Army Detains Prominent Syrian Figure in Bourj Hammoud

The army intelligence has detained a prominent Syrian figure in the northern Metn area of Bourj Hammoud after the arrest of four terrorist kingpins in the Bekaa town of Chtaura, As Safir newspaper claimed in a report published on Tuesday.

According to the daily, the Syrian is playing an important role in transferring money to the terrorists located in Lebanon, on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal and in the Syrian Qalamoun.

Sources close to the investigation told the newspaper that the detainee had recently arrived in Lebanon from Syria's al-Riqqa.

He reportedly confessed to investigators that the funding of the terrorist groups is coming from a small country in the Gulf, revealing that the money transfer is transacted through finance companies or banks to unsuspected names.

The report pointed out that the funding groups are sending the money in small sums and in installments so that not to raise suspicion.

The army has come under growing attacks across Lebanon by militants who accuse it of colluding with Hizbullah in its intervention in the Syrian conflict on the side of the regime.

The military has been carrying out a major crackdown in several areas across Lebanon, the latest in the Bekaa over the weekend, where it kicked off a major security operation.

Meanwhile, As Safir reported that the four terrorist kingpins, who were detained on Monday in Chtaura, were heading from the outskirts of Arsal to the southern border town of Shebaa.

The newspaper said that the security operation comes days after the arrest of a similar group comprised of three Syrians near Arsal. They were also heading to Shebaa.

H.K.

G.K.