BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanon charged six men on Thursday with launching terrorist attacks on the orders of a Syrian intelligence officer then based in Beirut, a source close to the investigation said.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Syrian officer had ordered the men to carry out bomb attacks and shootings in Lebanon.

He said the six were Lebanese but declined to say which specific attacks they were accused of. Six other suspects were still on the run in connection with the probe, he added.

Another security source said one of the men was Palestinian and identified him as Abu Hassan Saeka, a member of a pro-Syrian Palestinian militant group Al-Saeka.

A string of bombings and assassinations has rocked Lebanon since the February killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, fuelling fears the country is sliding into chaos.

Syria ended its three-decade military presence in Lebanon in April, bowing to world pressure and mass protests over Hariri's killing. Many Lebanese blame Hariri's murder on Damascus and fear it is also behind other attacks. Syria denies any role.

Syria's intelligence agencies were key enforcers of Damascus's grip on Lebanese politics and security from the days of the 1975-1990 civil war.

Military magistrate Rasheed Mizher charged the six men with carrying out and attempting to carry out terrorist attacks, the source said.

Security and judicial sources said Lebanese security forces had also arrested Saeed Loubani, a member of the pro-Syrian Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, who is wanted for charges related to arms trading. They did not give any further details.  (Reuters)