Charbel Vows More Security Plans to Restore Order

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel vowed to carry out two to three days of security sweeps each week at the end of the one-month security plan that was launched on Wednesday.

In remarks to al-Mustaqbal daily published on Friday, Charbel said: “The security plan will remain intense throughout the month and after it we will carry out two or three security days per week as the need arises.”

“If the situation returns to the way it was, then we will go back to the security month or months,” he said.

“The security and political decisions are twins and shouldn’t be separated until the current situation ends,” Charbel told the newspaper after several incidents and road closures in the capital and other areas pushed the country to the brink of civil war.

Beirut witnessed a cautious calm on Thursday after several days of road closures with burning tires.

A high-ranking official told An Nahar daily that the calm was the result of President Michel Suleiman’s stern words during a cabinet session on Wednesday when he said it was forbidden to close the airport’s road again.

Furthermore, protestors didn’t resort to the streets on Thursday after the leaderships of major political parties realized the dangers of escalating the tension between the different sides.

The Lebanese army has also advised officials and the leaders of political parties to control their supporters to prevent a possible clash between the military and civilians who are resorting to the streets for riots, the official said.

Suleiman’s decision to summon the heads of security agencies to the cabinet session on Wednesday was also a clear message that there is a red line that shouldn’t be crossed and that the rioters shouldn’t be politically supported by any side, the source added.