A Lebanese-Canadian man with ties to the Iranian-backed Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah was arrested while in possession of an estimated two tons worth of a compound that can be used for explosives, Agence France-Presse reported today.

The Phileleftheros newspaper said the 26-year-old man, who was remanded in custody on Thursday, belonged to the Lebanese organisation’s military wing and had personal links to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. …

He was arrested on Wednesday following a period of surveillance and more than 400 boxes of ammonium nitrate — a fertiliser that when mixed with other substances can be used to make explosives — was discovered at his home in Larnaca. …

The Politis daily said authorities had not ruled out that the suspect was planning an attack on Israeli targets on the Mediterranean resort island, which attracts thousands of visitors from nearby Israel each year.

A confessed member of Hezbollah was convicted in Cyprus two years ago on five terror-related charges. That same year, Bulgaria tried two suspects, including a dual Lebanese-Canadian citizen, for their role in the deadly 2012 Burqas bus bombing. The exposure of Hezbollah’s involvement in the two plots contributed to the European Union’s decision to label Hezbollah’s “military wing” as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah, however, claims that no distinction exists between its military and political organizations.

[Photo: upyernoz / Flickr ]