LA’s Source to Al-Ahed: All Arsal Militants to Be Arrested, Raid Waits Zero Hour

Mona Thini

Nothing new in Arsal and its surroundings. The Lebanese Army continues deploying its patrols and checkpoints at the town's exits and entrances. Since the attack on the LA that led to the martyrdom of an LA captain and soldier, the military presence around Arsal turned to a daily routine.

The apparent silence is frequently broken by some arrests. However, in the hidden places still exists wanted men who wait a political deal to save their necks, after the clear physical evidences that are to set them behind bars.
However, the chances for such a deal evaporated after the head of the Lebanese military institution, Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji, set the only available equation: "All the perpetrators must be handed over to the judiciary and there is no negotiation on their surrender or arrest."
Meanwhile, a senior security source revealed that "the names of around 100 wanted men were circulated."

In remarks to al-Ahed news site, the source highlighted that "among these names 25 were detained and are under investigation."
"10 of them were taken to the Army Intelligence Directorate in Beirut to complete the investigation," he added.
As LA continues its efforts to arrest all the suspects, the confessions of all those arrested confirmed the LA information concerning the fact that its patrol was trapped by a military ambush.
"The arrested men explained in details the method of attacking the LA convoy and shooting its soldiers," the source clarified, and noted that "they further detailed the way the LA soldiers were pulled into the municipal building yard, where the injured soldiers were tortured and ill-treated."
According to the source: "This led to the martyrdom of LA Captain Pierre Bashalani and Sergeant Ibrahim Zahrman."

Meanwhile, the confessions tackled the role of Arsal's mayor Ali Hujairi and his son's role in the attack against the LA.
"The father was an instigator of the attack on the soldiers, while his son remains hiding after his direct role in attacking and shooting on the convoy," the source quoted the confessors as saying.
He further indicated that "Hujairi's son drove the army's machinery and shot fire in celebration after the assault."

In parallel, the source affirmed that "Hujairi's arrest isn't to be questioned."
"Things are left for time and the zero hour for LA's action wasn't determined yet," the source stressed.

Source: al-Ahed news, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org