Lebanon foils bomber in busy Beirut district

Lebanon foils bomber in busy Beirut district

January 23, 2017
Lebanese security forces secure the street near the cafe in Hamra street in Beirut where a suicide bomber was arrested minutes before exploding himself early on Sunday. — AFP
Lebanese security forces secure the street near the cafe in Hamra street in Beirut where a suicide bomber was arrested minutes before exploding himself early on Sunday. — AFP



Beirut — Lebanese soldiers arrested a would-be suicide bomber inside a crowded cafe in one of the busiest neighborhoods in the capital Beirut early on Sunday, security sources said.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a man wearing an explosive bomb belt had been detained by authorities after entering a coffee shop in the upscale Hamra neighborhood in west Beirut.

The cafe is on the main street of the bustling area, and was filled with people socializing on a weekend evening when the arrest occurred around 2100 GMT.

The sources said the man was being followed by security forces, who have stepped up foot patrols in the neighborhood in recent weeks.

The man was injured during the arrest, with several soldiers holding him down to ensure he was not able to detonate the belt, one security source said.

He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment before interrogation, the sources added.

Lebanon has been hit by a string of bomb attacks in recent years, with some linked to the ongoing war in neighboring Syria.

The Hamra neighborhood, a district known for shopping and nightlife, has not previously been hit by an attack.

But in June 2016, the army said it had arrested Daesh militants planning attacks against busy areas, including Hamra.

In Hamra said a heavy security presence remained in place with the cafe and several nearby restaurants closing after the incident.

But residents could still be seen on the street, which was reopened to traffic around an hour after the arrest. — AFP


January 23, 2017
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