Islamist Duo Link between Nusra Front, Suicide Bombers

Fugitives Ousama Mansour and Shadi al-Mawlawi are reportedly recruiting youth to join al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front by running an operation cell at the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh.

Security information obtained by al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday reported that the two dangerous suspects are residing at the refugee camp.

The daily said that Mawlawi is the link between the emir of al-Nusra Front in Qalamoun, Abou Malik al-Talli, and the recruited suicide bombers.

Mawlawi and Mansour are “recruiting suicide bombers to attack certain areas in Lebanon and carry out al-Nusra Front's scheme in Lebanon,” the daily added.

The two fugitives have been charged in absentia with belonging to an armed terrorist group in order to stage terrorist acts.

On Thursday, the army announced the arrest of three men who were plotting to carry out terrorist operations against army posts and residential neighborhoods, noting that investigations revealed they were affiliated with the group led by Mansour and Mawlawi.

Reports also said that the executors of Saturday's twin suicide bombing in the neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen in the northern city of Tripoli, Taha al-Khayyal and Bilal al-Meraayan, are linked to al-Nusra Front.

Al-Nusra Front claimed the attack on a crowded cafe in the Alawite region that killed nine people and wounded 37 others.

Khayal and Meraayan had reportedly disappeared when Mawlawi and Mansour went into hiding following the deadly gunbattles with the Lebanese army in and around Tripoli in October.

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G.K.