DHAKA: The Lebanese authorities are reported to have arrested the head of a jihadist group that claimed the suicide bomb attack on Iran`s embassy in November.

Lebanon defence minister Fayez Ghosn told media that Majid al-Majid, the Saudi ‘emir’ of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Abdullah Azzam Brigades, was being held by Lebanese army intelligence in Beirut, reports the BBC.

Hezbollah’s al-Manar television also said Majid was detained ‘recently’.

The embassy attack killed 23 people, including the Iranian cultural attache.

A cleric close to the Abdullah Azzam Brigades warned attacks would continue in Lebanon until Hezbollah forces stopped fighting alongside government forces in Syria and its prisoners were released in Lebanon.

Wednesday’s reports did not say when Majid al-Majid was captured.

Al-Manar cited Lebanese security sources as saying that two attacks on army checkpoints outside the southern city of Sidon on 15 December had been attempts to free him.

A soldier and four gunmen were killed in the ensuing clashes in the suburb of Majdelyoun, for which there was no claim of responsibility.

BDST: 1640 HRS, JAN 01, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor