Working with “Abu Yusef,” the former leader of a radical cell in the Akkar region, allowed Lebanese intelligence services to map the organization’s internal workings and then determine the whereabouts of Maktoum al Qaed. Al Qaed’s capture represented a crucial step forward in efforts to intervene in the economic and logistical flows that were fueling violent activity on the border with Syria, as Europa Press has detailed. The Lebanese army handed over the reputed logistics leader of an extremist group to the judiciary on December 4, 2025, after completing an investigation focused on his role as a resource coordinator for the Islamic State in the Wadi Khaled region in the far north of the country.
According to Europa Press, the arrest and subsequent handover of Maktum al Qaid, also identified as AKH, is a response to a joint operation by several branches of military intelligence and judicial organizations. The results of this cooperation included the acquisition of evidence implicating Al Qaid in the management of funds and distribution of explosives intended for armed operations on Lebanese territory. The official statement, reproduced by Europa Press, said prosecutors took over the case after the Intelligence Directorate collected evidence about the transfer of dangerous materials and logistical coordination carried out by Al Qaed.
The court documents, compiled after months of investigation, revealed the supply network that linked the active cell in Akkar to higher levels within the Islamic State, both internationally and in local networks. According to Europa Press, the flow of seized funds and materials was under the direct control of Al Qaed, which was responsible for receiving assets and weapons, ensuring their transfer to strategic points and enabling them to support attacks and other violent actions. These discovered operations raised concerns as they could destabilize areas near the border, where access to irregular routes and the porosity of the terrain favor the establishment of secret infrastructure.
During the investigation, the intelligence agencies tracked how the organization collected resources from abroad and within the country itself, and then identified the intermediaries and the methods used to conceal the origin and destination of the funds. Europa Press reported that this surveillance included border control tasks and monitoring of a network of contacts that facilitated the entry of money and explosive devices. The documents collected were used to link Al Qaed directly to the financial administration and to clarify the type of logistical support the cell used to maintain its operations.
The Lebanese Army said in a statement at the podium that, in this context, the authorities consider confronting Islamic extremism as a political and national security priority and underline the importance of anticipating any attempt to restore networks through persistent surveillance and judicial procedures coordinated between intelligence services and judges. The armed forces claimed that the Wadi Khaled area posed a constant challenge to contain radical cells due to its proximity to Syria and the presence of unregulated border crossings.
According to Europa Press, the information obtained after the arrest of “Abu Yusef” was valuable in identifying other relevant members of the organization and promoting the dismantling of its internal mechanisms. This interrogation also led to the subsequent location of Al Qaed, which is responsible for articulating logistics and coordinating the arrival of resources from international interlocutors on routes within northern Lebanon.
Europa Press reported that Maktoum al-Qaid’s trial is still pending in court, based on documentation and evidence collected during intelligence work carried out in recent months. The judicial authorities, in alliance with the armed forces, continue to conduct investigations to uncover new effects of the cell and prevent its logistical and financial networks from becoming operational again. The central purpose is to block the transfer of funds and material resources in order to minimize the possibility of attacks in other parts of the country.
The security policy outlined after the capture of Al Qaed and other members of the group included preventive measures focused on disrupting supply chains and limiting the resources available to violent cells. The official statement shared by Europa Press reiterates institutional support for these measures and emphasizes that cooperation between intelligence services and the law enforcement apparatus is a pillar in the fight against the spread of extremist groups in northern Lebanon.
The actions taken from the arrest of “Abu Yusef” to the formal surrender of Al Qaed to court show the sequence of approaches that the authorities used in the face of these threats. The aim is to limit the scope of action of secret structures and to anticipate the possibility of operational reorganization in the Akkar region and along the border areas bordering Syria.