Lebanon cracks down on 'saboteurs'

By Zeina Khodr

High-profile bomb and grenade attacks on targets like the American University of Beirut (AUB) and a newly built bus station, as well as an attack near the US embassy, served as chilling reminders of the dark war days.

But last week, the authorities announced that security services had uncovered an underground network, believed to be operating for the disbanded Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) militia, and a pro-Israeli spy network. The government did not indicate any link between the two groups, which are accused of being behind the spate of attacks as well as planning political assassinations and providing Israel with intelligence information.

President Elias Al-Hrawi, commenting on the security clampdown on suspected terrorist rings, vowed to "cut off the hands of whoever tries to undermine the nation's stability."

Clues leading to the discovery of the terrorist network began emerging after the 19 June explosion at Dora, east of Beirut, in which two men were killed. The victims were carrying a bomb that went off. Naameh Ziadeh and George Dib were known members of the LF's Collision Squad and were believed to have been receiving orders through a cyber café set up especially for that purpose. Those who were running the café fled the country on the day of the explosion. The computer company was linked to the LF's office in Australia. It was making money transactions and conveying messages via the Internet, security sources said.

Eleven suspected members of the ring are currently in custody, while nine remain at large. Authorities said the apprehended suspects confessed to a plot to assassinate Interior Minister Michel Al-Murr, Water and Electricity Resources Minister Elie Hobeika, and the head of the Syrian military intelligence, Brig. Gen. Ghazi Kenaan. They also allegedly admitted carrying out an attack on a Syrian bus in Tabarja, northern Lebanon in 1996, the bombing of a bus station in Damascus in 1997, the grenade attack near the US embassy and other operations.

Supporters of the LF who act as spokesmen for the group declined to comment on the charges.

The LF was banned in 1994. Its leader, Samir Geagea, is serving two life sentences for his involvement in political crimes and is now facing trial for assassinating former Prime Minister Rashid Karami.

Geagea's supporters accuse the Lebanese authorities of singling him out for punishment, while other former militia chiefs occupy government positions.

The LF resurfaced on the political scene during the municipal and mayoral elections held for the first time in 35 years earlier this summer. LF supporters were victorious in several areas.

According to some observers, charges of LF involvement in the sabotage network may be a bid by the government to clip the wings of the former militia after its success in the local ballot.

After the bust of the LF network, security officials announced that charges were also pressed against 75 people accused of spying for Israel and providing the Jewish state with intelligence information on the Lebanese and Syrian militias, as well as the activities of the Hizbullah resistance movement. Intelligence rounded up 17 people from the spy network while the rest remain at large.

Besides the spying charges, the defendants were also accused of entering "enemy" territory, an allusion to Israel. "The group was formed in 1995 to monitor military movements in areas outside the zone Israel occupies in south Lebanon and Syrian military bases, east of Damascus," read the indictment.

The suspects were said to have sent letters written in invisible ink to contacts in Athens. One of them allegedly received $7300 for the 11 letters he sent.

The ring was dismantled after Raja Ward, deputy head of the Israeli allied militia's intelligence services in the occupied zone, surrendered to the Lebanese army and gave information on the ring.

Lebanese law forbids citizens from contacting or dealing with Israel. The suspects could face the death penalty if convicted.

Meanwhile, Israel denied any link to the group. One Israeli expert alleged that the exposure of the spy ring would be used as propaganda by Arab countries. "This is good propaganda for Syria," Yossi Olmert said. "Syria can now tell the Lebanese and the world that this is proof that Israel is an untrustworthy aggressor in Lebanon."

Olmert added that the timing of the exposure of the alleged spy ring was convenient for Syria, which had been pushed into a corner ever since Israel proposed a conditional withdrawal from south Lebanon. The withdrawal, on condition that Beirut ensures Israeli security, was rejected by Lebanon which says UN Resolution 425 calls on Israel to leave the south unconditionally.