Arrest Warrants Issued against 2 Members of Hotels Terror Group

An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday against a Syrian and a French national, who were part of a group of 28 suspects charged earlier this week with belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the National News Agency reported.

First Military Examining Magistrate Riad Abou Ghida interrogated the French and Syrian nationals before issuing the warrant.

Seven of the 28-member cell are in custody.

They were detained in security raids in hotels in Beirut.

The 28 members were charged on Monday with belonging to ISIL, planning to carry out suicide bombings by using explosive belts and preparing explosive-rigged vehicles.

They are also accused of buying detonators, explosives, explosive belts and weapons and training suicide bombers to carry out terrorist acts in residential areas in Beirut.

Earlier in June, security forces raided the Napoleon Hotel in Beirut's Hamra district after obtaining information on a plot to target hospitals and high-ranking security officials.

Over 100 people were interrogated during the security raid but only a Frenchman who is originally from the Comoros islands was arrested and has reportedly confessed to being sent by the ISIL to carry out a terrorist attack in Lebanon.

Lebanon was hit by a series of deadly blasts recently, the latest of which was on June 25 when a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up at the Duroy Hotel when he detonated his explosives during a security raid. His accomplice, also a Saudi citizen, survived the blast and is being questioned.

M.T.

G.K.