General Security Confiscates Weaponry Belonging to Detainee Linked to Asir

The General Security seized on Wednesday arms and ammunition that belongs to Hisham al-Danab, who was arrested a day earlier in the southern city of Sidon.

According to the state-run National News Agency, the directorate's Intelligence Bureau confiscated the weapons, in coordination with the Army Intelligence, from the area of Sharhabeel, near the town of Abra.

Among the confiscated items are four hand grenades, two arms and four ammunition belts.

The army intelligence detained al-Danab, who is linked to fugitive Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir, along with two Lebanese and a Syrian on charges of forming a terrorist cell in Sidon.

The 45-year-old cleric, who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, had gone into hiding following deadly clashes between his supporters and the army near Sidon in June last year.

Sidon’s clashes were the most intense bouts of violence in Lebanon linked to the conflict in Syria, and have resulted in the death of at least 16 troops.

The gunbattles concentrated in the area of the Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque, where Asir was a preacher, and nearby buildings in Abra.

Judicial authorities have issued a detention order for Asir and 71 of his supporters, including Singer turned fugitive Islamist Fadel Shaker.

Last week, the trial of Abra suspects ended in a fistfight between one of the detainees and the Internal Security Forces after the military court postponed the trial to December 2.

The suspects could face the death penalty if convicted.

H.K.

G.K.