Lebanon Issues Arrest Warrants for Hezbollah Officials Over Explosives Bust
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Lebanese judicial authorities issued arrest warrants for two Hezbollah officials after discovering 500 kilograms of explosives being transported to Beirut. Hezbollah acknowledged the explosives belong to the "resistance" for use against Israel. The arrests follow a government decision to disarm the party and come amid increased pressure on the organization. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed firm action against weapons outside state control.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Lebanon issued arrest warrants for two Hezbollah officials linked to a 500kg explosives shipment.
- Hezbollah acknowledged the explosives belong to the "resistance" for use against Israel.
- Security forces arrested the truck driver and another individual involved in the transport.
- The discovery occurred two weeks prior to the warrants being issued.
- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam vowed firm action against illegal weapons.
- Lebanese authorities have seized three explosive shipments this month.
Lebanese judicial authorities have issued arrest warrants for two Hezbollah officials in connection with a shipment of explosives discovered two weeks ago. The warrants were issued by Claude Ghanem, the Commissioner of the Government to the Military Court, after initial investigations identified the two individuals who coordinated the transfer of the explosives. Security forces are currently working to locate and apprehend them.
The discovery occurred on the eighth of the current month when security agencies intercepted a truck carrying 500 kilograms of high-explosive materials en route from eastern Lebanon to Beirut. The truck's driver and another individual were arrested at the scene. Hezbollah later acknowledged that the explosives belonged to the party, with MP Hassan Fadlallah stating in mid-month that the "car and its cargo belong to the resistance" and are "capabilities used by the resistance in confronting the Israeli occupation."
During initial interrogations, the arrested individuals provided the military aliases of two other individuals, whom they claimed to have coordinated with for the transport of the explosives. These are the same two individuals now subject to the arrest warrants. The arrests come amid increasing pressure on Hezbollah, which has been weakened by recent conflicts with Israel and was targeted by a government decision last year to disarm it.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed that his government "will deal with the required firmness with any weapon outside the framework of legitimacy, possession, transport, and use." President Joseph Aoun reiterated last Saturday that the army and security forces are "implementing the government's decisions regarding the extension of state authority, the prevention of armed displays, and the confiscation of weapons and ammunition." He added that those arrested in such cases are referred to the judiciary, which "fully carries out its duty in applying laws and decisions of the political authority."
Since the beginning of the month, Lebanese authorities have announced the seizure of three separate shipments of explosives.
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