Conflict Incident Report

General Security arrested a Lebanese national suspected of belonging to an extremist terrorist group and preparing terrorist attacks in Lebanon. Under investigation, the suspect reportedly confessed to being part of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly known as the Nusra Front, and admitted to having taken part in the August 2013 Tripoli bombing, a statement from the security agency read.

In that incident, two mosques were bombed in the northern city, killing 47. The twin attacks are considered the “biggest and deadliest” bombing Tripoli had experienced since the end of the Civil War. Following these events, the suspect reportedly contacted wanted extremist Osama Mansour, who told him that it is zakat – charity, one of the five pillars of Islam – to carry out a terrorist operation, and asked him to be ready to receive an explosive belt. The suspect allegedly agreed to this, and was preparing to carry out a terrorist attack at the time he was caught, the statement added.