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.
Exclusive
sources told
As-Safir Daily on Thursday that the four members of the “Mohammad
J. network” held in the custody of the LAF intelligence confessed on planning to assassinate Judges Abdel Rahim Hammoud and Henri Khoury and preparing
three explosive devices; two of which were going to be used to assassinate the judges with the third to target a security apparatus (LAF intelligence) which had been monitoring Mohammad J. and his gang (Mohammad A., Hassan H. and
Firas S.)
According to
the newspaper, Mohammad H. bought the devices from Issam D. prior to his arrest.
Investigations showed that Mohammad J. was the one who shot the captain who happened
to be at the BLOM Bank during the robbery attempt.
It is noteworthy
that the gang, logistically linked to the “Rmeileh cell”, confessed having
robbed 7 Lebanese banks.
Al- Akhbar Daily reported on Thursday that
Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi revealed a scandal that took place during the
mandate of a former minister of finance whose name was not revealed. Safadi
said that the latter issued a decision exempting Electricité du Liban (EDL) from
paying the VAT on imported fuel to generate electricity.
It also turned out Customs are implementing this decision despite the fact that it violates applicable laws. Consequently a debate erupted in the cabinet over this decision which has unlawfully
exempted the EDL from paying about 300 billion LBP.
According to the Daily, some ministers predicted
that minister Raya el –Hassan was the one who issued this decision that is due
to be reconsidered. The EDL is expected
to be granted a treasury advance of 50 billion LBP to repay the VAT.
In her first interview after her recent
health scare, Lebanese singer and actress Sabah (Jeannette Feghali, born in 1925) said that she does not
fear death which she considers as “a new phase”. However, she was upset about
the rumors circulating about her.
Sabah told
Al-Akhbar Daily on Thursday that she was not
very convinced of incidents overtaking the Arab world, expressing her surprise
over all transformations occurring in the natural environment.
Asked to comment on “Karioka”, the series made
about her life, Sabah said: “Why did they do that? I am loved in Egypt and I am
Egyptian to the core. Shame on those who fabricated these lies! Actress Rajaa
al-Jeddawi said that all the events of the series were untrue; then why do they
insist on lying? Doesn’t each and every one of us have a story? A person’s life
must be related as it is, without stories fabricated to add suspense and
excitement.”
Sabah said that the story of her life cannot
be summarized in 30 episodes; “it takes years to be told and it has enough excitement
and drama of its own”, she said.
Sabah told the newspaper that she had a happy
life and that she never lied to herself. “I took my life seriously and my
relationships and friendships were never of a demeaning quality”, she confirmed.
Al-Joumhouria Daily quoted US
sources Thursday as saying that among the reasons that prompted the Israeli
Chief of Staff to begin sudden military maneuvers without notifying the Army command
is the existence of intelligence reports regarding a possible attack in the
Golan Heights. One of the main parties involved is likely to be an armed organization
attempting to wage a battle with Israel from the Syrian border.
The sources added that the attack
will “kill two birds with one stone”; it will teach Israel a lesson and support
the Syrian regime by turning the internal war into a resistance against Israel.
The sources recalled the latest statements made by Iran and Syria which state “the
battle against Syria is a battle against the resistance movement.”
Al-Joumhouria Daily reported on Thursday that investigations
into the shooting of LAF soldiers and officers in Tripoli proved that north
Lebanon houses “Hezbollah cells” and that the members of these cells were the
ones who shot soldiers and officers in al-Zahiriyya district. The newspaper added that the
cell exploited the poverty and misery prevailing in this area to recruit young men
for 200,000 LBP per month to conduct monitoring and control operations and to
cause problems.
The Daily added that Hezbollah has been and is still
establishing several security hot-spots that it funds and provides with weapons;
“these are not allegations, presumptions or a press analysis; they are
documented testimonies that followed the “Zahiriyya incident” where an LAF
patrol came under attack by Hezbollah’s gunmen while raiding one of its centers.
Those involved in the attack revealed when and how they joined Hezbollah."