Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Country Reports on Terrorism 2012 Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

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militias and violent extremist groups. As the ISF improved its capabilities and aggressively pursued terrorism and corruption cases, its leadership has become a bigger target for those who seek to destabilize the country. Lebanese authorities have not apprehended the four members of Hizballah, indicted in 2011 by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 other individuals. Hizballah, with deep roots among Lebanon’s Shia community and significant backing from the Iranian government, remained the most dangerous and prominent terrorist group in Lebanon. Several other terrorist organizations remained active in Lebanon. Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command (PFLP-GC), Asbat al-Ansar, Fatah al-Islam, Fatah al-Intifada, Jund al-Sham, the Ziyad al-Jarrah Battalions, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and several other splinter groups all operated within Lebanon's borders, though primarily out of Lebanon’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps. The LAF did not maintain a daily presence in the camps, but it occasionally conducted operations in the camps to counter terrorist threats. In November, the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon reported that there has been no progress in efforts to dismantle military bases maintained by the PFLP-GC and Fatah al-Intifada, which are primarily located along the Lebanese-Syrian border. Several of these groups, including Hizballah, have become embroiled in the civil war in Syria. Hizballah has directly trained Syrian government personnel inside Syria, has facilitated the training of Syrian forces by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, and played a substantial role in efforts to expel Syrian opposition forces from areas within Syria. The media also reported that unidentified numbers of Lebanese Sunnis have joined the battle in Syria on behalf of Syrian opposition groups, which includes a number of various Free Syrian Army units, and possibly disparate violent extremist groups. Over the course of the year, reports surfaced of weapons smuggling into Syria (arming regime and anti-regime forces) from Lebanon and vice versa, and from Syria and Iran to Hizballah and other militant groups in Lebanon. 2012 Terrorist Incidents: On October 19, a car bomb in downtown Beirut killed three individuals, including Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, head of the Information Branch of the ISF, the organization’s intelligence arm. The ISF is leading the investigation into Hasan’s assassination, but so far no suspects have been officially identified. Other major incidents of terrorism included: On April 4, Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, survived an assassination attempt. On July 5, Boutros Harb, a Member of Parliament and former Minister, was the target of a failed assassination attempt. On August 15, the Miqdad clan, a large Shia criminal network, abducted 23 Syrian and Turkish citizens in Lebanon, claiming retaliation for the abduction of one of their family members in Syria. Nearly three weeks later, the LAF conducted a successful military operation in Hizballah-controlled south Beirut to free the hostages. In October, media reports revealed that three members of Fatah al-Islam escaped from Roumieh prison where they had been held since 2007. Lebanese authorities launched an investigation into the incident. 128

On October 3, an explosion at a Hizballah munitions cache killed three militants in the town of Nabi Sheet. On October 6, Hizballah launched an unmanned aerial vehicle into Israel, which was shot down by the Israel Defense Forces over southern Israel. Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: On May 12, the Directorate of General Security (DGS) arrested Shadi al-Mawlawi, a Sunni leader in the city of Tripoli, for his alleged ties to terrorist organizations. According to press reports, Lebanese authorities also arrested and interrogated Hamza Mahmoud Tarabay and a Qatari citizen, Abdulaziz al-Atiyeh. After al- Mawlawi’s arrest, sectarian clashes broke out in Tripoli and other parts of Lebanon, killing several and wounding nearly a hundred. On May 22, al-Mawlawi was later released and al- Atiyeh was extradited to his home country. On August 9, the ISF arrested Michel Samaha, former Information Minister and Member of Parliament, for allegedly smuggling explosives in his car from Syria, as part of a conspiracy to assassinate outspoken opponents of the Asad regime and their Lebanese supporters. Though Mr. Samaha later confessed to the charges against him, his case was pending a final resolution at year’s end. On December 17, the United States designated Samaha as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224 and as a Specially Designated National under Executive Order 13441. Lebanese authorities maintained that amnesty for Lebanese involved in acts of violence during the 1975-90 civil wars prevented terrorism prosecutions of concern to the United States. Corruption remained a factor influencing all aspects of society, including law enforcement. Lebanon did not have biometric systems in place at points of entry into the country. Lebanese passports were machine readable, and the government was considering the adoption of biometric passports. The DGS, under the Ministry of Interior (MOI), controls immigration and passport services and uses an electronic database to collect biographic data for travelers at all points of entry. The Lebanese government maintained bilateral agreements for information sharing with Syria. Lebanon has a Megaports and Container Security Initiative program, and participated in Export Control and Related Border Security programs. Lebanon also continued to participate in the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance program, which focused on enhancing Lebanese law enforcement capacity for border security, investigations, and leadership and management. Lebanon has also received nearly US $37 million in State Department assistance to develop the capacities of the ISF. Countering Terrorist Finance: Lebanon is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force, a Financial Action Task Force-style regional body. The Special Investigation Commission (SIC), Lebanon’s financial intelligence unit, is an independent legal entity empowered to investigate suspicious financial transactions and freeze assets. The SIC is a member of the Egmont Group. Of the 136 suspicious transaction reports received by the SIC between January and October 2012, it referred 29 cases to the Office of the Prosecutor General. During the same period, the ISF received requests to investigate 16 money laundering and 26 terrorist finance cases, mostly from Interpol, and it has launched investigations into each 129

