Judge al-Zein issues arrest warrant over Ain Zhalta incident

                      
Military Examining Magistrate Imad al-Zein issued on Thursday anarrest warrant in absentia against Fawwaz al-Ali over his involvement in an attempt to smuggle arms in the Chouf area of Ain Zhalta.                  

Judge al-Zein summoned al-Ali to appear before him at court but he failed to do so.     

Judge al-zein rejected the release appeal of the 6 other arrested men.                    

The Lebanese Armed Forces Command declared on Sunday [April 7] upon the directives of the Intelligence Directorate that a group of militants was attempting to smuggle weapons to extremist forces.

A military unit which was sent out to the location thwarted the attempt in the Chouf area of Ain Zhalta arresting the assailants red-handed.                     

Accordingly, an exchange of fire erupted between the military unit and the militants, leading to the injury of one soldier, the death of a gunman identified as Ghassan al-Zaar and the injury of another identified as Mohammad Sarhan, while seven gunmen were arrested.                    

The LAF confiscated the cache of weapons which included large and medium sized artillery as well as a large amount of ammunition.                                  

The security forces launched interrogations with the detainees under the supervision of the concerned judiciary.     

On Friday April 12, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr filed several lawsuits against persons involved in the recent arms smuggling attempt reported in the Chouf area of Ain Zhalta.                   

14 Lebanese nationals were charged with shooting at Lebanese Armed Forces and smuggling arms in the region, 6 of whom are in custody.