DAMASCUS - The Syrian authorities have detained Arab suspects for questioning in connection with the murder in Damascus of a top Hezbollah commander, the pro-government Al-Watan newspaper reported on Sunday.
"Suspects of various Arab nationalities have been arrested," the newspaper said quoting what it described as a well-informed source.
"Syria will announce the results of the investigations when the probe is over," it added.
Imad Mughnieh was killed by a car bomb late on Tuesday in a Damascus residential neighbourhood.
The Lebanese Shiite militant group, backed by Syria and Iran, blamed Israel for the murder but the Jewish state -- which welcomed Mughnieh's death -- denied any involvement.
Mughnieh was on the Most Wanted lists of Israel and the United States for a string of bloody attacks in the 1980s and 1990s that targeted the interests of both countries, regionally and across the globe.
He eluded capture after having plastic surgery to alter his appearance, Western intelligence services have said.
Mughnieh "frequently travelled to Syria under different identities," Al-Watan said.
It said Mughnieh visited Syria "without the knowledge of the Syrian security services" and that "Syria was not in charge of Mughnieh's security."
"Mughnieh did not live in Damascus. He arrived from Lebanon on the same day of the assassination," Al-Watan said.
"Syria is a country open to all the Arabs -- thousands cross the border daily," it said.
"A million-and-a-half Iraqis and thousands of Arabs live in Syria. Some may be linked to intelligence services and parties based abroad," it said, quoting the "well-informed source."
It also said that the Mitsubishi Pajero car that exploded killing Mughnieh did not belong to him, as initially reported.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said on Thursday that he expected whoever killed Mughnieh would soon be unmasked, calling his murder a "despicable crime."
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