UK Charges Two Men With Hezbollah Membership And Terrorist Training

British authorities have charged two men with membership in the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and participation in terrorist training activities, Reuters reported on Wednesday, 17 December.

Anis Maki, 40, is accused of attending a terrorist training camp at the Birkat al-Jabour airbase in Lebanon in 2021, involvement in preparing acts of terrorism, and expressing support for Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Mohammad Hadi Qasir, 33, faces similar charges for attending training camps in Baflieh, southern Lebanon, in 2015 and again at Birkat al-Jabour airbase in 2021. He has denied all allegations.

One of the suspects is also accused of procuring drone components, reflecting authorities' concern over the potential use of technology in terrorist operations, a growing focus in UK counterterrorism efforts.

The suspects appeared in a London court on Wednesday, where charges were formally read, as investigators continue to examine possible links to extremist networks across Europe and the Middle East.

Experts note that this case is part of a broader international effort to monitor foreign terrorist fighters returning to Europe, with similar patterns observed in Australia, where suspects involved in the Bondi Beach shootings were identified as ISIS affiliates.

UK authorities emphasized that prosecutions like these aim to disrupt terrorist training pipelines, prevent attacks, and counter the influence of extremist organizations abroad, while reinforcing legal mechanisms to hold individuals accountable.

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