By Najia Houssari — BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun has sparked Christian anger by defending Hezbollah during his Vatican visit. In an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica, Aoun said that Hezbollah’s weapons had “no influence in any way” on the security situation of the Lebanese and that “resisting the (Israeli) occupation” was not terrorism. His words led Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi to reiterate his position on the importance of Lebanon’s neutrality. Lebanon’s top Christian cleric told MTV on Wednesday that the country was not a ground for conflict and that its interest lay in neutrality which, he said, maintained its sovereignty and preserved it from Israel and other hostile elements.

There was online anger, with activists sharing photos of dates and events where Hezbollah’s weapons had been “directed at Christians and not in their defense.” These included the assassinations of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the pilot Samer Hanna, and Hezbollah opponents Hashem Suleiman and Luqman Slim. The activists cited a military conflict from May 7, 2008, between Hezbollah militias and pro-government Sunnis after an 18-month-long political crisis spiraled out of control. They also mentioned the clashes that erupted in Beirut’s Tayouneh neighborhood last October between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, unidentified gunmen, and the armed forces. Activists said the president’s position at the Vatican did not represent them and reminded him that Hezbollah was “listed as a terrorist organization by the nations of the world, including the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council.”

by reuters — Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has said it welcomed the “positive points” in a statement by Lebanon’s prime minister, in a sign that Beirut’s tensions with Gulf Arab countries are easing. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed in a statement on Monday the need to stop all Lebanon-originated activities that affect the security and stability of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries. He added the Lebanese government is committed to strengthening cooperation with Saudi Arabia, following a phone call with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah.

The Saudi ministry on Tuesday said it welcomed Mikati’s statement, adding it hoped that it will “contribute to the restoration of Lebanon’s role and status on the Arab and international levels”. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries expelled Lebanese envoys last year in a diplomatic spat that has deepened Lebanon’s economic crisis, following critical comments about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen by Lebanon’s former Information Minister George Kordahi. Riyadh says the crisis with Lebanon had its origins in a Lebanese political setup that reinforces the dominance of the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group and continues to allow endemic instability.

By Sunniva Rose — thenationalnews.com — A Lebanese judge told The National on Monday that she has charged central bank governor Riad Salameh and his brother with illicit enrichment. Judge Ghada Aoun confirmed in a message that she had charged both men and that Raja Salameh, 61, remained in custody at the time of writing. She ordered his detention on Thursday after interrogating him about his role in allegedly helping Riad to launder money through property purchases in France and Luxembourg.

Riad, 71, defended himself by referring to an audit of the central bank that he commissioned in November. “This audit report was submitted to the relevant authorities in Lebanon and abroad,” he said in response to a question sent by text message from Reuters. Financial experts told The National that the document, which is not public, has no legal value and that Riad handed over information of his choosing. Riad, governor of the Banque du Liban since 1993, did not attend a hearing scheduled for Monday, and Ms Aoun charged him in absentia, Reuters reported. Ms Aoun unsuccessfully tried to force Riad to attend a hearing after he failed to show up three times. Riad told the media that he was at home and at his office in Beirut. He has repeatedly denied accusations of money laundering and illicit enrichment and said his personal fortune came from a past salary as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch and from his inheritance.

  By Vatican News staff reporter —  Lebanese President Michel Aoun met with Pope Francis in the Vatican on Monday. The roughly 30-minute meeting highlighted the good diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Lebanon, which are marking their 75th anniversary this year. A statement from the Holy See Press Office said the talks were […]

Source: icibeyrouth.com — L’information est tombée comme un couperet : Michel Mecattaf est décédé, foudroyé par une crise cardiaque durant une randonnée matinale dans la neige, à Fayara, dans le Kesrouan. L’annonce du décès du PDG de la société Mecattaf pour le transfert de fonds, une compagnie libanaise de renommée internationale, aurait pu passer pour un fait divers anodin, n’était le contexte dans lequel elle est intervenue. ” Cela fait des mois qu’il ne vit plus “. Une phrase répétée par plusieurs de ses proches. Plus exactement, depuis que Ghada Aoun, la procureure générale près la cour d’appel du Mont-Liban, bien que dessaisie à l’époque par le procureur de la République Ghassan Oueidate des dossiers de crimes financiers qu’elle s’est réservée, s’était acharnée contre la société Mecattaf. Proche du camp présidentiel, Mme Aoun soupçonnait cette entreprise d’avoir opéré des transferts de fonds illicites vers l’étranger durant le dernier trimestre de 2019.

