Car carrying 250 kg of TNT apprehended in Lebanon

Published August 18th, 2013 - 07:23 GMT
(Shutterstock/Fer Gregory)
(Shutterstock/Fer Gregory)

Authorities seized Saturday afternoon a car rigged with 250 kilograms of explosives south of the Lebanese capital, security sources told The Daily Star.

The vehicle, an Audi that was located near the municipality of Naameh, some 15 kilometers south of Beirut, contained five containers each carrying 50 kilograms of TNT as well a device to remotely detonate the ordinance, the sources said.

Lebanese Army Intelligence and police immediately cordoned off the area, preventing media from approaching, and later transported the seized items to a military barracks in Doha.

It was not clear whether the car was primed to explode in Naameh or planned to be moved to another location for detonation.

The sources said the vehicle carried a fake licence plate and was situated near a residential area.

The discovery comes only two days after a car bombing ripped through the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, which killed 27 people and wounded more than 300.

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