Press Digest for Friday January 16, 2014

3^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.

Security dossier tackled during Thursday’s cabinet session- sources

“The Lebanese security file, discussed during Thursday’s cabinet session, was the only item that was not originally on the agenda,” sources told An-Nahar newspaper on Friday.

“The security dossier however is now a priority in the wake of the double suicide attack that rocked Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen, the foiled attempt to carry out a new terrorist attack and the security situation’s impact on the political life,” ministerial sources added.

Social Affairs Minister says procedures limiting flow of refugees will continue to be implemented

“We will not backtrack on the measures being implemented across the border,” Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbass said on Friday, in reference to the tighter requirements aiming to stem the flow of Syrian refugees into the Lebanese territories.

“A technical amendment might be introduced to some measures but we do not intend to annul them,” Derbass told Al-Joumhouria daily.

“As soon as those measures were enforced, the number of Syrian refugees coming to Lebanon was down to zero,” the minister concluded.

Roumieh inmates attempted to destroy electronic equipment during prison raid- source

A well-informed security source said prisoners held at the Roumieh jail managed to destroy many of the electronic equipment, laptops and mobile phones as the Lebanese security forces raided the prison.

“Nonetheless, the methods that were used to search, inspect and investigate the quality of devices and their contents went beyond what had been damaged,” the same source said, in an interview with Al-Joumhouria newspaper.

“Some devices have saved their information which provided a clear image of the way the detainees used to communicate with external and internal networks,” the source concluded.

Detainee Elie al-Warrak’s confessions helped Intelligence Directorate thwart major plot- sources

Sources told An-Nahar newspaper on Friday that Elie Toni al-Warrak, who was arrested yesterday along with two others, hails from the Akkar region of Charbila and has been dubbed “Abu Ali” after he got involved with a cell led by fugitives Chadi al-Mawlawi and Ousama Mansour.

Warrak was detained for plotting terrorist attacks against Lebanese army posts and residential areas.

“Warrak made major confessions that helped the Lebanese Armed Forces Intelligence Directorate thwart the scheme that was being prepared,” the same sources added.