Report: Detained Syrian Terrorist Denies Involvement in Execution of Servicemen

A Syrian member of the Islamic State group, who was arrested earlier this week, denied that he was involved in the execution of Lebanese servicemen who were abducted in the northeastern border town of Arsal in August, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

It said that Hassan Ghurelli repeatedly denied to investigators his involvement in the executions despite being confronted by Syrian detainee confessions who had mentioned his name in the killings.

Army Intelligence arrested Ghurelli, also known as Abu Harith al-Ansari, on March 3 from Farhat Hospital in the eastern Bekaa town of Jeb Jennine.

He was receiving treatment to head injuries he sustained in battles with the army in the Ras Baalbek region in Bekaa on February 23.

He managed to receive the medical treatment through the aid of Lebanese who are cooperating with takfiri groups, said As Safir.

He had reportedly told the army that he sustained his injury in a motorcycle accident.

Ghurelli had nearly managed to be discharged from hospital to return to the terrorist groups in the outskirts of Arsal had it not been for information being relayed to the Army Intelligence from the hospital that he was present at the facility.

The news prompted the army to re-interrogate him and verify the claims over his injuries, added As Safir.

The arrival of the army took him by surprise and he soon confessed to his deeds, it reported.

He confessed that in 2014 he was part of an armed group that was overseeing al-Zamrani crossing that was receiving its orders from the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front group.

In mid-summer of 2014, he, along with most of the members of that armed group, joined the ranks of the Islamic State.

Ghurelli was at the head of a group that seized the Arsal servicemen, said As Safir.

He informed investigators that he was a witness to the executions of Ali al-Sayyed and Abbas Medlej, adding that he also helped in burying them.

He also confessed to receiving training from IS-affiliated groups, saying that he was aware of a number of operations they had carried out against the army and civilian areas in Lebanon.

He gave information on the structure and hierarchy of the terrorist groups present in the outskirts of Arsal and al-Qalamoun region.

In light of his confessions, a number of Syrian refugee encampments in the Bekaa were raided on Friday.

On his role in the August clashes with the army in Arsal, the daily An Nahar Saturday said that Ghurelli led a terrorist group in attacking a military post in the Wadi al-Hosn area in Arsal, where he killed a number of soldiers.

He confessed to personally transporting soldier Ali Qassem al-Ali from Arsal.

The fate of the soldier remained unknown for some time until news of his death in the wake of the battles was announced recently.

Ghurelli confirmed claims that al-Ali was initially beheaded with his body later being shot by terrorists, a high-ranking security source told An Nahar.

Military Examining Judge Imad al-Zein interrogated Ghurelli and issued an arrest warrant and charges against him, said As Safir.

Some charges carry the death penalty if he is convicted.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged him with belonging to an armed terrorist group, taking part in battling the army, and kidnapping military personnel.

In August, extremists from the IS and al-Nusra Front overran Arsal where they engaged in brief clashes with the army.

They withdrew from the town at the end of the fighting, but kidnapped with them a number of servicemen.

A few were released, four were executed, while the rest remain held.

The IS and al-Nusra Front want to exchange the captives with Islamist prisoners in Lebanon and Syria.

M.T.