An informed source said those held for questioning included a leader of the Ulster Freedom Fighters, a main loyalist militia.

The Lebanese Forces were the main Christian militia.

Also included are the two main Kurdish militias, which have spent more energy fighting each other than battling Mr. Hussein.

The country's nine main militias say that they support the plan for a militia-free Beirut and that they are preparing to leave.

The movement fought as the main militia within the Christian-dominated Lebanese Front.

The Lebanese Forces, the main Christian militia, has an estimated 20,000 troops.

It originally included nine ministers of state without portfolio, each post corresponding to one of the nine main Lebanese militias.

'By Thursday the main militias will all be united,' he said.

Among its members are the leaders of Lebanon's seven main Muslim and Christian militias.

The head of the main tribal militia agreed to pull out his fighters.