Judge: Beirut bomber identified

One embassy bomber has been identified through DNA tests on his father, a judge said on Saturday, after the man stepped forward when photos of suspects were published.

Mouin Abu Dahr, who was identified as one of the attackers from a human fragment found at the scene of the attack, the DNA test on his father showed, the judge was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

The Lebanese army had published on Friday pictures of two men wanted for their alleged involvement in “dangerous crimes,” amid reports suggesting they may be wanted over a double suicide attack near Iran’s embassy last week.

Official sources speaking to Agence France-Presse refused to comment on whether the two men shown in the images were wanted in connection with Tuesday’s deadly blasts.

Reuters reported that one of those whose picture was published has been identified as a suspect in the Iranian embassy attack.

A security source told Reuters the man was from the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, most of whose residents are Sunni Muslim.

The source added that the suspect’s family was asked to meet security forces for a DNA test to confirm their relationship with the alleged attacker.

A statement published on the Lebanese army’s website confirmed that the suspect’s father, identified in the press as Mouin Abu Dahr, was having his DNA tested.

“After the photograph of one of the dangerous wanted men was distributed yesterday (Thursday), Adnan Abu Dahr came to the intelligence directorate and claimed the picture showed his son,” the army statement said.

“A sample of his DNA was taken for testing,” it added, noting that the suspect’s father would be questioned.

The army did not specify what crimes Dahr was wanted for.

On Friday, the military also posted a black-and-white drawing of another young man in white Islamic clothing. It did not name him or specify what crimes he was wanted for.

Lebanese media ran reports linking the two men to Tuesday’s blasts targeting the Iranian embassy in Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

The attack was claimed by the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades, which threatened more attacks if Iran did not end its involvement in the two-and-a-half year old Syrian conflict.

(With Reuters and AFP)

A handout picture released by the Lebanese army on November 22, 2013, allegedly shows Mouin Abu Dahr, one of the suspects responsible for the twin attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut. (AFP)