Des soupçons qu’elle n’a toujours pas pu prouver. En dépit d’une redistribution des missions au sein des parquets de la cour d’appel à l’époque, la juge, secondée par des partisans du Courant patriotique libre (CPL) et des agents du Service de sécurité de l’Etat, proche du camp présidentiel, avait opéré en avril 2021 une série de descentes qui relevaient du spectacle burlesque bas de gamme, dans les locaux de la société, pour s’emparer de documents et d’ordinateurs.

by presidency — Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Cardinal Mar Béchara Boutros Raï, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The meeting was attended by Lebanon’s Ambassador in Cairo. The Spokesman for the Presidency said President El-Sisi welcomed Cardinal Mar Béchara Boutros Raï in his second homeland Egypt. The President confirmed that he […]

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: A Cabinet meeting was convened on Saturday to address judicial actions against seven banks in Lebanon. The meeting conducted a review of the conflict between banks and the judiciary. The extraordinary session was held under the title “The higher interest of the state.” The Cabinet concluded with Mikati affirming that the council of ministers had agreed that the law would take its course based on the principle of cooperation between the authorities without any discrimination or discretion. It also agreed that judicial matters would be resolved according to laws by the staff of the judicial authority. A ministerial source who took part in the session told Arab News that the ministers saw that it was not allowed for judges to use depositors’ money to achieve a certain populism. The judge should not be a populist and tweet on Twitter, some ministers reportedly felt. “The banks are indeed mistaken and there is indeed a major crisis, but it should be addressed in a balanced and non-random manner,” they suggested. In response to what it described as a “judicial attack on banks,” the Association of Banks has called for the issuance of the capital control law as soon as possible.

In addition to the strike, the association warned that it might “take other steps that may be necessary to preserve the national economy and the supreme Lebanese interest.” The decision on a set of lawsuits filed by activist groups against some major banks in Lebanon to recover depositors’ money coincided with investigations on charges against the central bank governor on suspicion of illegal enrichment and money laundering. The judicial procedures resulted in the execution of the seizure of Fransabank’s assets, shares, and real estate and of the Creditbank and the branches of Blom Bank in Tripoli. The Association of Depositors indicated its intention “to file more executive lawsuits against banks in the coming days.”

In a related development, the brother of Central Bak Gov. Raja Salameh, was arrested by the appeal public prosecutor in Mount Lebanon, Ghada Aoun, after he appeared before her as a witness. Salameh’s attorney, Marwan Issa El-Khoury, said the allegations of “illicit enrichment and money laundering” were unfounded and the case was “media speculation without any evidence.” The governor of the central bank had refrained from coming to Judge Aoun’s office more than a week ago as a witness, as he had filed a lawsuit to respond to Judge Aoun about the case in which he was investigated. Aoun has also issued a travel ban against Salameh. She said that the possibility of the political authority putting pressure on the judiciary was an “unacceptable attack on judges who perform their professional duty, if some people did not like this or that prosecution.”

khazen.org offers its condolences to the Mecattaf family – BEIRUT — Michel Mecattaf, CEO of Mecattaf company, specializing in foreign exchange transactions and fund transfers, died at the age of 52 Friday after a heart attack, a source at the Saint Georges de Ajaltoun Hospital told L’Orient Today. • Mecattaf was the son-in-law of former […]

Lawyer for Lebanon’s Raja Salameh, brother of Central Bank governor, says evidence in case against him is “media speculation without any evidence“-statement. Allegations of illicit enrichment and money laundering against Raja Salameh are absolutely unfounded, lawyer says in statement.

by reuters — BEIRUT — Raja Salameh, the brother of the head of Lebanon’s central bank, was arrested on Thursday following his interrogation at a court house east of Beirut, judge Ghada Aoun told Reuters. A judicial source separately said that Aoun had charged Salameh with “complicity in illicit enrichment” that also involved his brother, central bank governor Riad Salameh. Riad Salameh has not been charged with a crime and has denied all accusations against him. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately reach legal representatives for his brother for comment.

by arabnews.com — Najia Houssari — BEIRUT: A Lebanese judge has issued a travel ban against Creditbank Chairman Tarek Khalife and frozen the bank’s assets, including properties and vehicles, as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering. Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun issued the order after activists filed a lawsuit against several Lebanese banks. Creditbank is the sixth lender Aoun has taken action against after Bank of Beirut, SGBL, Bankmed, Bank Audi and Blom Bank. It is the second judicial measure taken within 24 hours against banks in Lebanon.

Earlier, Judge Miriana Anani, head of the Enforcement Department in Beirut, seized all the shares, properties and assets of one of Lebanon’s largest banks, Fransabank. The assets will be auctioned if the bank fails to return a deposit belonging to Ayad Garbawy Ibrahim, an Egyptian national who is among hundreds of depositors unable to access his funds at Fransabank. Ibrahim is taking legal action against the bank to recover the $35,000 he claims is owing. Judge Aoun on Thursday also issued an arrest warrant for Raja Salameh, brother of the governor of the central bank, Riad Salameh, following an investigation. The Pioneers of Truth activist group said that Salameh had been arrested on the basis of a complaint it filed 10 days ago accusing him of money laundering through fake companies.

The judicial proceedings have angered the banking sector, and the Association of Banks is expected to discuss strike action at a general assembly on Friday. Prime Minister Najib Mikati described the judges’ decisions as “arbitrary and irrational judicial proceedings.” “With all due respect to the judiciary, there is a general impression that some of what is happening does not conform with the judicial norms,” he said. “The rights of depositors are our priority. However, the exaggerated way through which the judicial rights and issues related to banks are being tackled is dangerous and could undermine the remaining confidence in the banking system.” Mikati said: “The depositors will, once again, pay the price, and I am afraid things will escalate if defects are not addressed.”