Al-Meqdad clan leaders behind bars

Fifteen members of the al-Meqdad clan were transferred to Roumieh prison, the oldest and largest of Lebanon's prisons. Among the prisoners were the clan's spokesman Maher al-Meqdad and their so-called military leader Hassan al-Meqdad, judicial sources said to Arabstoday on Saturday. On Friday, Military Judge Imad al-Zein issued arrest warrants against Maher and Hassan and another Lebanese man, Tarek Sultan, after being charged with forming an armed group. The trial of the al-Meqdad clan members and Sultan was postponed until investigations are complete and witnesses are interrogated. State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Thursday the three men with forming an armed group to carry out terrorist activities. The three men were also charged with kidnapping and terrorising people, responding violently to security forces as well as owning unlicensed weapons and explosives. Lately the army arrested several al-Meqdad clan members, including the clan's spokesman Maher, during raids on Beirut's southern suburbs and other areas. The raids came after the clan went on an abduction spree of Syrians and Turkish nationals to avenge the kidnapping of clan member Hassan al-Meqdad in Damascus last month. Since then, the clan has freed the Turkish businessman, Tekin Tufan, and several others.