Reports in Beirut from local and Western media reveal that al-Qaeda has begun to establish structural roots for its organization in Lebanon, following instructions from Ayman al-Zawahri. The reports name Majid al-Majid as the organization’s new emir in the Levant and reiterate that the group has established a road map that includes terrorist operations against political figures, religious institutions and United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) forces.
These same reports hint that al-Qaeda elements and affiliates — particularly Jabhat al-Nusra, which has been blacklisted by the US because of its affiliation with al-Qaeda — have spread across Lebanon from the north to the south with weapons and equipment. Unified leadership for Jabhat al-Nusra has also been reestablished at the Ain al-Hilweh camp. Osama Amin al-Shihabi has been appointed head of the Palestinian wing in Lebanon. Members of the temporary leadership include Ahmad Mohammad al-Dukhi (Khardaq) as the political chief, Haytham al-Shaabi as military commander and Mohammad al-Shaabi as regulatory and administrative chief.