ISF Intelligence Questions Tripoli Bombing Conspirator

The Military Prosecutor referred on Tuesday a suspect to the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch to carry out the initial investigation with him on his role in the deadly mosque bombings in the northern city of Tripoli.

Judge Saqr Saqr, who is the state commissioner to the military court, asked the Intelligence Branch to “question Ahmed Mohammed Ali over the information he has on the Tripoli blasts and his role in the case.”

LBCI TV quoted sources as saying that Ali had helped Ahmed Merhi, another suspect in the twin blasts, to escape.

Security forces have said that Merhi is the driver of the vehicle that exploded near al-Taqwa mosque.

But Merhi could still be in Lebanese territories and under the protection of certain parties, LBCI's sources said.

Forty-five people were killed and 800 injured in the car bomb blasts that targeted the Sunni al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques on August 23.

Several suspects have already been charged with forming an armed gang for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities and bombing the Tripoli mosques.

On Monday, several residents blocked the international highway near the town of al-Masoudiyeh in the northern Akkar district with burning tires to protest Ali's arrest.

The state-run National News Agency said that the army intelligence arrested him last week after raiding his house in the town of al-Haysa.