Nearly 1,000 are held after Beirut searches

The Lebanese Army and police are holding nearly 1,000 people after a search-and-arrest operation launched last week in west Beirut, military prosecutor Asaad Germanos said.

Mr. Germanos said that of the 972 still under arrest, 511 are Palestinians. More than half of the detainees were living illegally in Lebanon and the rest were wanted by judicial authorities, he said. Information Minister Roger Shikhani said the search operation will be extended to east Beirut after the west Beirut operation is completed.