Report: Apprehension of Terrorists to Impact Case of Captive Servicemen

The arrest of prominent leaders of the Free Syrian Army and the al-Qaida-affiliate Nusra Front weakened the two groups, which prompted several fighters to defect them and pledge allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), media reports on Saturday.

According to a report published in As Safir newspaper, ISIL would eventually be compelled to engage in a large-scale battle with the Lebanese Army and Hizbullah.

Sources expressed fear that the suicidal attacks across the country would eventually increase.

The sources also pointed out that Nusra Front would withdraw from the negotiations to release the captive Lebanese soldiers and policemen in favor for ISIL.

Last week, Prime Minister Tammam Salam said 16 policemen and soldiers were still being held by al-Nusra, and nine by IS.

"We have tried to negotiate with them... but things are very difficult."

Lebanon has tried to insulate itself from the effects of the war in neighboring Syria, but has been wracked by increasing instability and spillover from the nearly four-year conflict.

On Friday, a French-speaking jihadist threatened to execute Lebanese soldiers held hostage by the IS group, saying three prominent anti-IS Lebanese politicians would be responsible for their deaths.

The threat was made in a video Agence France Presse obtained from a Salafist cleric, Wissam al-Masri, who is mediating the release of 25 police and soldiers held by IS and al-Nusra Front.

Four hostages have already been executed.

The speaker attacked the politicians for what he said is their support for Hizbullah, whose fighters are aiding Syrian President Bashar Assad in the civil war against largely Sunni Muslim rebels that include IS.

"To the allies of France in Lebanon – (Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad) Hariri, (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea and (Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid) Jumblatt -- the Islamic State is at war with Hizbullah, which is meddling in the affairs of Muslims in Sham (Syria) and has killed our women and our children," he says.

"You are certainly criminals, but you have added to your crimes today by your collaboration with Hizbullah and your transformation of the Lebanese army into a mere puppet in the hands of Hizbullah, with which it oppresses Sunnis."

IS is a radical Sunni organization that considers Shiite Muslims to be heretics. It has murdered many of them in a campaign of atrocities in areas under its control in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

"You are therefore responsible for the fate of your fellow citizens. Their future, their life and death, depends on your next decision," he said without making any specific demands of the three men.

However, the jihadists have demanded that Islamist prisoners held in Lebanese jails be released in exchange for the hostages.

Masri told Agence France Presse that he had met with IS leaders Thursday in Qalamoun, Syria, near the Lebanese border and seen nine of the soldiers.

"Two of them are in a very fragile state of health," he said.