Press Digest for Monday July 07, 2014

4^min

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.

Mashnouq says Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade's statements issued by Intelligence services

Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq said he will not comment on the threats of the Baalbek-based Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade since "the group's statements are issued by well-known Intelligence services".

"Lebanon's security forces are on full alert," Mashnouq told As-Safir newspaper on Monday.

In this context, the security apparatuses are awaiting a report to be issued by Twitter Inc. in order to reveal the identity of those using the Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade's account.

Western Intelligence services alongside the embassies' security apparatuses are working on this case as well, sources added.

Security forces track Ahrar al-Sunna's Twitter accounts- source

A Lebanese security source told Al-Hayat newspaper on Monday that the security apparatuses have succeeded in tracking Twitter accounts used by the Baalbek-based Ahrar al-Sunna Brigade which threatened to destroy churches in Lebanon, mainly in Baalbek.

"It was revealed that the brigade is tweeting from the U.K., Jordan and Syria," the source said, noting that it has managed to uncover the identity of the account users.

"Those who are using the account aim to foment sedition among the Lebanese people, more specifically between Sunnis and Christians," the same source added.

Speaker Berri to launch new round of talks over presidential elections

Speaker Nabih Berri is set to launch a new round of talks with the Lebanese parliamentary blocs this week in a bid to break the stalemate over the presidential elections.

The initial outcome of talks will seemingly demand the withdrawal of the top four Christian leaders from the presidential race. The four leaders are Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel and Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Frangieh.

In this regard, Development and Liberation bloc MP Ali Khreiss told Asharq Al Awsat newspaper that Berri will exert efforts to make the Lebanese parties, mainly the mentioned leaders, assume their responsibilities in order to end the current power vacuum.

Aoun's latest initiative breaks ties between Future bloc, FPM- sources

"The Future bloc considers the latest initiative that was launched by Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as a 'coup' against the formula currently applied in Lebanon, i.e. the Taef accord," sources told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Monday.

The same sources added that Aoun's initiative has officially broken ties between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Future bloc.