DAILY SCOPE: Confronting Terrorism on top of Concern

Local Editor

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:

ASSAFIR:

Cover to Beqaa Plan... Jumblatt Asks to Keep Up with Development
Security Units Pursue "Explosive Belts": Arrest of Three Terrorists

AN-NAHAR: 

Army Receives Old Arms and Mechanisms?!
Roumieh Plan Covered by Consensus and Proceeds to Bekaa

AL-MUSTAQBAL:

After "Liberation" of Roumieh Prison... Northern Bekaa

AL-AKHBAR: 

Aoun, Geagea: Story of 12 Dialogue Sessions

THE DAILYSTAR: 

Fears of Terror Attacks Rise after Raid
Snow Obscures Minefields in South

The Lebanese arena has witnessed developments on the security level, with the security forces arresting three terrorists. Also, the Lebanese await the coming meeting between the Future and Hizbullah on Friday.

Starting with as-Safir newspaper, under the title "Security Units Pursue "Explosive Belts": Arrest of Three Terrorists", the paper wrote that on the second day after taking control over Roumieh prison, more information was revealed on the equipment found in the prison's block B. Security sources told as-Safir that investigations with three arrested persons revealed that the security apparatus suspicions on the existence of more suicide bombers turned out to be correct and precise. The source told the paper that the Lebanese army has further increased its measures in Arsal area and its outskirts, as well as in the North.

The source further added that the Lebanese security forces are in control of the entrances of the Dahiyeh [Beirut's southern suburb], also the entrances of the Northern Beqaa valley. The measures are made in cooperation and accordance with Hizbullah, especially after the two suicide attacks that took place in Jabal Mohsen earlier this week.

Also, the source noted that the tight security measures will end the phenomena of car theft, which has been a main factor in the terrorist attacks.
Moreover, as-Safir came to know that Hizbullah is ready to facilita

te any security measures in the Northern Beqaa to put an end to the theft, abduction cases and to arrest wanted criminals. The source noted that Hizbullah is ready for any sort of cooperation to put the security plan in action.
Moreover, according to the paper, House Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the closure of the notorious block B of Roumieh prison east of Beirut was the result of the dialogue between Hizbullah and Future movement that started last month.
"The operation at Roumieh prison came as a repercussion to the dialogue ... which proved that the state exists," Berri told his visitors.

The transfer of extremist detainees from block B to block D on Monday "required a political decision, which was implemented as soon as it was taken," he said.
Block B was known as a virtual no-go zone for security forces, where prisoners had access to laptops, phones and money. Police closed it after investigators discovered that the weekend suicide bombing in the northern city of Tripoli had been planned from the prison.

According to Berri, the talks between the representatives of Hizbullah and the Future party will also have positive effects on the implementation of a security plan in the eastern Beqaa Valley.

"The dialogue hasn't touched on details but it put a threshold for limiting tension under which decisions are being taken to implement the security plan," he told his visitors.

Berri hoped that the Hizbullah-Future talks, in addition to a planned meeting between Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, who are presidential candidates, would lead to more stability and resolve the deadlock at Baabda Palace.

Lebanon has been without a president since May when Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended.

The third round of talks between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal will be held on Friday, Berri, who is the sponsor of the talks, said while stressing that it was up to the conferees to set the agenda.

Meanwhile, an-Nahar newspaper quoted reports that there have been many attempts to destabilize the situation on Tripoli, but the security forces were able to achieve a series of arrests of terrorist networks that were in direct contact with the Roumieh inmates as well as al-Nusra front terrorist group.

An-Nahar also obtained information on the armament of the Lebanese army, revealing that the equipment and weapons the army received are below the required standard, which raised questions on the previous promises that the Lebanese army will receive a 3-billion worth deal of 21st century arms, yet all what the army got was very old ones.

On another note, al-Liwaa newspaper revealed that preparations for the meeting between head of the Free Patriotic Movement Gen. Michel Aoun and Head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea are undergoing and that these show positive signs to the progress of relations.