Sidon Urgent Security Meeting Devises Plan to Combat 'Bomb-Laden Cars Rumors'

The sub-security council of the South held Thursday an extraordinary meeting in Sidon and announced a plan to combat “rumors” about the presence of booby-trapped cars in certain locations, after a media report said the council would convene to discuss “an urgent security issue.”

State-run National News Agency confirmed the “extraordinary” nature of the meeting, saying it was headed by acting South Lebanon Governor Nicola Abu Daher.

“The conferees thoroughly discussed the rumors that have been recently spreading among citizens about the presence of bomb-laden cars that will be blown up in certain locations,” said a statement issued after the meeting.

“The issue is creating fear, confusion and anxiety, which is reflecting negatively on the economic cycle and citizens' movements and paralyzing some vital economic and commercial centers,” the statement added.

The conferees noted that “such rumors have a specific goal: keeping the security situation tense.”

“A security plan has been devised to start combating this negative trend in a serious manner,” the statement said.

It noted that “false reports are being circulated between citizens through social media, especially the WhatsApp service and the Facebook website.”

The conferees dismissed the rumors as “fabricated” and “totally non-credible.”

They also stressed the need to “intensify security patrols in the city of Sidon and its suburbs in coordination with the Lebanese Army units that are deployed within Sidon and the towns of East Sidon in order to inspect and detect any explosives-rigged cars that might lead to dangerous security repercussions.”

The council focused on “activating and stepping up security measures in the vicinity of state administrations, Sidon's Justice Palace, places of worship, schools and universities.”

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper had reported Thursday morning that “an urgent and pressing security issue has prompted holding the meeting of the south sub-security council ahead of the date of its February periodic meeting.”

“This urgent issue cannot bear any delay, especially in light of the increasing security fears over the series of suicide bombings that have been moving from one region to another,” al-Mustaqbal quoted informed sources as saying.

In January alone, three car bomb attacks have rocked areas that are considered Hizbullah strongholds in the country. Two hit the Beirut southern suburb of Haret Hreik and another bomb attack targeted the Bekaa town of Hermel.

The three bombings were carried out by suicide attackers.

Deadly bomb attacks had also rocked the northern city of Tripoli and downtown Beirut in 2013.