BEIRUT, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Europe would accept a Syrian military operation in north Lebanon to crack dawn Islamist fundamentalist groups, Lebanese daily ad-Diyar reported Monday.

    The report said that for the first time, the European intelligence services have discussed the presence of fundamentalist groups in north Lebanon and considered their threat.

    "The areas in the north, from Tripoli to Danyieh and Akkar, have become a fundamentalist base with tens of thousands of fighters in an area inhabited by 700,000 Sunnis," the report added.

    The report also said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana have told some Arab countries that if the situation breaks up in north Lebanon, Europe would accept a Syrian military operation in coordination with the Lebanese army to go 40 km inside Lebanon to crack down Islamist fighters which are more than 3,000 strong there.

    A Jordanian security source told the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Friday that al-Qaida representatives are present in Lebanon and are recruiting Palestinians in the refugee camps.

    The threat of Islamist in north Lebanon is mounting, especially in poor and neglected Sunni areas where fundamentalist operatives have a safe haven and can recruit more supporters.