Lebanon Security Forces Arrest A High-Ranking Daesh Official

Local Editor

The Lebanese Internal Security Forces announced Tuesday, it has arrested a high-ranking Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] official who fought alongside the group in Syria was arrested earlier this month before managing to carry out any terrorist acts in Lebanon.

Syrian national M.Kh., born in 1982, was arrested on April 11 in north Lebanon's Zgharta by ISF's Information Branch, after having entered Lebanon illegally, an ISF statement said.

The ISF noted that the arrest came as part of the security strategy that the agency has maintained, which focuses particularly on the infiltration of Daesh fighters and commanders from Syria into Lebanon.

"This [infiltration] is in preparation for covert, active terror cells, whose aim would be to implement terror operations in Lebanon," the statement said. "Based on the information the [Information] Branch had acquired on Daesh's intentions to work according to this strategy, the [branch] managed to identify the fighter, who was arrested in a special operation."

Under interrogation, M.Kh. admitted to being a member of Daesh as well as having undergone several military training sessions with the group. He was also a military official in a Daesh unit based in the area of Homs.

"He also participated in the operation [to take over] Palmyra," the statement said. The ISF shared a video showing a man identified as M.Kh. speaking to the camera, as Daesh fighters prepare to overrun the ancient city.

"He was also directly responsible for several of the secret weapons warehouses in Sukhneh and other cities in Syria," the ISF said.

M.Kh. has been referred to the relevant judicial authorities.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team