Report: Serail Meeting Tackled Security Developments, Discovery of Booby-Trapped Cars

A recent meeting held at the Grand Serail and chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati tackled the latest security developments in Lebanon, including a number of booby-trapped cars that were discovered in the country, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

Widely-informed sources told the daily that the heads of security agencies revealed that they are following leads on a booby-trapped car that “will be used in a terrorist attack.”

The meeting was attended by caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, acting Internal Security Forces chief Ibrahim Basbous, and ISF Intelligence Bureau head Imad Othman.

Al-Joumhouria said that the security agencies have so far failed to find the booby-trapped vehicle.

Charbel said after Tuesday's Grand Serail meeting: “We have information on a number of booby-trapped cars and we are doubling our efforts to end strife before it is born.”

Later on Thursday, the minister chaired a meeting for security agencies, which included Basbous, Othman, and General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

The discussions addressed the coordination plan between security agencies that fall under the Interior Ministry's authority and their efforts to confront terrorism.

The plan should help avert car bomb attacks, especially since the security agencies are cooperating with the army and other forces, stressed Charbel after the talks.

Meanwhile, the daily An Nahar Thursday reported that seven booby-trapped vehicles have so far been discovered.

The cars were going to be used in attacks or the smuggling of arms, it added.

They were seized in Beirut, the Naameh region and city of Sidon in the South, and the Bekaa.

The case is set to be referred to the Military Tribunal later on Thursday.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji confirmed on Wednesday the discovery “of a terrorist cell in Lebanon aimed at creating strife and carrying out attacks in the country.”

The security forces, in cooperation with political authorities, are exerting efforts to apprehend the members of the cell, he stated.

On Saturday, a car filled with 250 kilograms of explosives was discovered near the municipality building in Naameh.

The car carried a fake license plate and contained five boxes of TNT, an unidentified explosive substance, fuses and a device for remote detonation.

At least three people detained by the General Security Directorate confessed that they were planning to detonate the car in an undisclosed location in Lebanon.

Last week, 30 people were killed and 336 wounded in a bombing in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh.