Foreign terrorists from Chechnya, Egypt, Tunisia and Syria have been flooding to Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in port city of Sidon since January, the Daily Star newspaper reported on Saturday.
The terrorists have reportedly joined the Ziad Jarrah Brigades, which is part of the terrorist group of Abdallah Azzam Brigades, which has also claimed responsibility for the terrorist bombing of the Iranian Embassy in Beirut.
“The Lebanese security forces had received information that these groups entered the country through the border town of Arsal…,” the report stated.
The report also identified three men that have been under watch by Lebanese security officials: Ahmad Riyad G., Khatib M. and Jomaa M., all of whom it said were assisting Mahmoud S.
These three men, according to the report, were planning terrorist attacks targeting diplomatic, military and security institutions in coordination with cells from Jund al-Sham and Fatah al-Islam. The attacks were alleged to be orchestrated through a Palestinian man called Bilal B., who is believed to be one of the most dangerous officials in Ain al-Hilweh’s Jund al-Sham movement. Palestinian Toufic Taha, known as Abu Mohammad, from Fatah al-Islam is believed to be his assistant.
Lebanese security forces have also expressed concern about potential attacks by the terrorists against the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
Lebanon has been embroiled in a string of deadly bomb attacks in recent months. Many view the violence as a spillover of the conflict in neighboring Syria.
The al-Qaeda-linked terrorist groups al-Nusra Front and the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which are also operating in Syria, have claimed responsibility for a number of the bombings in Lebanon.
NTJ/MB