Italy Thwarts Planned Attack Against Its Embassy In Beirut

ROME (AFP) - Italian, Lebanese and Syrian intelligence services have thwarted a planned car bomb attack against the Italian embassy in Beirut, Italy's Defense Minister Antonio Martino said.
"I'm expressing my strongest gratitude to you as well as to the Lebanese and Syrian security services for their help," Martiono said in a letter addressed to the head of the Italian military intelligence services SISMI, quoted by ANSA news agency late Tuesday.
Ten people were arrested in the thwarted attack, in which a car and some 300 kilograms of explosives were to be used, the agency said. It did not give any information on when the arrests took place.
ANSA said the attack was to be carried out by members of a Salafist group allegedly headed up by a man named Abi Omar. Among the 10 arrested was the alleged military leader of the group by the name of Miqati, it said.
The attackers were also planning to attack the US embassy in Beirut as well, the report said.