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.
As Safir Daily published on Saturday that General Wissam al-Hassan was attending a security meeting in Germany and came back to Lebanon a few hours before his assassination.
The newspaper added that Hassan knew that he was targeted and warned several politicians of assassination attempts, among them MPs Walid Jumblatt and Sami Gemayel, as well was Former PM Fouad Siniora.
As Safir also revealed that General Hassan was one of those who advised Former PM Saad Hariri to leave the country and take the necessary precautions, stressing that Hassan was very careful and extremely discrete with every move he takes.
According to the daily, Hassan told his entourage that he and Major General Ashraf Rifi are targeted.
Sources told
Al Akhbar Daily that March 14 statement which blamed Prime Minister Najib Mikati personally for General Wissam al-Hassan’s assassination saddened the PM who informed Speaker Nabih Berri that he’s seriously considering presenting his resignation.
However, sources close to Mikati were surprised of holding the prime minister accountable for Hassan’s death, stressing that Mikati protected the General from several campaigns that targeted the latter.
The same sources added that Mikati is currently holding local and international discussions to take a proper position.
Other sources told the newspaper that March 14 bloc is pressuring the Lebanese cabinet to resign and are holding talks with MP Walid Jumblatt and President Michel Sleiman to form a new cabinet in which March 14 ministers will be responsible of the security ministries.
According to the sources, Jumblatt and Sleiman rejected March 14’s request.
As Safir Daily reported on Saturday that the ISF directorate’s officers were not aware that Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan came back to Lebanon until they heard the news of his assassination.
Sources informed the daily that the directorate previously promoted in the media that the Generals Wissam al-Hassan and Ashraf Rifi went to Germany for a security meeting with the Chief of the German Federal Police.
When the Ashrafiyeh explosion occurred on Firday, General Rifi thought that Hassan was in France visiting his family. However, the latter arrived to Lebanon on Thursday at 7:00 pm. Rifi has previously agreed with Hassan to prolong his stay in France for a week but obviously Hassan changed his plans without informing Rifi.
In this context, General Rifi told the newspaper that Hassan was recognized from parts of his gun and his mobile phone but his watch was a definitive clue.
Rifi also revealed that the car bomb that killed Hassan was rigged with approximately 70 kg of TNT.
Rifi stressed that Hassan’s movements were top secret. “I don’t ask him about his movements, he was responsible of his own security and convoys,” he added.
General Rifi refused to accuse any political party, emphasizing that all scenarios are possible in wait for the investigations' conclusions.
Turkish sources told
As Safir Daily that they do not expect that the Syrian crisis will reach Syria’s neighboring countries.
The sources stressed that the civil war in Syria will remain isolated and there are no indicators showing that the conflict will reach Lebanon, especially that the Lebanese Army is very cautious to prevent any deteriorating situation.
Commenting on Hezbollah’s drone aircraft sent to Israel, the sources revealed to the newspaper that Turkey is against any operation that might increase the tension in the region.
“We don’t expect that Israel will attack Lebanon since neither Israel nor Hezbollah, or any other international party can afford entering a war at this time”, the sources added.
On the Lebanese detainees in Syria’s case, the sources said that the Turkish government is exerting all possible efforts to release the abductees.