We learnt a short time ago that the journalists who had been arrested by Hezbollah militants in Beirut this afternoon had been released. They are now in the office of Information Minister Ghazi al-Aridi.

[At 1755 gmt, Lebanese LBC Sat TV said: "An Internal Security source has announced that Hezbollah militants arrested four people in Beirut today. The four people are two foreign journalists and two Lebanese interpreters suspected of being involved in acts of espionage. An Internal Security officer, who requested anonymity, told AFP that Hezbollah militants arrested the four in the Sana'i Park area in Beirut, while the two journalists were taking pictures. The same source said police and army forces were deployed in the area after the incident and that contacts are being held with Hezbollah to address the issue."]

Source: LBC Sat TV, Beirut, in Arabic 1803 gmt 20 Jul 06

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