Beirut, Jun 20 (IANS): Lebanon's General Security Directorate said that it arrested a Lebanese member of the terrorist Islamic State group (IS) who was plotting to carry out a "suicide bombing" in the country.

"During interrogation, he confessed to the charges and that he had first belonged to the al-Nusra Front group and undergone military training at the hands of the (slain Lebanese) terrorist Osama Mansour," Xinhua news quoted the General Security as saying in a statement on Monday.

"He took part in Tripoli's clashes and after the end of Tripoli's battles with the army he communicated with the terrorist Osama Mansour, who told him that he had chosen him to carry out a suicide operation," the statement said.

"Mansour then asked him to maintain readiness until he is informed of the target and until he receives a suicide vest and he agreed" it added.

The detainee, identified as A.A., later communicated via social networking websites with a number of IS militants before pledging allegiance to the group through senior IS official Abu Amina al-Souri.

He was psychologically prepared to carry out a suicide operation but his arrest foiled the attack, the General Security added.