Latest news with #GeneralSecurityDirectorate
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
‘Terrorist cell' uncovered in Beirut was plotting attacks on major religious gathering
Members of a "terrorist cell" arrested in Beirut were plotting attacks on the Shiite community during Ashura religious events this weekend, security sources told The National. Lebanon's General Security Directorate said on Monday it had arrested a terrorist cell in Beirut that sought to carry out attacks in sensitive areas in the Lebanese capital. It said the cell was linked to extremist organisations and planned to launch synchronised attacks. The members had been monitored for several weeks. 'They were planning to attack large gatherings of Shiites during Ashoura this weekend,' one of the security sources said. 'This is terrifying. Lebanon is highly exposed in terms of security and entering a dangerous phase,' the security official added. For Shiite Muslims, Ashura marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, in 680AD, along with his family members and loyalists. Lebanon, a multi-faith country, has previously experienced attacks during religious events by extremist groups and armed militias. On Monday, before the arrests, a security official in Beirut told The National that Lebanon feared possible attacks by extremist groups following the deadly church bombing in neighbouring Syria. The Lebanese army announced last week the arrest of the suspected leader of ISIS in Lebanon, accusing him of planning attacks. The man, identified as RF and also known by the alias Qasoura, was captured after a series of surveillance and intelligence efforts by the military's Intelligence Directorate. Threat far from over Weapons, ammunition and drone-making equipment were seized during the raid, the army said. 'He was educated, a school teacher of chemistry with experience in telecommunications and surveillance,' a security source told The National on Sunday. The army described him as a "prominent leader of the terrorist organisation Daesh" and said he had assumed control of the group's Lebanon branch following the arrests of several senior figures in December, including his predecessor, known as Abu Saeed Al Shami. Authorities fear that dormant ISIS and other extremist cells in Lebanon could now be activated in retaliation or as part of a wider plan to destabilise the country. The concerns come amid renewed instability in neighbouring Syria, where a suicide bomber killed at least 25 people at a Damascus church earlier this month. Syrian authorities blamed ISIS for the attack. Although largely driven underground after a major military defeat in 2017, ISIS and other extremist groups have fought bloody battles with the Lebanese army in the past and carried out bombings against Hezbollah and its supporters. Now, with Syria's political landscape shifting after the collapse of President Bashar Al Assad's regime last year, Lebanese officials warn that the threat is far from over.
Shafaq News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Ayatollah Sistani's office raided in Damascus, Baghdad protests to Syrian authorities
Shafaq News/ Individuals claiming ties to the General Security Directorate in Rural Damascus raided the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, vandalizing property and abusing staff, according to a complaint from the Iraqi Embassy in Damascus. The embassy, in an official note addressed to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Syrian authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent similar incidents, describing the raid, as 'a provocation to the feelings of millions of followers of the supreme religious authority in Iraq and around the world.' The statement warned that the actions amounted to a clear affront to the religious standing of the Shia cleric, whose role is widely recognized for 'moderation, wisdom, and a tolerant approach across the Islamic world and beyond.' Reaffirming Iraq's position, the embassy stressed its commitment to 'preserving Syria's social peace and ensuring the rights of all religious, sectarian, and ethnic groups.' It called on Syrian authorities to 'hold those responsible to account and prevent such practices from recurring.'
Libya Observer
04-06-2025
- General
- Libya Observer
Interior minister calls for disbanding of all security bodies outside state control
Interior Minister, Imad Trabelsi, has called for the dissolution of all unofficial security agencies, including those affiliated directly with the Presidential Council and the cabinet. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Trabelsi said, 'We must dissolve all security bodies without exception and integrate their members—particularly the youth—into the police and army.' He added that if necessary, he was ready to dissolve the General Security Directorate and the Support for Directorates Authority 'within half an hour.' Trabelsi defended the performance of the General Security Apparatus, led by his brother Abdullah, following criticism of its involvement in a controversial security operation in Abu Salim last month. He also condemned years of interference by armed groups in internal security affairs, which he said had weakened the ministry's performance. However, he stressed that the ministry had made significant progress in fighting crime and solving cases. The interior minister confirmed that his ministry is capable of securing the capital without the help of any parallel forces. He announced the creation of a complaints fund, allowing citizens to report abuses—especially those involving the General Security Apparatus—through official channels. In response, Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah expressed support for the minister's call and reiterated his government's readiness to dismantle any non-state armed groups and incorporate them into the country's formal security institutions. He added that the government would formally request the Presidential Council to disband any security bodies not affiliated with the Ministry of Interior. 'After Eid al-Adha, we will announce comprehensive security arrangements, and this state project will proceed without compromise,' Dbeibah said.
The National
05-05-2025
- The National
Bodies of two Belgian tourists found after flash flooding in Jordan
The bodies of two Belgian tourists were recovered in Jordan on Monday, after the mother and son went missing in flash flooding in the country's south that forced the evacuation of hundreds. The pair had been part of a group of 18 holidaymakers visiting Wadi Al Nakhil, a popular adventure tourism spot, when they were caught in the torrent. Two other children in the family were found alive, Jordanian police said. Sunday's flooding prompted the evacuation of hundreds of tourists from the Jordan's famous Petra archaeological site, a Unesco-listed World Heritage site. No casualties were reported from the flooding at Petra, officials said. The bodies of the mother and son were found on Monday morning in the Shobak region, about 200km south of Amman, according to statement from Jordan's General Security Directorate. Fourteen other tourists, all Czech nationals, had been rescued in the area on Sunday before search operations were called off for the night due to weather conditions and difficult terrain. Civil defence personnel, police and gendarmerie forces all took part in the search, state news agency Petra said. The two bodies were recovered on Monday and an investigation has been launched into the tragedy, it added. Jordan's meteorological authority published a video showing the floods hitting the Petra archaeological site. It showed holidaymakers gathering at the entrance of the Treasury, one of the site's most iconic tombs, before being evacuated. Similar evacuations have occurred in the past. Jordan frequently experiences flash flooding when dry desert valleys are hit with heavy seasonal rains. At least three people died in 2021 when floodwaters swept away a car, while more than 30 people were killed in flooding that hit Petra and the Dead Sea coast in two incidents during 2018.
LBCI
05-05-2025
- LBCI
Belgian mother and son die in Jordan floods: Authorities say
Jordanian rescue teams have recovered the bodies of a Belgian tourist and her son who went missing during flooding in the south of the kingdom, authorities said Monday. Rescue teams found "the bodies of a woman and her son, both Belgian nationals, who had been missing after flooding in the Shubak region," about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Amman, said a statement from the General Security Directorate. AFP
