Lebanon’s DM rejects Hizbullah demand to return truckload of weapons

Lebanon’s Defense Minister Elias Murr refused to return a truckload of weapons that was seized by Lebanese authorities on Thursday to Hizbullah, and said there were reports of possible attacks being planned by “fundamentalist groups” against U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon.

“I refuse to return the weapons to Hizbullah,” Murr told LBC television late Thursday, in response to a Hizbullah demand for an immediate release of the shipment. “While the Lebanese resisting army was fighting the Israelis … Hizbullah should have donated these munitions to the army, which is the side concerned in curbing violations, instead of demanding their return,” Murr added.

Hizbullah’s demand followed an announcement by Information Minister Ghazi Aridi that authorities had intercepted a truck full of ammunitions in the Hazmieh suburb east of Beirut Thursday.