Palestinians arrest members of terrorist ring after clash (Extra)

Nov 7, 2008, 15:20 GMT

Beirut - Military police with the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon arrested two terrorist suspects in the northern Lebanese refugee camp of Beddawi following a clash inside the chantytown, Palestinian sources said Friday.

According to the sources the two suspects were arrested after a major clash and were identified as Nader al-Ali and Khaled Jaber, who are accused of being members of a terrorist ring headed by wanted Lebanese citizen Abdul Ghani Jawhar.

'We are now in contact with the Lebanese authorities to hand over the two suspects,' a Palestinian source who requested anonymity told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

A Palestinian civilian identified as Tareq Maari was killed by a stray bullet during the clash, the source added.

According to Lebanese security sources the Jawhar ring is made up of Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian elements based in the northern village of Bibnine, Beddawi camp and the southern refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh.

Sources said 24 members of the cell have been arrested and 11 remain at large including Jawhar himself.

The Jawhar ring is believed to have been behind two recent bombings that struck the northern city of Tripoli in August and September.

At least 16 people, including several soldiers, were killed in the attacks.