Lebanon uncovers terror cell with links to Israel

[sonz]

The Lebanese army uncovered a “terror network” that was used by the Israeli spy agency Mossad to carry out attacks inside Lebanon, mainly against Hezbollah and Palestinian resistance groups, Reuters reported.

“The terrorist network has been active in Lebanon for several years. Its members received training inside and outside Israel and were equipped with the latest tools and techniques used by Israel's Mossad to carry out assigned assassinations in Lebanon," the army said in a statement.

"The network was tasked by this agency (Mossad) with carrying out these operations and was given secret communication and monitoring devices for this purpose along with detailed maps of the target... forged documents and bags with secret pockets,” it added.

The army also said that a Lebanese retired police officer, identified as Mahmoud Abu Rafeh, was the head of the terror network, adding that he confessed to assassinating a number of Hezbollah and Palestinian fighters on behalf of the Mossad.

Rafeh and three others “admitted responsibility for the May 26 attack that killed (top Islamic Jihad leader) Mahmud al-Majzub and his brother," the army statement said.

Israel has denied accusations that it was behind last month’s car bomb explosion that killed Majzub, known as Abu Hamze, and his brother Nidal, in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon.

But the Lebanese army said that the terror network “brought a booby-trapped door from Israel for the car used in the attack" on Majzub. It also said that it seized the detonator that set off the explosive device.

The members of the terror cell also "admitted taking part in the assassination of Hezbollah officials Ali Saleh in 2003 and Ali Hassan Dib in 1999, as well as the killing of Jihad Jibril in 2002," the army added.

Jibril, killed in a bomb blast aimed at his car in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, was the son of Ahmed Jibril, head of the Damascus-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command.

The network also confessed to planting other bombs that were either found and defused before they were detonated or missed their targets, the army statement said.

The Lebanese army also released pictures showing equipment that was used in the terror cell’s attacks, and found at Rafeh’s house in the Lebanese town of Hasbaya, on the border with Israel.

The army also found an Israeli camera that can be used to shoot detailed photographs of streets while hidden in a bag, forged driving licenses and identity documents that Rafeh received from Israel.

Lebanese security sources said that the army is hunting a Palestinian man also believed to be part of the network, adding that those arrested will be taken to court.

Several Palestinian resistance fighters and Hezbollah officials have been killed in Lebanon in recent years in attacks blamed on Israel.

Hezbollah officials welcomed the recent arrests in interviews with Hezbollah's al-Manar TV.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud also said they proved that "Israel had not ceased its attempts to sabotage Lebanon."

[Trumble]

It's easy to understand why the Lebanese would be angry this was going on in their territory, but judging by the targets the operations seem military in nature and not "terrorist".