Syrians Arrest 15, Hunt Guns at Beirut School

Heavily armed Syrian troops stormed the men’s dormitories of the American University of Beirut at dawn Tuesday and arrested 15 students suspected of belonging to Muslim militia groups, witnesses said.

They said the troops, led by an officer, entered two dormitories and searched the premises for arms and ammunition.

“We have a list with the names of some 20 students who are seeking to close down the university and we intend to break their necks,” a student quoted the Syrian officer as saying.

‘Not Officially Informed’

Neither the university administration nor the command of the Syrian army in West Beirut had any immediate comment on the incident.

“The students are talking about the incident, but I was not officially informed about this,” university spokesman Radwan Mawlawi said.

The reported action was the latest by the Syrian military against Muslim militiamen and their supporters in the Muslim half of the Lebanese capital.

More than 7,000 Syrian troops entered the capital more than two weeks ago in a move to end militia rule and the worst factional fighting in years. The Syrians have since closed all militia offices and arrested dozens of people.

Witnesses said the students detained Tuesday are “student militia leaders” belonging to the Shia Muslim Amal group, the Lebanese Communist Party, the Progressive Socialist Party of the Druze, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah (Party of God) and other militant groups.