US Source Asserts Coordination with Lebanese Government Regarding Masna’a Visit

Local Editor

A spokesperson of the US Embassy in Lebanon issued a statement on Friday that the Lebanese government invited and coordinated with the US security delegation that visited the Masna'a border area on Wednesday.

A delegation of the US State Department's Antiterrorism Assistance Program (ATA) visited Lebanon to assess training programs administered by the US in cooperation with the Lebanese state, the spokesperson said.

He added that coordination between the delegation and the Lebanese government has been taking place for a while, and that the trip has been planned since March.

According to the spokesperson, the delegation had direct coordination with the Interior Ministry, General Security, Customs and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

Earlier on Thursday, Interior Ministry had denied that it authorized the visit and added that General Security head General Wafiq Jezzini rejected As-Safir's Thursday report that the US delegation held two meetings with the head of the Masna'a Intelligence Office.

The spokesperson also said that representatives from the US embassy met with Jezzini on Tuesday to discuss the delegation's visits to Masna'a and the port of Beirut. "We coordinate with the foreign ministry in the planning of visits by US officials and of meetings with Lebanese government officials when appropriate and in accordance with international diplomatic practices and norms," the statement added.

According to the spokesperson, "The ATA program trains Lebanese government security and law enforcement personnel in police procedures that deal with terrorism."

Several Lebanese politicians and parties criticized the visit, questioning the aim of such a visit especially that it is not the outcome of diplomatic procedures.

Meanwhile, Al Manar TV station reported that the delegation secretly visited the Al Abde neighborhood of Tripoli as well as Nahr Al Bared Palestinian refugee camp without elaborating further.

According to Al Manar, the delegation investigated the ways arms could be smuggled to Palestinian refugees.