Lebanese Transport Minister denies “The Telegraph” allegations about the presence of weapons at Beirut Airport

Lebanese Caretaker Minister of Transport Ali Hamiyeh denied allegations made by the British “Telegraph” Newspaper about Lebanon storing weapons at Beirut Airport, describing these allegations as “ridiculous media articles”.

In a press conference at Beirut International Airport on Sunday, Hamiyeh said that the sources the “Telegraph” talked about are unknown, pointing out that the newspaper should have checked with the British Ministry of Transportation, which had an on-ground visit to the airport on January 22, 2024.

Hamiyeh explained that the newspaper based its article on the Air Transport Union, but “we contacted the Deputy Head of the Air Transport Federation in the Middle East and Africa and he said that the news is groundless as we didn’t talk to the “Telegraph” on the situation at Beirut Airport and we completely deny what came in the article”.

The minister regretted the Telegraph’s dealing with Beirut Airport this way, calling on all media outlets, accredited ambassadors in Lebanon to visit the airport tomorrow morning.

He affirmed that the Lebanese state is in the process of filing a lawsuit against the newspaper, with details to be announced soon.

For his part, the Lebanese Caretaker Information Minister Ziad Al-Makary issued a statement this evening, commenting on the news article published by “The Telegraph” daily, in which he said: “Once again, we find ourselves faced with news that has nothing to do with credibility, and whose purpose is to raise tensions in the atmosphere”.

“Out of concern for the security of the country and the safety of Lebanese citizens, residents, and expatriates, Arabs, and foreigners, and based on the fact that the article contradicts the principles and ethics of journalism, and because its goals are not innocent, we address all media outlets in the hope that they will not be satisfied with denouncing the article but rather aim to expose the goals behind its publication in this particular circumstance,” Al-Makary added, according to the Lebanese National News Agency.

“We encourage all media outlets to respond to the invitation of the Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamieh, to come to Beirut Airport at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow to have a first-hand verification of the false allegations included in the Telegraph newspaper article,” the Minister went on, expressing regret that the newspaper would have such a slip at the professional level, deeming it an “unacceptable investment in the crisis.”

Hamda Mustafa