Report: Bekaa Muslim Clerics to Protest near Defense Ministry over Ongoing Arrest of al-Atrash

Muslim clerics and scholars are set to hold a sit-in anew near the Defense Ministry in Yarze to protest the arrest of Sheikh Omar al-Atrash, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Saturday.

According to the daily, the army intelligence received information that a delegation from Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley will head to the defense ministry to protest the ongoing detention of al-Atrash.

On Tuesday, a military examining magistrate issued an arrest warrant against al-Atrash for carrying out terrorist activities.

Judge Nabil Wehbe questioned al-Atrash over his role in transporting suicide bombers to Lebanon.

Al-Atrash, 24, has also been charged with detonating bombs and explosive-rigged vehicles, attacking the army in Majdelyoun and al-Awwali bridge areas in the southern city of Sidon in December and launching rockets on Israel.

The Sheikh, who hails from the Bekaa valley, was arrested last month.

The Lebanese army said last week that al-Atrash has admitted to having ties with Abdullah Azzam Brigades, Jabhat al-Nusra and The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) members.

He has also admitted to transporting suicide bombers in a Cherokee to attack the army in Majdelyoun and al-Awwali bridge and of transferring four rockets from Syria in August last year to launch them towards Israel.