Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese and pan-Arab newspapers Sunday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.

Al-Mustaqbal

Mufti Qabbani stresses that the “martyrs are the pride of the country”

Interior Minister confirms delay in reception of telecoms “data”

There were two headlines on the political scene at the end of the week: the talk of the return of the ghost of assassinations and MP Michel Aoun’s attack on martyrs, whom he described as thieves.

Meanwhile, the effects of the scandalous mishandling by Aoun’s ministers in government on subjects from the issue of gasoil, electricity to the telecommunications “data” still remain, awaiting the results of investigations into the red gasoil matter.  

And while waiting for Cabinet’s meeting Tuesday, these divisive issues were brought up at talks between President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, particularly given that the government appears to be facing a new period of division as a result of the campaigns between its members.

Meanwhile, talk of the discovery of a plot to assassinate top security officials in Ashrafieh is an ongoing subject, particularly given that it sparked the fear of a return to the series of crimes in general and assassinations in particular.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel gave his reassurances that “the appropriate measures have been taken to protect the relevant figure.”

Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Mohammad Rashid Qabbani denounced “attempts to unsettle security in the country,” and urged that political assassinations in the country be put to a stop.

“Our martyrs in general and our living martyrs in particular … are the pride of our country,” he said.  

Al-Hayat

Information about plan to assassinate security officials rekindles dispute over “Lebanese telecoms data”

The Lebanese political scene was taken up Saturday by the news of information indicating attempts to assassinate a top-rank member of Lebanon’s security community, in particular either Internal Security Forces General Director Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi or the head of the Intelligence Branch of the police, Brig. Gen. Wissam Hasan.

While Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the media had blown the subject out of proportion, “we are following up the matter.”

Senior security sources told Al-Hayat that security services received intelligence on several stages about the targeting of security figures and that four days ago the intelligence included details concerning the movements of Rifi and Hasan.

The sources clarified that security officials were forced to pause on intelligence indicating preparations to place a car bomb in front of one the entrances of the General Directorate of the ISF.

While the sources did not want to divulge further details of what they had in terms of their investigations, they indicated that the Intelligence Branch had received the intelligence about the attempted assassination days after Telecommunications Data refused to hand over to the ISF “telecoms data related to cellular data since the 13th of the month …”

An-Nahar

An investigation into red diesel

On Tuesday, Iran introduces the electricity program

Following the political clamor that distinguished the week, tomorrow will see the launch of a judicial process to be followed by government activity on several matters, including the investigation into the selling of large quantities of red diesel that had been subsidized, as well as the electricity crisis and Iran’s sudden offer to provide electricity.

Yesterday, President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati had a working meeting at Baabda Palace in preparation for Tuesday’s meeting. Indications were that the discussion dealt with various files, as well as the budget and appointments. Mitaki said the meeting was meant to deal with the electricity issue.

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour received a letter from his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Salehi, offering to help with Lebanon’s electricity problems. In a statement to An-Nahar, Mansour described the Iranian effort to help with the equivalent of 35 percent of total consumption as positive, that Iran is ready to deliver power quickly.

When asked whether this was a gift, Mansour said that the power would be sold at competitive prices, with a preference to Lebanon. He noted that "Iran is ready to provide Lebanon with 200 to 400 MW.”