MEDIASCOPE: Gov’t Approves Swap over Kidnapped Soldiers, Terrorist Miktai Confesses
Local Editor
The Lebanese government has decided to swap the Lebanese abducted soldiers by detainees in Syria and Lebanon, which means that the Lebanese government has to contact its Syrian counterpart which awaits a clear mandate from General Security Head Abbas Ibrahim.
In addition, a major terrorist in one of the extremist groups confesses major information with no effort.
As-Safir newspaper quoted a Lebanese Minister as saying that "the Qatari mediator on the case of the Lebanese Army abductees has delivered the list Daesh ["ISIL"] and al-Nusra demands to head of the General Security Abbas Ibrahim, in addition to a list of names of 17 abducted soldiers and a martyr held by al-Nusra and another 9 soldiers and two martyrs held by Daesh.
The ministerial source, according to the paper, has been determined on the Lebanese side, but the source assures it will be a long process of negotiations with the list of demands lessening, based on the Azaz and Maaloula Nuns previous experiences.
A group of Greek Orthodox nuns were held for three months by terrorist rebels in Syria after being taken from their convent in Maaloula in December 2013. Also, Eleven Lebanese men were kidnapped in May 2012 after entering Syria's Aleppo from Turkey, as they were returning home from visiting holy sites in Iran. The two groups were released after a very painstaking process of negotiations.
Yet, the source assured to as-Safir that the Lebanese government is not willing to compromise on demands such as the release of a dangerous terrorist like Naim Abbas. On another note, a well-informed security source told as-Safir that "the daily raids and searches conducted by the army and the other security apparatuses in the different Lebanese regions in search for terrorist groups, particularly in light of the Ashura ceremonies is only precautionary measures and is not alarming.
On another note, as-Safir daily quoted a high-ranking security source about the confessions of Ahmad Mikati, who is believed to be a senior figure in ISIS and was arrested by the Army in late October during a raid on a two-story house in the Dinnieh town of Asoun.
The apartment was being used by a terror ring that was plotting to invade north Lebanon and establish an Islamic emirate there.
Mikati told investigators that the Army's move in Asoun saved the country from a major terrorist operation comprised of two phases: The first would have seen a series of attacks against the Army in the northern region of Akkar, Beirut and the southern coastal city of Sidon, the newspaper said.
The second phase stipulated that gunmen would then move to tighten the noose on Army centers in the north Lebanon towns of Tripoli, Asoun and Bakhoun, the report said.
Days after the arrest of Mikati, the Army engaged in four-day clashes with militants in Tripoli that killed 11 soldiers and at least 23 gunmen. During the fighting, soldiers came under fire in other northern towns, prompting the Army to pursue gunmen and later launch a crackdown on the militants.
The armed group led by Shadi Mawlawi and Osama Mansour was part of the second phase of the master plan, which would have coincided with calls to Sunni soldiers to defect from the Army and join the ranks of militant groups.
According to as-Safir, Mikati confessed to being on contact with Ahmad Assir, a fugitive Sheikh, who the detainee said remained in Ain al-Hilweh along with Fadl Shaker, the singer-turned-militant.
Shaker, according to Mikati, sought mediations to hand himself over to the Army on the basis that he was not part of the clashes against the Army in June of last year. Speaking to as-SAfir, the source said Mikati quickly spoke to investigators and quoted the detainee as saying: "Don't hit me, I will tell you everything."
Al-Akhbar Lebanese daily for its part, said that "the Lebanese government has chosen to suggest a swap deal which includes the Lebanese Army soldiers with the detainees in Lebanese and Syrian prisons at once. Accordingly, the Lebanese government has to contact its Syrian counterpart, which awaits a mandate from General Security Head Abbas Ibrahim.
In a major development on the swap issue, al-Akhbar mentioned that the Ministerial committee designated to follow-up on this file has chosen the third suggestion presented by al-Nusra through the Qatari mediator, which is to one Lebanese soldier in return for five extremist detainees in Lebanon and fifty female prisoners from Syrian prisons. Accordingly, the Lebanese side will have to officially contact the Syrian government which according to previous experiences does not show major enthusiast, unless there is an official mandate from the General Security Head Abbas Ibrahim.
The concerned sources also told al-Akhbar that the file will not witness real progress before Ibrahim pays a visit to Syria.
Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by website team
