Report: Minkara, Gharib Deny Prior Knowledge of Tripoli Blasts 'Zero-Hour'

Primary investigations with the suspects, who are accused of carrying out the twin blasts that rocked the northern city of Tripoli, showed that they are in direct contact with the chief of Syrian National Security Bureau, Ali Mamlouk, media reports said on Friday.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper, the General Syrian Intelligence Bureau informed Sheikh Hashem Minkara and Sheikh Ahmed al-Gharib that explosive-laden cars will be moved to Tripoli from the Syrian port city of Tartus.

Lebanese judicial authorities have previously charged ex-Minister Michel Samaha and Mamlouk with forming a group to commit terrorist crimes in Lebanon.

The two were also charged with plotting to assassinate political and religious figures.

The two Sheikhs confessed to their prior knowledge that two cars will be bombarded near al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques in Tripoli, but denied that they knew the zero hour.

Forty-five people were killed and at least 800 wounded in the Tripoli bombings that targeted the two Sunni mosques as worshipers were performing weekly prayers.

Minkara, who is the Head of the pro-Syria Islamic Tawhid Movement-Command Council, and Gharib were informed that the Syrian intelligence is planning to target al-Mustaqbal MP Khaled al-Daher, former ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi.

Minkara was ordered to provide men to park the booby-trapped cars near the targets, but he didn't comply to the request.

Instead Minkara tasked several men to monitor the targets.

Al-Joumhouria added that the two suspects denied during investigations that they parked the two cars near the Sunni mosques that were bombarded in Tripoli.

Gharib earlier failed a lie detection test he had to take over his alleged links to that blasts.

Mustafa Houri, remains in detention also, he is the police informer who contacted Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau claiming that he has important information over a Sheikh from Tripoli who is planning to target al-Daher, Rifi and Salafist al-Rafehi.