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Tensions still high in militant hunt

By Christopher Allbritton
September 4, 2007

Associated Press Lebanese soldiers celebrated the end of fighting in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in the northern city of Tripoli.

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NAHR AL-BARED, Lebanon — In the grocery store where he works, Wassim al-Hagehussein had reason to be worried yesterday as Lebanese soldiers hunted down terrorist fugitives in this wretched Palestinian refugee camp.

Although Prime Minister Fuad Siniora declared an end to the 106-day siege of the Nahr al-Bared camp a day earlier, bullets whizzed past the store.

Then, a twitchy Lebanese soldier searching the dark and powerless aisles asked: "Are there any Palestinians in here?"

"No," replied the store's Lebanese owner, Rabieh al-Masri.

His lie probably saved Mr. al-Masri's Palestinian friend and employee, Mr. al-Hagehussein, from arrest.

For 3½ months, this refugee camp just north of Tripoli has been under siege by Lebanese troops against Fatah al-Islam militants, a terrorist group that shares an ideology with al Qaeda.

The battle started May 20, when militants attacked Lebanese army units normally posted outside the camp, killing more than a dozen troops.

The army responded with a massive campaign of shelling and ground assaults that killed 163 soldiers, at least 131 militants and 42 civilians.

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