The Lebanese army arrested in Tripoli Tuesday a Lebanese national suspected of planning a suicide attack, days after a twin suicide bombing rocked a crowded café in the northern city.
According to an army statement, Basam Houssam Naboosh was arrested in Tripoli's Mankoubine neighborhood over suspicions of preparing to launch a terrorist attack.
The suspect hails from the same neighborhood as the two suicide bombers who carried out Saturday’s attack on the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood that killed at least nine and left over thirty wounded.
The statement did not say whether the suspect was wearing an explosive belt at the time of his arrest.
The army also announced the arrest of Lebanese national Ziad Hujeiri and Syrian national Abdullah Badran by the Wadi Hmayed checkpoint in the outskirts of the northeastern town of Arsal.
The two suspects, who were driving a Kia vehicle with a Syrian license plate, attempted to flee arrest and failed to comply with the orders of soldiers manning the checkpoint.
According to security sources, Hujeiri, who is an Arsal resident, was driving back from work in the outskirts of Wadi Hmayed with a his Syrian employee.
Hujeiri was barred from entering the border town pursuant to an army decision that involved closing all roads linking Arsal to the outskirts after 5 p.m.
The hold-up led to a verbal exchange between the area resident and soldiers, leading to his detention.
Security sources however, said that Hujeiri and his Syrian companion would be released later today.
