An al-Qaeda cell planned to assassinate Lebanese parliament speaker and leader of the Shiite Amal movement Nabil Berri and Lebanese Armed Forces chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji, al-Akhbar daily reported on Tuesday.
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According to the report, two months ago Lebanese security forces were informed that senior al-Qaeda officials were in Leb to plan liquidations against political figures and religious leaders as well as attacks on religious centers.
The reliability of the information could not be verified at the time, however local security forces pursued the matter.
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Two weeks ago, the information was confirmed by other sources and the plot to assassinate Beri and Qahwaji was exposed.
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Al-Akhbar reported that al-Qaeda offered $100,000 for Berri's liquidation and another $100,000 for Qahwaji's murder.
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The liquidation was to be carried out through a "missile ambush" of the targets' motorcades.
According to the report, the order for the operation came from al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-
Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
It was further reported al-Zawahiri recently told al-Qaeda officials that the organization has decided to make Leb its base in the Orient.