Report: Al-Asir Residing in Ain El-Hilweh Camp
Fugitive Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir is residing in the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, reported An Nahar daily on Wednesday.
Intelligence information said that it was almost certain that he is staying at the Abdullah bin al-Zabir Mosque in the Tawari neighborhood in the camp.
It added that Islamist Haitham al-Shaabi and his armed supporters are providing him with protection.
Al-Asir is in contact with his supporters in various locations in Lebanon.
Fatah leader in Lebanon Munir al-Maqdah later denied these reports to Voice of Lebanon radio(93.3).
Singer turned Salafist Fadel Shaker meanwhile is residing in the Taamir neighborhood of Ain el-Hilweh and he is in constant communication with the cleric through common Lebanese and Palestinian friends, said An Nahar.
In a related note, security sources told the daily that two of al-Asir's supporters Sheikhs Otham Hnaineh and Iyyad al-Saleh were released from custody after being given a stern warning against calling the Salafist cleric's to a rally.
A third cleric, Sheikh Assem al-Arefi, remains in custody.
He was arrested for leading a campaign to garner al-Asir's supporters to rally in support of the fugitive cleric.
On August 6, the army arrested two supporters of al-Asir Hadi Qawwas and Mohammed Wehbeh in the Sharhabil region near of Sidon over their involvement in June's clashes against the military institution.
The fighting near Sidon was sparked on June 23 when al-Asir's supporters opened fire at an army checkpoint, leaving around 18 soldiers and more than 20 gunmen dead.
The gunbattles were concentrated in the area of Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque and nearby buildings in Abra.
Al-Asir, a 45-year-old cleric who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, has been on the run since June.
In July, Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr issued eight arrest warrants against fugitives, including al-Asir and Shaker over the clashes against the army.
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