Bomb Found Near al-Lino’s House in Ain el-Hilweh

A bomb was found near the home of Palestinian Armed Struggle chief Mahmoud Issa, who goes by the nom de guerre of al-Lino, at the refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, the National News Agency reported Wednesday.

NNA said that TNT explosives attached to three grenades were found at 6:30 am inside a bucket of paint near the house of al-Lino, whose group is dominated by Fatah.

MTV said the bomb was estimated to contain 30 kilograms of TNT.

Members of the Palestinian Armed Struggle immediately cordoned off the area and an explosives expert defused the bomb that was also attached to tapes, detonators and two mobile phones, NNA said.

The news agency added that one of the phones had a message on its screen but its details were not immediately available.

The PAS launched an investigation into the incident.

In a press conference he held at the camp, al-Lino hinted that the planned explosion was linked to ongoing efforts by Palestinian factions to hand over the head of a Takfiri network to the Lebanese army.

Earlier this month, authorities arrested a ring led by the leader of Abdullah Azzam Brigades, Abu Mohammed Toufiq Taha, for planning attacks on the Lebanese army. But the man is reportedly on the run in Ain el-Hilweh.

Later Wednesday, one of al-Lino’s bodyguards identified as Abd Suleiman al-Mutlaq was injured in his thigh after an argument with the residents of the area where the bomb was found turned into a gunfight.

Al-Lino’s bodyguard Amer Fustoq was killed inside the camp in December 2011.