Lebanon Judge Charges Ex-Mufti with Daesh Links

Local Editor

Military Prosecutor Saqr Saqr Tuesday charged ex-Mufti Sheikh Bassam al-Tarras for having links to two Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] militants.

A judicial source told The Daily Star said Saqr charged Tarras for having contacts with two Daesh affiliates, Syrian nationals Mahmoud al-Rabih and Mohamad Qassem al-Ahmad, with the knowledge that they had carried out "terrorist attacks" both in Lebanon and abroad.

Rabih, known as Abu Alaa, and Ahmad, known as Abu Baraa, were accused of belonging to Daesh and of trying to incite Tarras to join the militant group. Saqr called on the execution of them both, who were charged in absentia, the source added.

Meanwhile, Tarras was referred to First Military Investigative Judge Riad Abu Ghaida, who will question him on Thursday. The source said that Tarras may face up to 15 years of hard labor.

Over the weekend, Salafists protested the detention of Tarras outside the Military Tribunal in Beirut, accusing authorities of oppressing the Sunni Muslim community.

Tarras was previously detained and quickly released last month following pressure from political and religious authorities over his alleged involvement in the Aug. 31 roadside bombing in the Bekaa Valley city of Zahle. Two people were martyred and about a dozen more wounded in the attack.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team