Jailed jihadist sought to seize north Lebanon villages: report

BEIRUT: Tripoli jihadist commander Ahmad Mikati confessed during interrogations that he was planning to occupy several coastal villages to create hideouts for militants trapped along the eastern border with Syria, LBCI television reported Monday.

Mikati, who was arrested by the Army Thurdsay morning, allegedly told interrogators that gunmen loyal to him planned to take over the northern villages of Basoun, Asoun, and Sir al-Dinnieh, the report said.

The villages would be used as safe-havens for ISIS and Nusra militants currently trapped in the Qalamoun region, it added.

The report said the plan, scheduled to be implemented next month, would involve escalated attacks against Army bases in Tripoli in coordination with fugitive jihadists Shadi Mawlawi and Ousama Mansour.

The details emerge amid the fourth day of an Army offensive in northern Lebanon sparked by Mikati's arrest.

At least eight civilians, 11 soldiers and 23 militants were killed, and about 150 wounded since clashes erupted Friday night in Tripoli after gunmen attacked an Army post.

The fighting has spread across other areas in the north.

Clashes largely subsided in Tripoli Monday after the Army took over the last jihadist headquarters in Bab al-Tabbaneh, the Abdullah bin Masoud Mosque.

Mawlawi and Mansour, who were operating out of the mosque, have been on the run from authorities.

Both have been sentenced to death in abstentia by a military court for their involvement in a bombing near an Army checkpoint in August that killed one and left several wounded.

Mikati was described by the Army as “one of ISIS’ most important cadres” in north Lebanon and accused of setting up terror cells in the north.

Mikati also planned a “massive terrorist act” in coordination with his son, Omar, who is fighting with ISIS on the outskirts of the northeastern town of Arsal, the Army said in a statement Thursday.

It accused Mikati of maintaining contacts with ISIS commanders inside Syria and of recruiting young Lebanese to join the jihadist group on the outskirts of Qalamoun.