Aoun linked to man deported from U.S. over national security

The U.S. has deported six Lebanese men of “national security interest”, at least one of which is linked to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, “an ally of Hizbullah,” an official with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement said.

Also among the Lebanese deportees was a man wanted by Lebanese law enforcement on a murder conviction related to a house bombing, he said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement says one of the deportees was an Iraqi who had previous contact with a high-level al-Qaida operative in Iraq.

In all, 23 deportees went to Iraq, six to Lebanon and two to the island nation of Cape Verde off Africa’s West Coast. They were flown by charter flight last week.

The agency says among the deportees were those with U.S. and foreign criminal convictions including murder, aggravated assault, burglary, assault weapons possession or drug charges.

AP, Naharnet