05 September 2008

BEIRUT: The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on Thursday dismissed media reports which said it had plans to beef up its presence in North Lebanon in order to put an end to the "growing influence of fundamentalist groups" there, in direct reference to Salafi factions.

"Such claims are baseless and unfounded," the LAF statement said. "The Lebanese Army carries out decisions adopted by the legitimate Lebanese authorities and has no ulterior intentions against any Lebanese side," it added.

The LAF was apparently denying rumors that the army was preparing for a major crackdown on Salafi factions   in the North.

The military officer corps, according to the statement, is "loyal only to their command, from which they receive orders and instructions."

The military statement also asked journalists to avoid "fabricating news and rather embrace the concepts of integrity and objectivity."

"Media outlets are urged to contribute in preserving Lebanon's interests and stability," the statement concluded.

At least 14 people, among them nine Lebanese Army soldiers, were killed by an explosion in the Northern coastal city of Tripoli in August.

The Tripoli attack was the deadliest against the army since its 15-week battle with Al-Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam militants at the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli last year. The bomb, which was planted at a bus stop, wounded 45 people.

Also commenting on the situation in Tripoli, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar proposed granting gunmen in the Northern city "a grace period" to surrender their weapons to the security forces.

Najjar, in an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Thursday, said that after the proposed deadline the "state should play its role in enforcing law and order."

"The security [effort] should coincide with efforts to launch developmental projects in Tripoli," he added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora proposed a six-point plan to develop the city of Tripoli and other parts of the North. The plan's main pillar, according to Siniora, was enforcing security and achieving stability. "Tripoli and its citizens have a right to security ... Nothing could justify negligence in providing security," he told Tripoli MPs and politicians who visited him at the Grand Serail in Beirut.

"The government is seriously asking security institutions to play their role in re-establishing stability and protecting citizens," he added.

Siniora vowed that his Cabinet would spare no effort to resolve the crisis in Tripoli "as soon as possible."

Apart from enforcing security, other points include offering humanitarian aid to victims of violence, rebuilding damaged infrastructure, launching development projects and creating job opportunities in partnership with the private sector, providing health, social, and education services, and backing efforts to reconcile conflicting parties.

Tripoli has recently been the scene for sectarian violence between Sunnis and Alawites.

The clashes have led to the deaths of at least 20 people, in addition to heavily damaging some areas of the city.

In other security-related developments, Hizbullah on Thursday dismissed news reports that the group had been threatening Sunni figures in the Bekaa Valley towns of Saadnayel, Taalbaya and Ain Kfar Zabad, which have experienced Sunni-Shiite skirmishes.

"Such claims are baseless and only aim at stirring more tensions," a Hizbullah statement said.

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported on Thursday that Hizbullah  was responsible for gunfire aimed at retired army officer Ahmad Mohammad Sahili's home in Ain Kfar Zabad, which caused material damage.

The daily quoted what it said were eye-witnesses as saying that Hizbullah gunmen driving a olive-green pick-up truck fired upon Sahili's home for approximately 30 minutes before the army and the Internal Security Forces intervened.  According to witnesses, the vehicle's license plate number was 620 237. 

Hizbullah sources said that the conflict was a family issue, but sources close to Sahili told Al-Mustaqbal the shooting was Hizbullah's attempt to impose its political will on the village.

The latter told the newspaper that Hizbullah's security committee, led by Jihad Moussawi, has refused to hand over the shooters and reiterated its claim that the issue was a family conflict. Sahili's family lodged a complaint after Hizbullah's refusal, according to the daily.