Press Digest for Wednesday September 12, 2012

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.  

• Ghosn: LAF raids contribute in imposing the state's prestige          

Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn mentioned that the Lebanese Army is imposing its authority on Beirut's Southern Suburbs as on any other Lebanese area.                        

In an interview to As-Safir, Ghosn stated that the raids carried out by the army in some neighborhoods of Beirut's Southern Suburbs contribute in restoring the state's prestige. 

              

• Berri opposes increasing the salaries of officials                   

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated his satisfaction regarding the procedures and success of the LAF in the release of the 4 Syrian kidnapped and the Turkish hostage.
                    
Berri stressed to As-Safir that the LAF should perform their duties on all the Lebanese territories and asked to strengthen their role in the Bekaa area.                    
The Speaker also mentioned that he personally opposes increasing the salaries of ministers, deputies, and officials.

Berri explained that his bloc will also announce refusal of the increase and said: "let officials seeking an increase in their salaries wait for oil extraction".       
        

• Hassan Nasrallah discusses regional situations                

According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, Hamas official  Mahmoud al-Zahar, met last Tuesday, the Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and discussed with him the regional situation and bilateral relations.                         

Before going to Tehran, Zahar has met in Beirut the Secretary General of the Islamic Community Ibrahim al-Masri, the Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Kabbani, and an Iranian official.                  
 

• General Sayyed facilitated the passage of explosives             

Sources to Al-Joumhouria newspaper stated that Major General Jamil Sayyed was actually with the Former Minister Michel Samaha while transporting explosives from Syria to Lebanon, but did not know about the task carried out by the former minister.                     

The sources pointed out that Samaha and Syrian officials have used General Sayyed without his knowledge in order to facilitate the passage of explosives on the Lebanese - Syrian borders, given that his previous position as director general of the Public Security ensures that a car is not subjugated to inspection.    
           

• Second Turkish detainee to be released soon                  

An-Nahar newspaper stated that the file of the second Turkish detainee is almost complete and he will be released in the next couple of days.

Major General Abbas Ibrahim continues his negotiations with the kidnapping band known as "Ali Reda Group" which is close to the representative of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council to follow up the case of the detainees with Sheikh Abbas Zgheib.