07:17 AM | 10 May 2026
A new "Abu Omar" appears in Lebanon... Who is the "fake Iraqi colonel"?
Fady Mahouly
Lebanese Army Intelligence arrested an Iraqi citizen named Tariq Al-Husseini, after he was accused of impersonating a security official at the Iraqi embassy in Beirut and wearing fake military ranks during official and security meetings, according to what Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath reported, citing Lebanese intelligence and military sources.
According to the data, Al-Husseini presented himself as a “colonel” and responsible for the security of the Iraqi embassy, and over the years he was able to build a wide network of relationships with high-ranking figures and officers in Lebanon, including security officials and heads of agencies and regions.
The sources added that the arrested person appeared on several occasions wearing a military uniform and carrying alleged ranks, and also made promises related to providing assistance and facilities.
The information indicated that the investigations that followed his arrest opened files related to networks of relationships and benefits linked to security and political immunities that Iraqis, Yemenis, and Iranians benefited from during the past years, while investigations are still ongoing to reveal more details and backgrounds related to the case.
According to preliminary information, the person concerned in the case previously worked at the Iraqi embassy in Beirut before he later became a “Delivery” delivery worker, indicating that he is married to a Lebanese woman.
The impersonator was also presenting himself within some Shiite circles as belonging to the Iraqi “Asaib Ahl al-Haq” movement.