a fugitive Salafist preacher who was involved in a deadly shootout with government troops last year
Lebanon’s security sources said they have arrested Ahmed al-Assir, a fugitive Salafist preacher who was involved in a deadly shootout with government troops last year.
Two senior security officials said al-Assir was detained at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport as he was trying to flee the country in a disguise and using a forged passport.
Security sources added that Assir, who had shaved his beard, was trying to fly to Egypt.
Assir has been supporting foreign-backed terrorists in Syria since the war began in the Arab country in 2011.
