SSNP executive allegedly arrested in murder case

BEIRUT — On Monday, the Lebanese Army's intelligence services briefly arrested a leader of the Syrian Social National Party (SSNP), Ali Arar, for his alleged involvement in a murder that took place last week in the locality of Ain Kfar Zabad, Zahleh, a security source told L'Orient-Le Jour.

Arar, a close associate of former SSNP leader Assaad Hardane, who broke away from the party's central leadership some time ago, was suspected of hiding people involved in a murder likely committed during a family dispute in Ain Kfar Zabad which involved men from the Sarkis family. Arar was released on Tuesday morning after being questioned, a security source told L'Orient-Le Jour.

An official SSNP spokesman denied this information. "This is a family dispute in the village in which the SSNP is not involved. To my knowledge, Ali Arar has not been arrested," he said.

On Tuesday, the army also arrested Georges Sarkis and his son A.S. The men were suspected of murdering retired General Security officer Marwan Sarkis last week and wounding his brother, Bassam Sarkis, former head of the Ain Kfar Zabad municipality. According to a source close to the family, the incident may be linked to a family dispute. Bassam Sarkis was married to the daughter of Georges Sarkis.