Hezbollah implies detained own official for Israel links

Lebanon’s resistance movement Hezbollah implies that earlier reports on the detention of a senior official within its ranks over espionage for Israel have been true, Lebanese media say.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem praised the resistance group for its “steadfastness” in standing against “some major infiltrations” into its ranks, The Daily Star quoted him as saying on Sunday.

“There is no party in the world as big and sophisticated as Hezbollah that was able to stand with the same steadfastness despite some major infiltrations,” Sheikh Qassem said.

Sheikh Qassem further pointed to some “very limited” espionage cases within the resistance group, adding that “Hezbollah has worked intensely on battling espionage among its ranks and in its entourage.”

Last month, media reports said Lebanon’s Hezbollah had arrested one of its high-ranking officials on suspicion of having links with the Israeli spy agency, Mossad.

According to the reports, the detainee, identified as Mohammad Shawraba, held an important position in Hezbollah’s 910 Unit, which is in charge of the resistance group’s “external operations.”

The investigations revealed that Shawraba was originally from Lebanon’s southern city of Mahrouna, but lived in the capital Beirut. He was recruited by Israel during his numerous trips abroad.

The source further said Shawraba had thwarted about five of Hezbollah’s anti-Israel operations that were planned in retaliation for the 2008 assassination of its top commander, Imad Mughniyeh, in Syria.

Israel launched wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, were killed in the 33-Day War of 2006. On both occasions, however, Hezbollah fighters defeated the Israeli military and Tel Aviv was forced to retreat without achieving any of its objectives.

The Tel Aviv regime launched an intelligence war against Hezbollah following its defeat in the two wars on Lebanon.