BEIRUT: Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn defended Monday his recent claims that Al-Qaida elements had infiltrated parts of north Lebanon, saying they were based on actual information provided to him.

“What I announced was not based on guesses, analysis or conclusions, rather a result of information given to us and we decided it was useful to inform the public about it,” Ghosn said in a statement, without identifying the source of the information.

He also said the reason he made the information public was “in an attempt to raise awareness regarding the dangers [of what this information implies] on Lebanon, its security and stability and to place everyone in front of their national responsibilities.”

Last week, Ghosn said Al-Qaeda members had entered Lebanon through the north Lebanon border village of Arsal under the guise of Syrian refugees.

“Weapons are being smuggled [there] and members of terrorist groups are entering to establish a base [in Lebanon] under the cover that they belong to the Syrian opposition,” Ghosn said.

Damascus has repeatedly claimed weapons have been smuggled into Syria from Lebanon in order the fuel unrest in the country.

Earlier Monday, Future Movement MP Khaled Daher described Ghosn’s statement as baseless and dangerous.

“The fact that the [Lebanese] Army Intelligence has remained silent about this issue and [President Michel] Sleiman's comments discredits Ghosn's statements,” Daher said Monday.

On Ghosn’s claim of weapons smuggling into Syria, Daher, who spoke to LBC television in an interview, said: “Fayez Ghosn’s accusations that there were arms smuggled from Arsal into Syria via Al-Qaeda lack credibility and proof.”

Ghosn’s claims came days before two suicide bombings targeted security facilities in Damascus, Syria, killing over 40 and wounding more than 100. Syrian officials blamed Al-Qaeda for the attacks.

An estimated 6,000 Syrian refugees have crossed into Lebanon, escaping violence in their home country. The number of refugees entering the country has gradually declined due to measures by the Syrian and Lebanese armies to better control the shared border.

Syrian authorities and their allies in Lebanon maintain that “armed gangs” are behind the killing of Syrian protesters and security forces.

The U.N. estimates some 5,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the crackdown by Damascus. Syrian authorities deny targeting civilians.

“The Syrian people are being massacred and they accuse Lebanon [of smuggling] arms,” Daher said in his interview with LBC, describing Ghosn’s accusations as dangerous and harming the country’s interests.

Ghosn also urged politicians Monday not to “undermine trust [between the government] and residents of Arsal or any other Lebanese area for known political purposes and objectives.”

"It is unfortunate that reactions to his [Ghosn’s] position have taken a sectarian turn as if he was targeting a specific sect or as if he was trying to harm the dignity of a Lebanese town and question its nationalism,” a statement from Ghosn’s office said.

Politicians, mainly from the March 14 movement, have criticized Ghosn on his claims about the presence of the Islamist Al-Qaeda in the north.

Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea described Ghosn’s statements as an attempt to further put pressure on Syrian refugees in Lebanon.