Lebanon has arrested three members of a Sunni Muslim fundamentalist group who planned to kidnap civilians and commit "other terrorist acts," government security forces announced Wednesday.
The three Islamists took orders from Ahmed Miqati, who is being sought for his role in bloody clashes in January between the Lebanese army and Sunni fundamentalists in the northern city of Dinniyeh, a government statement said.
"The group had planned to kidnap innocent civilians and carry out other terrorist acts in hopes of putting pressure on the judiciary and on the government in order to shake the faith Lebanese and the international community have in the country's security," the statement said.
The government said the three men -- Ali Aramish, Fadi Tiba and Haytham as-Saleh -- were arrested with the help of Syrian forces and will have charges brought against them.
Eleven Lebanese troops were killed in the Dinniyeh clashes, which were followed by arrests of dozens of Islamists in Tripoli and other northern Lebanese cities -- BEIRUT (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
