Terrorist Ibrahim Atrash, a Precious Army Catch

The Lebanese army arrested in the northeastern town of Arsal fugitive Ibrahim Qassem al-Atrash in a substantial move that could unravel additional terrorist cells that have schemed and executed bombings in several Lebanese areas.

“The phase before the apprehension of al-Atrash is not similar to after that because it will reveal dangerous files that could give clues to terrorist cells in Lebanon. It is the most important accomplishment so far,” unnamed security sources told An Nahar on Wednesday.

“The army intelligence had intensified measures in clandestine on the entrances of Arsal which led to the arrest of Atrash, 45, after hard work of tracing him for several years,” they added.

“He has been on the run for many years and is the most prominent terrorist figure on the list of arrests of the security forces. His apprehension came unannounced and without losses,” they said, noting that the fugitive was always moving under the protection of armed group working.

In 2013, al-Atrash who is nicknamed Abou al-Moaatasem, Abou Hassan and Ibrahim Tark, has together with the so-called emir of al-Nusra in Qalamoun Malek Abou al-Talleh, formed and armed the al-Nusra Front in the outskirts of Arsal.

“Al-Atrash is charged with kidnapping and assaulting army and ISF members during the 2014 clashes in Arsal,” the Lebanese Army Orientation Directorate said in a communique on Tuesday.

“He is also charged with launching rockets at several towns in the Bekaa, booby-trapping cars the latest was a a Jeep Cherokee in addition to opening fire and killing a number of citizens and injuring others,” it added.

D.A.

G.K.