NICOSIA Ñ The Lebanese military has arrested three men accused of
spying for Israel.
A military statement said the three Lebanese nationals provided Israel
with information on Hizbullah, Lebanese and Syrian military positions.
"After investigations, Lebanese army intelligence was able to expose and
detain a spy ring working for the Israeli enemy," the statement said.
The three Lebanese nationals were identified as Imad Hussein Ruz, 43,
Muhammad Abdel Aziz Abi Melhem, 45, and Radwan Khalil Haj, 38. They were
described as Lebanese prominent in such professions as banking, commerce and
medicine.
The statement said the alleged ring had been spying for Israel since
1993. The military said the three confessed to relaying the information in
meetings with Israeli Mossad agents in Europe. The statement said the three
Lebanese received large sums of money.
On Wednesday, Hizbullah television reported that the last meeting
between the Lebanese agents and the Mossad was in January in Rome. The
television reported that Lebanese intelligence had been monitoring the ring
since November.
Lebanese sources said they expect authorities to announce the capture of
additional espionage suspects. They said the capture and confessions of the
three Lebanese nationals have led to information on other Israeli-sponsored
spy rings.