Wanted Suspect Arrested in Tripoli, Prompting Tensions with Army
Tensions were high in the northern city of Tripoli following the army's arrest of a wanted suspect overnight, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) on Sunday.
It said that tensions mounted after the arrest of Sheikh Hussam al-Sabbagh, who is wanted on terrorism charges, in Tripoli's Abi Samra neighborhood.
His supporters took to the street to protest the detention.
Youth gatherings have been reported near the Harba Mosque and the office of Salafist cleric Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi.
A meeting of Muslim scholars, chaired by Rafehi, was held at dawn in order to address the development.
The gatherers condemned Sabbagh's arrest, deeming it as “provocative”, reported VDL.
The army confirmed the arrest in a statement later on Sunday, saying that Sabbagh and his companion, Mohammed Ali Ismail Ismail, were detained at a checkpoint in the al-Manar area in Tripoli.
Unknown assailants later tossed a hand grenade at an army checkpoint in Tripoli's al-Mankoubin area, it added.
Known as Abu Hassan, Sabbagh holds Lebanese and Australian citizenships and is wanted by authorities in both countries for belonging to al-Qaida, most notably the Fatah al-Islam group, reported MTV.
It described Sabbagh as one of the most wanted suspects in Lebanon and one of the most dangerous men in the country.
The suspect initially joined the ranks of the Baath Party in Iraq before joining al-Jamaa al-Islamiya group.
Influenced by al-Qaida's mentality during the United States' invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, he joined the group in fighting U.S. troops in the country.
He also sent members of al-Qaida through Lebanon and Syria to fight in Iraq against invading U.S. troops in 2003, added MTV.
He then disappeared off the scene for several years until the eruption of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
He became noticed in Lebanon during May 2013 following the arrest of Islamist Shadi al-Mawlawi.
Sabbagh also became heavily involved in the clashes between Tripoli's rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen.
M.T.
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