The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
Al-Joumhouria Daily reported that a major breakthrough occurred in the case of the cabinet formation, represented by a solution to the “issue imposed by MP Michel Aoun," reached during a meeting in Dubai between former PM Saad Hariri and caretaker Minister Gebran Bassil.
Sources close to both parties revealed that the meeting resulted in convincing MP Aoun in participating in the government with a sovereign ministerial portfolio (which has not yet been decided on whether it will be the defense ministry or the foreign ministry) in addition to another ministry.
The sources added that the energy ministry will be given to a consensual minister, who will probably be of Armenian descent.
In this context, the daily noted that the new cabinet will be announced within hours or days, after major issues are resolved.
Security sources told
al-Joumhouria Daily that Naim Abbas, who was arrested on Wednesday in Cornish al-Mazraa, was planning to send an explosive-laden vehicle to the Chiyah region of the Beirut Southern Suburb, noting that the booby-trapped car seized in Arsal was heading to the building of al-Manar TV.
The same sources pointed out that “Naim Abbas is considered one of the most important links between al-Qaeda and the Fatah al-Islam Movement,” adding that he had been holding several meetings in the Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp in order to organize a terrorist cell that will implement explosions and suicide bombings.
“Following the dangerous confessions of Omar al-Atrash, Naim Abbas has become the Lebanese Armed Forces Intelligence Bureau’s number one wanted person,” the sources stated, adding that Abbas was found to be involved in the explosions that targeted the regions of Bir al-Abed and Roueis, as well as the assassination of Lebanese Army General Francois al-Hajj, many attacks that targeted the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops and other crimes.
As-Safir Daily reported that the preliminary interrogations with the arrestee Naim Abbas revealed that he was the mastermind behind the first attack that targeted the region of Bir al-Abed and the two explosions of Haret Hreik, and that he supervised all the preparations and trained the suicide bombers.
According to the newspaper, Abbas also confessed to having prepared the suicide bomber who implemented the attack in the region of Choueifat as well as others involved in the rockets launched toward Bsaba, Mar Mikhael and the Beirut Southern Suburb.
As-Safir explained that a western intelligence apparatus informed the Lebanese authorities of a suspicious phone number, the owner of which is planning to carry out a terrorist act, without determining his identity. Accordingly, the Lebanese Armed Forces Intelligence intensified its operations, in accordance with the available data, in order to identify the suspect, the newspaper said.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades commander Munir al-Maqdah stressed that the situation at the Ain al-Helweh refugee camp is “better than normal,” noting that the Palestinian people do not accept any form of suicide bombings and explosions that kill innocents and serve the interests of “the Israeli enemy.”
In a statement to
an-Nahar Daily, al-Maqdah said that all Palestinian factions and forces have taken the decision not to interfere in the country's internal affairs and to maintain the camps’ security.
“We are cooperating with the concerned apparatuses in this regard, any person involved in security breaches should be arrested and sentenced accordingly,” he added, stressing that their only goal will remain the return to Palestine and its liberation from the Israeli occupation.