Report: Mawlawi, Mansour Plan Attacks against French Interests

Fugitives Ousama Mansour and Shadi al-Mawlawi reportedly ordered jihadists to carry out attacks against French interests in Lebanon in retaliation for the new cartoon of the prophet Mohammed published by French magazine Charlie Hebdo.

According to Ad Diyar newspaper published on Saturday, Mansour and Mawlawi, who are currently residing in the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, ordered their group members to carry out terrorist suicide attacks against French headquarters in Beirut.

The newspaper reported that security forces boosted measures near the French embassy in Beirut and other French interests across the country.

Diplomats and employees also took precautionary measures and limited their movement.

The latest issue of Charlie Hebdo features a cartoon of Mohammed on its cover holding a "Je Suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) sign under the headline "All is forgiven."

It was the first edition since Cherif and Said Kouachi gunned down 12 people in an attack on the magazine's Paris offices on January 7 over such cartoons.

The image has angered many Muslims as depictions of Mohammed are widely considered forbidden in Islam.

H.K.

D.A.