassinations against official figures, Asharq al-Awsat”s source said that authorities arrested a month ago a 10-member network belonging to Fatah al-Islam. The men carried Hungarian passports and Greek phone numbers.
According to the source, unconfirmed reports said they were planning to bomb a UNIFIL truck near the Phalange party headquarters during the presence of MP Sami Gemayel in the offices.
"Involved authorities immediately warned Gemayel and provided him with the appropriate protection," the source said.
Turning to the issue of Fatah al-Islam terrorist Taha al-Hajj Suleiman, who escaped Roumieh prison and was recaptured, the source said: "Investigators are finding a difficulty in taking information from him, particularly that the probe is focusing on where he was heading after his escape from prison."
Last Tuesday, eight Fatah al-Islam members staged a dramatic prison break. But only Suleiman escaped while the others were caught by police before they could get over the wall.
Suleiman was caught in the woods in the Bsalim area the next day.
The security source told Asharq al-Awsat that police arrested a man – from the Bekaa town of Arsal – who was supposed to meet the prisoners and help their escape from Lebanese authorities.
The source denied that Fatah al-Islam prisoners had more freedom than other convicts.
About the illegal internet and telecommunications company in Barouk, he said: "Powerful financiers protected by political authorities linked to the opposition and the pro-government forces" are benefiting from it.
"It was not proved that the network had any ties to Israel," the source said. "Israel does not rely on the station for spying because it can spy from Cyprus or with Wi-Fi equipment through satellites."
He added that media campaigns between majority and opposition officials over the Barouk network are only aimed at achieving personal interests.