Lebanon arrests two ‘wanted terrorists’ near Syria

Lebanon says its intelligence forces have arrested two “wanted terrorists,” one of whom is accused of beheading a soldier in August 2014 near the border with Syria.

The Lebanese army said in a statement that its intelligence forces detained Omar Miqati, known as Abu Huraira, and Bilal Miqati, known as Abu Omar al-Lubnani or Abu Omar al-Trabulsi, during an operation early Tuesday.

It added that the two men belong to “a terrorist organization” and participated in “attacks on the military and terrorist operations on Lebanese territory.”

“One of them is also suspected of involvement in the slaughter of a kidnapped soldier,” it added.

A security source said the two men were detained at a checkpoint in the mountainous area near the town of Arsal.

Last year, the army said Bilal Miqati was the main suspect in the killing of soldier, Ali al-Sayyed.

Sayyed and 29 other soldiers and policemen were taken hostage by terrorists belonging to the Takfiri groups of ISIL and al-Nusra Front near the border with Syria in August last year.

Four of the hostages have been killed and a fifth has lost his life due to injuries.

ISIL holds nine of the hostages, while the rest of them are held by the al-Nusra terrorists.

Over the past months, Lebanon has been suffering from terrorist attacks by Takfiri militants and random rocket attacks, which are viewed as a spillover of the conflict in neighboring Syria.