Qaida-Linked Suspects Charged, Ordered to be Detained

A suspect belonging to the Qaida-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades was charged on Thursday as the military examining magistrate issued an arrest warrant against another suspected terrorist.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged Nawwaf Hussein for his ties with Sheikh Omar al-Atrash and for belonging to an armed terrorist organization.

The charges against him also include his participation in two bombings that have rocked the Haret Hreik district of Beirut's southern suburbs.

Saqr refered him to Military Examining Magistrate Nabil Wehbe.

Al-Atrash, a cleric from the Bekaa Valley who was arrested last month, has been charged with detonating bombs and explosive-rigged vehicles, attacking the army in Majdelyoun and al-Awwali bridge areas in the southern city of Sidon and launching rockets on Israel.

On Wednesday, the Lebanese army arrested a Palestinian leader in the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, Naim Abbas, who was described as the group's number two man in Lebanon.

Also Thursday Military Examining Magistrate Imad al-Zain issued an arrest warrant against Mohammed Aa. for belonging to a terrorist organization and for having ties with Jamal Daftardar.

Another Palestinian, who is not in custody, was charged along with Mohammed on Tuesday.

Daftardar, who was arrested in the western Bekaa region on January 15, has been charged with belonging to the Ziad al-Jarrah Battalion, which is part of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades.

Several of the latest attacks on Hizbullah strongholds have been claimed by the brigades whose leader Majed al-Majed was captured by Lebanese authorities in December and died in custody later month.