Army: Hujeir Linked to Iran Embassy Bombers, was Planning IS Attack

The army has confirmed that a senior jihadist militant arrested Tuesday in the Ain el-Hilweh camp had ties to two suicide bombers who attacked Iran's embassy in Beirut in 2013.

“As a result of the surveillance of terrorist elements inside the Ain el-Hilweh camp, and after setting up a security trap, the Lebanese Army's Intelligence Directorate arrested Palestinian fugitive Bahaeddine Mahmoud Hujeir for being linked to the terrorist Abdullah Azzam Brigades group and for having ties to the two suicide bombers who attacked the Iranian embassy in Bir Hassan,” the army said in a statement.

“One of them told him in advance that he intended to carry out a suicide operation inside Lebanon,” the statement added.

More recently, Hujeir established ties with the jihadist Islamic State group and was “planning a security act for the group outside the aforementioned camp.”

“He was also wanted on multiple arrest warrants related to terrorism,” the army added.