BEIRUT: Khalid Hmayyed, the man whose arrest sparked recent clashes between the Lebanese military and gunmen in the eastern town of Arsal, was a member of Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front), a militant Islamist group with ties to Al-Qaeda, the head of Army Intelligence said late Monday.

“The wanted man was very dangerous: a professional with experience in criminal activities. He was a unique target [for authorities] given his potential to affect Lebanon’s stability and prestige,” Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel said during a chat with reporters.

“He [Hmayyed] worked with the Nusra Front, the extremist group that is fighting in Syria,” Fadel added, referring to the group which the United States listed in 2012 as a foreign “terrorist organization.” [Link]