An Australian man is believed to be among seven Islamist militants killed in a raid on their hideout in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli yesterday, and three other Australians have been arrested in Lebanon over suspected links to hardline groups, Lebanese officials say. The man died as a 10-hour siege at an apartment block reached a bloody climax when Lebanese troops stormed the building. One soldier was killed and 14 injured, and militants had also killed a policeman and three civilians.The stand-off, which began shortly before midnight yesterday, was linked to 36-day-old battles between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants at a Palestinian refugee camp. The violence in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, began when militants believed linked to Fatah al-Islam fired at soldiers trying to raid their apartment in Abu Samra district, starting a firefight with assault rifles and grenade launchers. The army then blocked off the area and brought in reinforcements, including an armored troop carrier. It was unclear whether any of the militants in the building had survived.
Meanwhile, officials at the Australian embassy in Beirut were seeking access to the three detained men to offer them consular assistance and were also helping their families, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said in Canberra last night. "Three Australian men have been arrested in Tripoli over the last few days, however the reasons and the circumstances are unclear," he said.
One of the three is believed to be a Sydney man, Ibrahim Sabouh, 33, who has been living in Lebanon for more than a year with his wife and family. Sabouh, 33, who has worked in finance in Sydney, was arrested on Thursday at his apartment in Abu Samra.