Syrian Detainee Confesses to Heading Armed Groups, Combating Army in Arsal
The army announced on Saturday that it had arrested in February a Syrian national who confessed to belonging to armed terrorist groups.
Hassan Mohammed Jamil Harba, who was detained on February 27, admitted to heading an armed group that was active in the outskirts of Flita and Arsal in the eastern Bekaa area.
He has since been referred to the concerned judicial authorities.
Harba was also part of the group that launched an assault against an army checkpoint in Arsal's Wadi al-Hosn region.
The attack took place in August when Islamic State and al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front groups overran Arsal and engaged in battles with the army.
A number of servicemen were abducted from the town in the wake of the fighting.
A few have since been released, four were executed, while the rest remain held.
The army communique added that in light of the kidnapping, Harba and his group launched an attack against a military checkpoint in the Wadi Hmeid area in Arsal.
He failed to seize control of it, but waged several other consequent attacks against it.
In September, Harba announced his allegiance to a terrorist group and was appointed its security chief in Arsal.
He was handed seven explosives, each weighing three kilograms, with the aim of planting them at army positions.
He succeeded in placing an explosive and detonating it on al-Masyada road.
Another explosive was placed near the Hariri clinic in Arsal, but a military expert managed to dismantle it.
The suspect planted another explosive on the Wadi Ata road in Arsal, but it failed to detonate.
Furthermore, Harba is also accused of parking a booby-trapped vehicle in Arsal, but it too did not detonate.
The army managed to dismantle the bomb.
In addition, said the military statement, the detainee confessed to attempting to target members of the Fleiti family through a booby-trapped vehicle in Arsal.
He also admitted to killing a number of Syrians in the outskirts of Arsal.
Moreover, he revealed the identity of a number of individuals who are tasked with booby-trapping cars and the names of others linked to terrorist activity.
Earlier this week, the Army Intelligence arrested a Syrian national who was involved in the Arsal clashes and the abduction of the servicemen.
M.T.
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