BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese security forces Tuesday seized 31 pieces of what they called "sophisticated" explosives near Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian camp in southern Lebanon. "The seized explosives were electro-chemical detonators which can be timed for a prolonged period reaching 124 days," a police statement said.

The find followed a tip-off that a terrorist group was planning to smuggle sophisticated explosives out of the camp in order to use them in terrorist actions.

Ain el-Hilweh is home to 70,000 refugees. Security inside is controlled by Palestinian factions, but reports say the camp has seen the establishment of Sunni fundamentalist groups loyal to al-Qaeda, most of whom are Lebanese running from justice.

Police in a separate report said an explosive charge made of seven "TNT sticks" was defused on Tuesday night in a Christian area northeast of Beirut.

The bomb was found in the area of Mouklis near a deserted apartment, police said.

Last week, Lebanese authorities discovered explosives hidden in a box in the Christian area of Asharifieh, but they were not set to explode.

The incidents have raised fears that more security breaches will hit the country. On February 13, three people were killed and 30 wounded in a twin bus blast attacks northeast of Beirut.

Lebanon has been hit by a score of explosions since the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri.

The country has since been engulfed in its worst political crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war. -DPA