Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) -- The alleged chief of an al
Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group who was arrested by
Lebanese authorities this week has died in custody,
the Lebanese army said Saturday.
The Lebanese army issued a statement "confirming
the death of detainee Majed Al-Majed this morning
at the central military hospital after deterioration in
his health."
A Saudi national, Al-Majed is accused of heading
the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a Sunni jihadist group
that has claimed responsibility for several
bombings.
News of his death, which comes only a day after
the Lebanese army announced his arrest, has
prompted questions in Lebanon over exactly what
happened. No details of his health issues have yet
been released.
Al-Majed was captured a few days ago by
Lebanese army intelligence agents, Lebanon's
state-run National news Agency said.
The army said Friday that Al-Majed, whose identity
was confirmed by DNA testing, had been on Saudi
Arabia's most wanted list since 2009.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades recently took
responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings
targeting the Iranian Embassy in Beirut that left
more than 20 people dead .
The group warned that more attacks would come
unless Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based, Iranian-
backed Shiite militia, stopped sending fighters to
support Syrian regime forces.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades has previously
claimed responsibility for a failed attack on U.S.
warships docked in Jordan and for bombings of
Egyptian beach resorts in 2004 and 2005 that killed
more than 100 people.
The United States declared it a terrorist group in
2012, saying it was responsible for a 2010 attack on
a Japanese-owned oil tanker in the Strait of
Hormuz and had expressed interest in attacking
Western interests in the Middle East.
The group formed in the Palestinian refugee camps
in Lebanon and has battled Lebanese government
troops before.
Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group who was arrested by
Lebanese authorities this week has died in custody,
the Lebanese army said Saturday.
The Lebanese army issued a statement "confirming
the death of detainee Majed Al-Majed this morning
at the central military hospital after deterioration in
his health."
A Saudi national, Al-Majed is accused of heading
the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a Sunni jihadist group
that has claimed responsibility for several
bombings.
News of his death, which comes only a day after
the Lebanese army announced his arrest, has
prompted questions in Lebanon over exactly what
happened. No details of his health issues have yet
been released.
Al-Majed was captured a few days ago by
Lebanese army intelligence agents, Lebanon's
state-run National news Agency said.
The army said Friday that Al-Majed, whose identity
was confirmed by DNA testing, had been on Saudi
Arabia's most wanted list since 2009.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades recently took
responsibility for a pair of suicide bombings
targeting the Iranian Embassy in Beirut that left
more than 20 people dead .
The group warned that more attacks would come
unless Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based, Iranian-
backed Shiite militia, stopped sending fighters to
support Syrian regime forces.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades has previously
claimed responsibility for a failed attack on U.S.
warships docked in Jordan and for bombings of
Egyptian beach resorts in 2004 and 2005 that killed
more than 100 people.
The United States declared it a terrorist group in
2012, saying it was responsible for a 2010 attack on
a Japanese-owned oil tanker in the Strait of
Hormuz and had expressed interest in attacking
Western interests in the Middle East.
The group formed in the Palestinian refugee camps
in Lebanon and has battled Lebanese government
troops before.
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