militias and violent extremist groups. As the ISF improved its capabilities and aggressively<br />

pursued terrorism and corrupti<strong>on</strong> cases, its leadership has become a bigger target for those who<br />

seek to destabilize the country.<br />

Lebanese authorities have not apprehended the four members of Hizballah, indicted in 2011 by<br />

the Special Tribunal for Leban<strong>on</strong> for the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri<br />

and 22 other individuals.<br />

Hizballah, with deep roots am<strong>on</strong>g Leban<strong>on</strong>’s Shia community and significant backing from the<br />

Iranian government, remained the most dangerous and prominent terrorist group in<br />

Leban<strong>on</strong>. Several other terrorist organizati<strong>on</strong>s remained active in Leban<strong>on</strong>. Hamas, the Popular<br />

Fr<strong>on</strong>t for the Liberati<strong>on</strong> of Palestine, the Popular Fr<strong>on</strong>t for the Liberati<strong>on</strong> of Palestine General<br />

Command (PFLP-GC), Asbat al-Ansar, Fatah al-Islam, Fatah al-Intifada, Jund al-Sham, the<br />

Ziyad al-Jarrah Battali<strong>on</strong>s, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and several other splinter groups all<br />

operated within Leban<strong>on</strong>'s borders, though primarily out of Leban<strong>on</strong>’s 12 Palestinian refugee<br />

camps. The LAF did not maintain a daily presence in the camps, but it occasi<strong>on</strong>ally c<strong>on</strong>ducted<br />

operati<strong>on</strong>s in the camps to counter terrorist threats. In November, the UN Interim Forces in<br />

Leban<strong>on</strong> reported that there has been no progress in efforts to dismantle military bases<br />

maintained by the PFLP-GC and Fatah al-Intifada, which are primarily located al<strong>on</strong>g the<br />

Lebanese-Syrian border. Several of these groups, including Hizballah, have become embroiled in<br />

the civil war in Syria. Hizballah has directly trained Syrian government pers<strong>on</strong>nel inside Syria,<br />

has facilitated the training of Syrian forces by Iran’s Islamic Revoluti<strong>on</strong>ary Guard Corps-Qods<br />

Force, and played a substantial role in efforts to expel Syrian oppositi<strong>on</strong> forces from areas within<br />

Syria. The media also reported that unidentified numbers of Lebanese Sunnis have joined the<br />

battle in Syria <strong>on</strong> behalf of Syrian oppositi<strong>on</strong> groups, which includes a number of various Free<br />

Syrian Army units, and possibly disparate violent extremist groups.<br />

Over the course of the year, reports surfaced of weap<strong>on</strong>s smuggling into Syria (arming regime<br />

and anti-regime forces) from Leban<strong>on</strong> and vice versa, and from Syria and Iran to Hizballah and<br />

other militant groups in Leban<strong>on</strong>.<br />

<strong>2012</strong> Terrorist Incidents: On October 19, a car bomb in downtown Beirut killed three<br />

individuals, including Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan, head of the Informati<strong>on</strong> Branch of<br />

the ISF, the organizati<strong>on</strong>’s intelligence arm. The ISF is leading the investigati<strong>on</strong> into Hasan’s<br />

assassinati<strong>on</strong>, but so far no suspects have been officially identified. Other major incidents of<br />

terrorism included:<br />

On April 4, Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, survived an assassinati<strong>on</strong><br />

attempt.<br />

On July 5, Boutros Harb, a Member of Parliament and former Minister, was the target of<br />

a failed assassinati<strong>on</strong> attempt.<br />

On August 15, the Miqdad clan, a large Shia criminal network, abducted 23 Syrian and<br />

Turkish citizens in Leban<strong>on</strong>, claiming retaliati<strong>on</strong> for the abducti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>on</strong>e of their family<br />

members in Syria. Nearly three weeks later, the LAF c<strong>on</strong>ducted a successful military<br />

operati<strong>on</strong> in Hizballah-c<strong>on</strong>trolled south Beirut to free the hostages.<br />

In October, media reports revealed that three members of Fatah al-Islam escaped from<br />

Roumieh pris<strong>on</strong> where they had been held since 2007. Lebanese authorities launched an<br />

investigati<strong>on</strong> into the incident.<br />

128

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