Hezbollah: Islamists trying to spread battle to Lebanon

Sources close to the Shi’ite terrorist group say the organization is increasingly worried about infiltration by armed fighters from Syria

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON
An Islamic jihad terrorist (photo credit: REUTERS)
An Islamic jihad terrorist
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Sunni jihadist groups are trying to create an infrastructure in Lebanon so they can carry out attacks in the country, Ali Fayyad, a Hezbollah deputy in the Lebanese National Assembly, said.
“The takfiri groups are trying to move the battle inside Lebanon. It is not only about their presence on the border and in Arsal, but also efforts to move the battle into Lebanon,” Fayyad said on Saturday, the Beirut-based Daily Star reported. “There are serious attempts to build a suitable infrastructure for these groups to target the country’s security and unity,” he said.
A takfiri is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim of apostasy.
Syrian rebels often cross the porous border into Lebanon.
Sunni radicals and other groups in Syria accuse the Lebanese Army of working with Hezbollah, the Shi’ite movement that dominates the governing coalition in Lebanon and that has sent fighters to help President Bashar Assad’s forces.
Fayyad also said his party seeks “dialogue and openness toward all political parties...
to build mutual stances and come together to face this phenomenon to protect the country.”
Al-Monitor’s Jean Aziz quoted sources close to the Shi’ite terrorist group last week as saying that the organization is increasingly worried about infiltration by armed fighters from Syria.
One of the reasons given was the worry that Syrian jihadists that cross into southern Lebanon could fire into Israel, provoking the Jewish state to respond, thus putting Hezbollah in the crossfire.
Reuters contributed to this report.