DAILY SCOPE: ’ISIL’ ‘Cluster Cells’ in Lebanon, Iran World’s First Energy Source

Local Editor

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Vilayati to As-Safir: We Are Not Afraid of Opening Up, We Are the Biggest Source of Energy Worldwide

This is How "ISIL" Recruited Network Members of Burj al-Barajneh Attacks

AN-NAHAR:

"ISIL" Enhances Its Locations in Raqqa Fearing Land Attacks, Russia Declares 500 Oil Tankers for "ISIL"

AL-AKHBAR:

‘Too Early' for Political Solution in Syria

AL-BINAA:

Lavrov to Target Terrorism in Lebanon, Assad's Departure Rejected; Madrid Approves

AL-LIWAA:

Nasrallah's Settlement: Presidency for March 8, Prime Ministry for March 14

AD-DIYAR:

Arresting Terrorist Network Near Russian Embassy in Beirut, One Member Dangerous Terrorist

Lebanese newspapers on Thursday touched on the different domestic and regional issues, with close follow up to the terrorist cells and the "ISIL" activity in Lebanon, as sources uncovered more information including the structure of cells the terrorist group has been trying to set up. Papers also touched on the different regional topics, including the latest events in Syria and Yemen.

AS-SAFIR: "ISIL" Forming ‘Cluster Cells', Brainwashing Teenagers

As-SAfir newspaper reported on Thursday that "ISIL" has been forming numerous "cluster cells" of members who do not know each other's identities except through certain codes as precautionary measures to decrease the uncovering of the cells.

The paper quoted well-informed security sources that ""ISIL" is trying to expand its ranks and adopt religious "brainwashing" to recruit new members who are mostly teenagers.

The sources told the daily "Confessions of some detainees have revealed that "ISIL" has effective religious and security bodies that brainwash youths and turns them into terrorist extremists within two months."

According to the source, what supports this fact is the "surprise among the family members of these youths who are shocked by the change in their relatives from regular people carrying on with their normal lives to extremists."

The source further gave an example, noting that "Ibrahim al-Jamal, who disappeared from his family at around Eid al-Fitr [around beginning of August] before reappearing around Eid al-Adha [in September], justifying his absence to having work in Beirut.

His relatives said that he returned to them as a different person, for instance demanding that his sisters wear the hijab and objecting to several of his father and his brothers' actions, pointed out the sources.

Al-Jamal was arrested about a week ago in al-Qobbeh neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli, who was member of the "ISIL" network that carried out a twin suicide bombing last week in the Beirut southern suburb, in Burj al-Barajneh. The blasts killed 44 people and wounded 239 others, in the worst such attack in years.

AL-JOMHOURIA: Pre-emptive Ops. Save Lebanon from Terrorist Shocks

A security source told al-Jomhouria newspaper that the security operations that were carried out during the past 24 hours have saved Lebanon major shocks that were expected by the day, as new networks similar to that of the latest Southern Suburb attack were arrested in different areas across Lebanon.

According to the source, "the pre-emptive operations carried out by the security apparatus has uncovered amazing events, unrevealing different networks whose members do not know each other".

The process first started as the security forces tracked threads that were obtained through the confessions of the terrorists arrested in the Burj al-Barajneh explosions.

Also the surprise, according to the source, that many of the arrested terrorists are members of the army or security forces.

The Lebanese Army Wednesday arrested seven Syrians and seized dozens of motorbikes and two pickup trucks during raids on makeshift Syrian camp sites in the eastern city of Baalbek, state-run National News Agency said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Internal Security Forces' Information Branch seized weapons and explosive belts in the northern city of Tripoli after receiving a tip on potential suicide bombers hiding in the neighborhood of Qibbeh.

AS-SAFIR: Iran Strongest Power in Region, World's Biggest Source of Energy

Former Foreign minister and the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei's top adviser on international affairs, Dr. Ali Akbar Velayati told As-Safir newspaper on Thursday that "During the past 37 years, we have been exposed to a comprehensive trade and economic embargo. Our country is big and can provide food to its people, and on the military and security levels, we own the defensive power where no one dares to attack us."

Pointing out that despite the sanctions and embargo, and talking about energy, "Iran possesses gas and oil, and if we take both together into account, we can say that Iran is the biggest source of energy worldwide."

He furthermore added "Therefore, taking into consideration the power we have, the energy we possess, our independence and self-confidence we enjoy, we are considered as the leading power in the region."

The official, who also practices pediatrics despite the heavy political chores he has to fulfill noted "No one has provided support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad like ran has, even Russia did not provide the required support" adding "with the help of Hizbullah and Iraq, we provided the needed support to al-Assad and foiled the US plot in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq."

Stressing Iran's support to the resistance movements in the region, Velayati assured "We will never give up on President al-Assad, Iraqi PM Haidar al-Abadi, the resistance in Lebanon as well as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Palestine."

Source: al-Ahed News