Ghosn: It's Our Duty to Expose Extremists, Qaida Infiltration
Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn on Tuesday said the army has “clear information” about the presence of al-Qaida members in the Bekaa border town of Arsal, noting that “the army raided Arsal in search of Hamza Qarqouz,” who is believed to be an al-Qaida militant who had fled from Syria to Lebanon.
In an interview on OTV, Ghosn added: “It is our duty as politicians and officials to announce that there is an infiltration by some extremists, including al-Qaida members, through the borders, and it is our duty not to conceal things.”
“I said in cabinet that there is information about an infiltration of terrorists through illegal border crossings, including Arsal’s, and the town of Arsal was not directly accused of that,” Ghosn said, noting that “the president and premier are aware of this information.”
Hitting back at former premier Saad Hariri, the minister said: “We are not the shabiha (militiamen) of the Syrian regime and we’re not in anyone’s service.”
“I’m an Arab minister and, first and foremost, the defense minister of Lebanon. I’m entrusted with the military institution and I do not make mistakes in such critical issues,” Ghosn added.
Source: Naharnet
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