'Hizballah-linked' Lebanese businessman arrested in Morocco for US extradition

Kassim Tajeddine had been arrested in Casablanca on Sunday while travelling from Guinea to Beirut, his lawyer said on Thursday.

"We now know there is an extradition order from the US authorities," attorney Chibli Mallat said.

Tajeddine is "an important financial contributor to Hizballah" who was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in May 2009, according to the US Treasury Department.

The US treasury says he funnelled proceeds from Tajco, a multi-national business venture, to the Lebanese militant group.

Hizballah, which has members in Lebanon's parliament and Cabinet, is considered a terrorist organisation by Washington.

The militant group has gone to war with Israel in the past and is now fighting alongside Bashar Assad's regime in Syria.

On Tuesday, the UN renewed calls to disarm Hizballah "and all armed militia forces in Lebanon".

Deputy spokesman for the UN secretary general urged for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701, which call for "the disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias".

During a press conference held at the UN headquarters in New York, Farhan Haq said the maintenance of arms by Hizballah and other groups limit Lebanon's ability to exercise full sovereignty.