BEIRUT: More than 300 kilograms of explosive materials to make suicide belts have been seized and five more people have been arrested in connection with last week’s deadly suicide blasts south of Beirut, officials said Wednesday as Lebanon intensifies its clampdown on terror cells.

The Internal Security Forces Wednesday said its members arrested a Lebanese man, identified as Kh.Sh., accused of involvement in the double suicide bombings that jolted the southern Beirut suburb of Burj al-Barajneh last week, killing at least 46 people and wounding more than 200 others in the deadliest attack in Lebanon claimed by ISIS.

It said that Kh.Sh., who was arrested by the ISF’s Information Branch, was linked to the terrorist network accused of involvement in the Burj al-Barajneh attack. However, the ISF statement did not say where the terror suspect was arrested.

The statement said the ISF’s Information Branch Wednesday also seized 150 kilograms of explosive materials and iron pellets used to make suicide belts and arms.

In another statement, the ISF said the Information Branch arrested Tuesday four Lebanese nationals during a series of raids in the city of Tripoli, suspected of their involvement in the Burj al-Barajneh blasts.

“As a result of monitoring and investigations as well as information given to us, the ISF’s Information Branch was able to arrest four Lebanese during a number of raids in Tripoli on Nov. 17, identified as A.M., Sh.S., Aa.Kh., Aa.K.,” the statement said.

It added that based on the investigation with the terror suspects, the Information Branch seized around 180 kilograms of explosive materials, iron pebbles, a large number of detonators and tools to make suicide explosive belts, in addition to three suicide belts, each weighing 10 kilograms, ready for use.

The statement said that a quantity of individual and medium arms along with their ammunition were also seized during the raids. According to the ISF statement, the quantity of explosive materials seized is enough to make more than 50 explosive suicide belts.

Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s arrests come as part of security forces’ efforts to crush terror networks in the wake of the Burj al-Barajneh attack, which occurred on the same day security forces arrested a man in Tripoli who was discovered with a suicide belt.

Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk said Sunday the man arrested before the Burj al-Barajneh attack belonged to the same cell that carried it out. He also noted that another nine people – seven Syrians and two Lebanese – have been arrested over alleged involvement in the attack.

General Security said it had arrested a Lebanese man, identified as Ibrahim Ahmad Rayed, and a Syrian, identified as Mustafa Ahmad Jaref, who had funded and planned the Burj al-Barajneh bombings.

The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects in custody to 16.

As part of its ongoing crackdown on terror suspects, the Lebanese Army Intelligence raided a house in Tripoli Wednesday night, arresting a number of Syrians, the National News Agency reported.

Army Intelligence agents also raided Bawabat al-Fawqa area in the southern city of Sidon, arresting four Syrians, the NNA said. It added that a number of Syrian suspects were also arrested by Army Intelligence during raids in the Hamra and Gemmayzeh areas in Beirut. The Army arrested a number of Syrians in the Bekaa town of Hosh al-Arab for illegally entering the country, the NNA said.

Meanwhile, Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr Wednesday charged nine people in custody with belonging to ISIS and carrying out terrorist attacks, including a recent bombing in the northeastern border town of Arsal, the NNA reported.

It said that Saqr charged Mohammad Ibrahim al-Hujeiri, a Lebanese national, with targeting a meeting of Islamic scholars responsible for following up on the conditions of Syrian refugees in Arsal earlier this month in a blast that killed at least four people and wounded seven. Hujeiri was also charged with throwing a grenade at an army patrol.

Saqr also charged Mohammad Abdo Taleb for allegedly being behind several bomb attacks, as well transporting militants.

Another three Lebanese and four Syrian nationals were also charged with planning to create an Islamic emirate in north Lebanon, the NNA said. They had allegedly planned to bomb the Chekka tunnel and cut off the northern part of Lebanon from the rest of the country. The NNA said those seven were linked to another militant group which security forces are apprehending.

The nine suspected ISIS militants have been referred to First Military Investigative Judge Riad Abu Ghayda.

Separately, Speaker Nabih Berri called on the international community to form a united front to combat ISIS in the wake of the Beirut and Paris attacks. “Terrorism has become a security threat to the entire world,” Berri was quoted as saying by MPs during his weekly meeting with lawmakers at his residence. “It’s essential to create a global front to fight ISIS and terrorism since terrorism is not limited to a country or region.”