Israel Matzav

Lebanon arrests Fatah al-Islam terrorist

Lebanon has arrested a Fatah al-Islam terrorist leader and charged him with orchestrating a Katyusha attack on Israel last week.

The man, Fadi Ibrahim, also known as "Sikamo," is allegedly a member of the radical Sunni Muslim militant group Fatah al Islam, an organization with known ideological ties to al-Qaida.


The As-Safir report said Ibrahim is considered an aide to the group's leader, and that he the head of the group's bomb-planting and rocket-launching operations in Southern Lebanon, directed also at UNIFIL forces stationed in that area.

Lebanese intelligence, according to the report, apprehended Ibrahim after drawing him out of the Ein el Hilweh refugee camp, near the costal city of Sidon.

Also on Saturday, Lebanon's Foreign Minister, Fawzi Salloukh, told pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that Israel had overreacted to the launches and that it wasn't waiting until a joint investigation of the incident by UNIFL and the Lebanese army could be concluded.

Salloukh added that the Israeli reaction comes even after Lebanon severely condemned the attacks and as both its and UNIFIL forces are working to maintain regional stability and implement UN resolution 1701, which saw a truce between Israel and Lebanon following the 2006 war.

Why don't we conduct an experiment and see how many random Katyusha attacks you're willing to absorb, okay Mr. Salloukh? I didn't think he'd agree to that.

Anyone believe Hezbullah had nothing to do with this? I don't. Nothing happens in southern Lebanon without Hezbullah's approval. I don't buy this story at all.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:17 AM