DAILY SCOPE: Internet Scandal Linked to Politically-Affiliated TVs, Army on High Alert in Arsal
Local Editor
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
US-Russian Umbrella: Government in June, Constitution in August
Ban Ki-moon in Beirut: UNSC to Support Lebanese Army in Face of Terrorism
AN-NAHAR:
UN's $ 500 Million Motivation Encourages Lebanon to Elect President!
AL-AKHBAR:
Al-Assad: Solution Either by Fighting or Victory
AL-JOMHOURIA:
Ban Recommends Quick Election of President
AL-LIWAA:
Ban Talks; Naturalizing Refugees and Financial Seduction
The visit of UN Chief Ban Ki-moon to Lebanon and its interpretations was not the only topic covered by newspapers on Friday. Lebanese dailies discussed the latest security developments in Arsal, at the borders with Syria, where a Lebanese army patrol was subject to an explosion as it was assuming its inspection mission on Thursday.
Also, newspapers focused on the attempts of some March 14 leaderships in wrapping up the "internet scandal", especially after it was uncovered that some TV stations in the country are involved in the matter.
AS-SAFIR: Army on High Alert, Terrorist Groups Preparing for Attacks
Security sources told As-Safir newspaper that Lebanese army had received intelligence information that suspicious movement is happening in Lebanon's Arsal in the North, in preparation for a terrorist operation.
Also, in this context, As-Safir newspaper quoted sources as saying there is a possibility that bombs have been implanted in the area, which led the Lebanese army patrols to move and comb the area.
Lebanon's army issued a statement earlier on Thursday in which it said that "while a military patrol was assuming its inspection mission between Wadi Ata and Wadi Araneb in Arsal, the patrol was subjected to a bomb explosion weighing 30 kg of explosives causing the martyrdom of one military member and three injuries."
Accordingly, security assured to As-Safir that the Lebanese army should remain at utmost readiness for any attacks of security developments in the region.
On another level, well-informed political sources told the daily that judicial apparatuses are being subject to pressure from political figures in the country, in an attempt to limit the repercussions of the illegal internet scandal. This was, according to the source, linked to the fact that one of the politically-affiliated TV channels was directly involved in the scandal.
The Lebanese government has been busy investigating illegal internet companies for the past couple of weeks. The scandal includes illegal large communication devices and towers installed in several areas across Lebanon and a 40GB per second bandwith bought from Turkey and Cyprus and equivalent to 1/3 of the bandwith set by the Telecom ministry.
Earlier on Thursday, Head of the Parliamentary Media Committee MP Hassan Fadalallah stated that the illegal internet network file is growing like a snowball, but assured that the committee's efforts will continue until the perpetrators behind this scandal are revealed.
He stressed that the issue will remain a subject of intensive follow-up by the committee which will hear next Wednesday the briefing of the ministries of finance, defense and interior on the security and financial aspects.
AD-DIYAR: Abbas Assures Beirut's International Airport Not Worrisome
The situation at the Rafik Hariri International airport is not worrisome; General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim told Ad-Diyar newspaper on Friday, assuring that the situation is under control.
Quoted by the daily as saying that "The situation at the airport is not scary to the point of panic," Abbas also added that "the security situation in Lebanon is under control."
"There is a close collaboration between the security apparatuses to keep the situation [under control]," said the official.
The comments of Gen. Abbas came on the backdrop of the terror attacks in Brussels against its airport and metro, and the statements issued by Lebanon's Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq who said from London that the airport suffers from security flaws that need to be resolved.
AL-BINAA: Ban Comes with Two Messages: Refugees and Presidency
Well-informed Lebanese sources told al-Binaa newspaper that head of the UN Ban Ki-moon came to Lebanon with two messages: The first is directly related to the Syrian refugees in an attempt to improve their status in Lebanon and provide them with job opportunities, which raises questions on the perspective from which the UN sees this crisis as a long-term one.
"This attitude reminds us of how the UN dealt with the Palestinian refugees' crisis," said the sources.
The second message, according to the source, is related to the presidential elections in Lebanon, where the UN linked giving Lebanon the aid under the condition that it elects a president soon.
Sources pointed out that many officials in Lebanon, including Lebanese FM Gebran Bassil are not at ease with Ban's visit, who seems to have come to encourage the stay of the Syrian people in Lebanon.
Ban came to Beirut on Thursday on a two-day official visit that has focused on the issue of Syrian refugees.
Source: al-Ahed news
