Syria denies backing Fatah al-Islam

DAMASCUS, Syria, June 5 (UPI) -- Syria again defended its position against an Islamic militant group battling the Lebanese army in northern Lebanon.

Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Tuesday those from Fatah al-Islam, who have been battling the Lebanese army in northern Lebanon since May 20, came from Iraq "under different names," and deployed in Syria and Lebanon. He added that 24 members from the extremist group are in Syrian jails.

Muallem said at a news conference with his Italian counterpart, Massimo D'Alema, that Fatah al-Islam "serves the clear objectives of al-Qaida, whose branches have been active after the U.S. invasion of Iraq, in order to shake the security and stability of the region."

The Syrian minister rejected accusations by some anti-Syrian politicians that this was a Damascus-backed group.

"Accusing Syria is an attempt to cover the truth of who is supporting it in Lebanon, who sponsored it and why," Muallem said.

About 44 Lebanese soldiers and 60 Fatah al-Islam fighters have been killed since fighting erupted in and around Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp last month.

D'Alema, whose country has 3,000 peacekeeping troops stationed in southern Lebanon as part of a U.N. force, said Italians "fear the presence of fundamentalist elements linked to al-Qaida in Lebanon."