Suspect Admits to Court that al-Asir Moved between Sidon and Ain el-Hilweh
Wanted Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir had moved occasionally between the southern city of Sidon and the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, a suspect admitted to court on Tuesday.
According to al-Akhbar daily published on Wednesday, Alaa al-Moghrabi known as Hatem told the military court that one time a wanted cleric transported al-Asir from the northern city of Tripoli to Sidon from where he took him to Ain el-Hilweh.
He said that on several occasions the fugitive resorted to him to move between the camp and the city of Sidon.
Al-Moghrabi, who was arrested by the Lebanese army last month in the Majdelyoun area east of Sidon, also told the court that al-Asir's brother Amjad was responsible for the clashes that erupted between the sheikh's supporters and the Lebanese army in 2013.
He said Amjad opened fire on Lebanese army captain Samer Tanios, who was in charge of the military checkpoint near Bilal Bin Rabah mosque in the Sidon suburb of Abra, where al-Asir was a preacher.
The killing of Tanios sparked the gunbattles on June 2013 between the army and al-Asir's supporters.
The clashes have resulted in the death of at least 16 troops and 40 Islamists, and the arrest of several gunmen.
Al-Moghrabi also told the court on Tuesday that he was tasked by a militant to monitor the movement of several members of the Hizbullah-linked Resistance Brigades for the purpose of assassinating them.
Tuesday's trial session for several Islamist detainees was adjourned until July 30.
G.K.
D.A.
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