Three Australians fighting for Islamic State arrested by the Lebanese Army in Beirut
Three Australians fighting for Islamic State in the Middle East have reportedly been arrested in Lebanon.
The men are believed to have been held at gunpoint in the country’s capital Beirut after being captured during a Lebanese Army raid.
The army this week also carried out several ‘precision raids’ along the Lebanon-Syria border, nabbing a number of Islamic State fighters in the process, The Daily Telegraph reported.
The trio – all dual Australian-Lebanese citizens – are now said to be languishing in Beirut’s Roumieh Prison.
Their arrest comes after a Syrian-born Islamic State jihadist, who was trapped last year, said he had worked with the trio.
It is understood the trio do not want to come back to Australia but a source quoted by The Daily Telegraph said many other Australians fighting overseas were attempting to head home.
Reports of the trio’s arrest have also come to light at a time when Justice Minister Michael Keenan meets with his counterparts from Lebanon and Jordan about intelligence sharing.
‘The potential for Australians to exit the conflict zone is there, it could happen in Lebanon, it could happen in Jordan but what we know of the routes is that it is primarily Turkey,’ Mr Keenan said.
He declined to comment about the trio’s arrest.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
Source: Daily Mail
You must be logged in to post a comment.