IS arrests in Lebanon spark debate over national security risks

Senior Lebanese security and political figures are divided over the implications of a recent wave of arrests linked to the Islamic State [IS] group, with some warning of a genuine security threat and others suggesting the group's resurgence is being exaggerated for political ends.

Former Defence Minister Yacoub Sarraf old The New Arab that IS had "never truly left" Lebanon and that its remnants had continued to pose a threat to national stability, even if no longer operating under the same name.

"In 2017, they retreated to Syria, but we never had confirmation of what happened to the rest of the cells," he said. "Extremist threats still exist, and they may be waiting for the right moment."

Retired Lebanese army Brigadier General George Nader offered a starkly different interpretation. He told TNA that the "ISIS file is more political than security-related" and is often revived to divert attention from Lebanon's unresolved crisis over Hezbollah's disarmament.

"Yes, there are some sleeper cells, as in any country, but they do not threaten Lebanon's internal peace," he said, adding that there was "no social base for them to thrive here".

Their comments come in the wake of a major counterterrorism operation announced by the Lebanese army on 24 June, in which a senior IS figure, identified as R.F., known as 'Qasoura', was arrested.

He had allegedly taken over the group's Lebanon operations after the earlier detention of another leader, M.K., known as Abu Saeed al-Shami.

Security forces said they had found weapons, ammunition, electronic equipment, and drone components in Qasoura's possession, and that he had been planning attacks on Lebanese territory.

Lebanese media have since reported the dismantling of other IS-linked cells, including in Beirut's southern suburbs, although no official statements had confirmed these reports.

The reports have fuelled speculation over whether Lebanon was facing a renewed extremist threat or whether the narrative was being amplified for strategic or sectarian reasons.

Military sources told The New Arab that more than 20 people, Lebanese and Syrian nationals, were arrested in recent months on suspicion of ties to IS.

Not all were part of the same network, and some have reportedly been cleared after investigation.

The sources confirmed ongoing coordination with Syrian authorities and said many operations remain confidential for security reasons.

One of the more sensitive concerns is the situation inside the notorious Roumieh Prison, where more than 300 detainees are linked to IS-related cases.

Intelligence reports suggest there were discussions or even attempts to stage a mass prison break, though these were never carried out. The issue of the prisoners was addressed in  recent talks between Lebanese and Syrian officials, but no joint measures were yet announced.

Lebanese researcher Khaled al-Hajj said the Sunni community in Lebanon has historically rejected "jihadist ideology" and that groups like IS have never found meaningful support.

He described the renewed IS narrative as part of a "recycled intelligence game" aimed at stirring sectarian anxiety during politically sensitive periods.

The army's August 2017 campaign, dubbed "Fajr al-Joroud", officially ended IS's presence in the eastern border region of Arsal after ten days of fighting.

Since then, Lebanon has largely avoided major IS-linked attacks. But Sarraf warned that regional instability, including attacks in neighbouring Syria, could reactivate dormant threats in Lebanon and justify a ramp-up in pre-emptive operations.