Reports: Australian Boxing Champ Arrested in Northern Lebanon

Beirut, 27 Jun 07, 07:29

An Australian boxing champion who left Sydney abruptly weeks ago is one of four men being held in Lebanon on suspicion of terrorist activity, reports said Wednesday. Undefeated super featherweight Ahmed Elomar, 24, used the name 'Trigger' in the ring, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Elomar suddenly stopped training and fled Sydney two weeks ago, his father Abu Ahmed told The Australian newspaper.

"He went to Lebanon for a holiday against my wishes," he said.

"I knew it is the wrong time to travel and the wrong place. But I couldn't physically stop him," he said.

Elomar is the nephew of Mohamed Ali Elomar, who was charged along with eight other men with plotting a terrorist act in Australia in 2005.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs was unable to confirm the identity of the men arrested near the port city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon last week and said it had not yet been granted consular access.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said Lebanese officials had told their Australian counterparts that the men would not be able to receive consular visits until they had been formally charged.

The Australian newspaper also reported that another national, former Sydney taxi driver Omar Hadba, may have been the owner of a Tripoli workshop found stacked with weapons and explosives on the weekend.

Posted on 28 June 2007 @ 16:30