Dangerous Felon Charged with Belonging to Terrorist Group

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Wednesday Syrian national Mohammed Abdul Hamid Qassem with belonging to a terrorist organization.

State-run National News Agency reported that Qassem and several others were charged with belonging to the Syrian al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-linked rebel movement, carrying out terrorist attacks, the possession of arms, and booby-trapping vehicles.

Earlier on Wednesday, al-Akhbar newspaper reported that security forces are pursuing several explosive-rigged vehicles that Qassem, who is also known as Abou Abdo and Murad Almadar, confessed of receiving money to booby-trap them for bombings in several areas across Lebanon.

According the report, Qassem told investigators that several vehicles were booby-trapped in the Syrian villages of Yabrud and Rankous in the Qalamoun area on the Lebanon border.

Security forces are currently investigating if the vehicles were used in previous bombing or not, the newspaper said.

The felon also revealed the identities of several people that he worked with inside Lebanon and outside it.

Investigations are ongoing with Qassem, the report said.

The army issued a communique on April 9 saying that a dangerous fugitive, identified as M. Q., was detained in the northeastern border town of Arsal along with seven Syrian gunmen.

He was considered to be allegedly involved in several terrorist incidents that rocked Lebanon recently.

Al-Akhabr described his role as “explosive rigged cars contractor.”

Qassem is reportedly a high-ranking official in al-Haq Brigade, which is affiliated in the Syrian Islamic Front (SIF) organization.

The report pointed out that Qassem received a sum of money from two Syrian nationals, who are residing in Saudi Arabia and identified by their initials Abou Issa and Abou Ayman.

The money was used in buying cars, arms and preparing booby-trapped cars.

Lebanon has recently been the scene of several car bomb explosions that have killed and wounded dozens of people.

Several blasts that have targeted Hizbullah strongholds in Beirut's southern suburbs and the Bekaa have been claimed by extremist groups.

- H. K.

- G. K.