Lebanon issues warrant for pro-Assad Alawite figure

Lebanon’s military investigative judge issued Thursday an arrest warrant in absentia for Rifaat Eid, a pro-Assad Alawite leader who was charged earlier this month for being part of an armed terrorist group, the country’s National News Agency said.

According to the state-run agency, Judge Riyad Abu Ghayda also issued arrest warrants in absentia for 11 of Eid’s associates.

Eid, the politburo chief of the pro-Assad Arab Democratic Party, and 11 of his associates were charged earlier this month for allegedly belonging to an “armed terror group,” carrying out terrorist acts in the northern city of Tripoli and playing a role in the repeated clashes there.

Eid’s father, Ali Eid, also has an arrest warrant out against him over the deadly Aug. 23 twin bombings in the northern city.

The two reportedly fled Lebanon to avoid prosecution days before the country launched a security plan for Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city that has seen frequent clashes between the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh and the mainly Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen.