TERRORISM: 35 Charged, Only 9 In Custody; Plotting Lebanon Attacks

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But only nine of the 35 defendants are in police custody, the officials said on condition of anonymity. The remaining suspects, including Lebanese, Saudis, Palestinians and Syrians, remain at large.

Lebanese police, in cooperation with Italian intelligence authorities, arrested 10 Lebanese men on Sept. 17 over alleged plots to bomb the Italian and Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Beirut, assassinate Western diplomats and attack Lebanese security facilities.

One of the 10 detainees, Ismail Mohammed al-Khatib, died in custody last week from what police said was a heart attack. Thousands of al-Khatib supporters denounced Lebanese authorities, plus the United States and Israel, following his death.

Beirut military court judge Jean Fahd issued an indictment sheet Wednesday laying out the charges and accusations against the 35 suspects, which was also published in Lebanese newspapers.

Of the 26 suspects at large, four are Saudis, five Palestinians and three Syrians. The remainder are either Lebanese citizens or people whose nationalities are unknown.

Fahd accused the suspects of obtaining weapons and explosives to "carry out terrorist acts ... (by) targeting some foreign interests and security centers, including the Italian embassy in Beirut and Ukrainian consulate," plus local security targets.

The judge claimed that the suspects intended to use car bombs and other explosives to carry out the attacks.

Among the nine Lebanese men in custody is Ahmed Salim Mikati, who Lebanese officials have described as a mastermind of the plots and one of Lebanon's most dangerous criminals, who was allegedly trying to establish al-Qaida cells in the country.



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