Members of two terror networks recently arrested in Lebanon included Na’im Muhammad Khatib, considered the top Al-Qa’ida operative in Lebanon.
The cells were arrested while planning to bomb the Italian and Ukrainian embassies in Beirut as well as other strategic targets.
Senior Lebanese officials said the networks were affiliated with Al-Qa’ida and at least one had contact with Abu Mu’s’ab A-Zarqawi, whose Tawhid and Jihad group has been responsible for many attacks on American forces in Iraq as well as hostage executions.
The Italian intelligence forces, in cooperation with Lebanese and Syrian security forces recently arrested ten Lebanese people who planned to attack both the Italian and Ukrainian embassies using explosive-laden trucks.
The arrests and the foiled attacks were made public on Wednesday by the Italian news agency ANSA.
Lebanese Interior Minister Elias Murr and State Prosecutor ‘Adnan ‘A’doum confirmed the arrests in a press conference on Wednesday. They said its members, most of whom are Lebanese, planned to bomb the Italian and Ukrainian embassies in Beirut as well as the justice palace, the offices of the interior security forces and the headquarters of the judiciary police station in Beirut.
They said the suspected terrorists also planned suicide attacks targeting “prominent personalities from foreign embassies” according to the London-based daily Al-Hayyat.
‘A’doum said Khatib is the head of the Al-Qa’ida organization in Lebanon.
He said another one of the detainees, Ahmad Salim Al-Mikati was one of the most dangerous people wanted in Lebanon, adding that he wanted to recruit anti-U.S. fighters to go to Iraq.
Observers say Lebanon’s efforts to reveal details on the thwarted attack and release names of suspects is a message to the United States stressing the dedication of both Beirut and Damascus to fight terror, the London-based Al-Hayyat reported.