Aussie man believed to be killed in Lebanon
By staff writers
June 25, 2007 11:22am
AN Australian man is believed to be among seven Islamist militants killed in a raid on their hideout in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli.
Australian officials are still trying to confirm reports the Australian man was one of the seven militants killed when Lebanese troops stormed a Tripoli apartment building yesterday.
But diplomats have confirmed three other Australians have been arrested in Lebanon over suspected links to hardline groups. Some reports have put the arrest as high as seven.
10-hour siege
Lebanese officials said the man died as a 10-hour siege at an apartment block reached a bloody climax when Lebanese troops stormed the building, Fairfax has reported.
One soldier was killed and 14 injured, and militants also killed a policeman and his two daughters and a relative.
The standoff was linked to 36-day-old battles between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants at a Palestinian refugee camp.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said it was possible an Australian was killed during fighting with militants, while confirming the three other Australian citizens were arrested.
Australian consular officials were trying to make contact with the three arrested men, but so far Lebanese defence officials had denied them access, Mr Downer told the ABC today.
"We're not sure, we don't know. There is a possibility," he said.
"But the person killed or people who were killed may have been Lebanese and what's more, given the nature of these rumours, we're not really sure people have been killed.
"It does seem possible that they have been though."
Sydney accountant
One of the three is believed to be a Sydney man,
Ibrahim Sabouh, 33, who has been living in Lebanon for more than a year with his wife and family.
Mr Sabouh, who has worked in finance in Sydney, was arrested on Thursday at his apartment in Abu Samra.
Sources said the other Australians were arrested in his home.
Link to militants
Mr Downer said Australian authorities were not aware if the arrested Australian men had links to Fatah al-Islam militants.
"The fact that the Lebanese authorities have arrested them and done so in Tripoli by the security forces suggests rather obviously that they has very significant security concerns about these people," he said.
"But that's just supposition on our part. We're not 100 per cent sure of that but that would be a reasonable conclusion to draw."
Fighting abroad
Mr Downer said the Federal Government was not aware of any Australians fighting abroad but did have suspicions about activities some people may been involved in.
"Particularly, people who perhaps were born in parts of the Middle East and have gone back to the Middle East for various political activities," he said.
With The Australian, AAP and the Herald Sun