In this November 15, 2015 photo, Lebanese interior minister Nohad Al Mashnouk holds a press conference at the police headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Bilal Hussein / AP
In this November 15, 2015 photo, Lebanese interior minister Nohad Al Mashnouk holds a press conference at the police headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Bilal Hussein / AP
In this November 15, 2015 photo, Lebanese interior minister Nohad Al Mashnouk holds a press conference at the police headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Bilal Hussein / AP
In this November 15, 2015 photo, Lebanese interior minister Nohad Al Mashnouk holds a press conference at the police headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. Bilal Hussein / AP

Lebanon helped foil plot to down UAE-bound plane from Australia, minister says


  • English
  • Arabic

Lebanese intelligence helped foil the plot to bomb an Abu Dhabi-bound flight from Australia, Lebanon's interior minister said on Monday.

Lebanese intelligence "uncovered an operation that was going to take place on an Emirati flight from Australia to Abu Dhabi, and it was going to be executed by a Lebanese national from the north” of Lebanon, Nohad Al Mashnouk said.

The mastermind of the operation was Tarek Khayyat, a Lebanese-Australian who is a senior ISIL member in Raqqa, Syria. His three accomplices were his brothers, Mr Al Mashnouk said.

One of the brothers is in detention in Lebanon and the other two are being held in Australia.

“They are four Lebanese-Australian brothers who had a personal vendetta, and one of them, [Tarek], moved to Raqqa in Syria and joined ISIL, and our intelligence kept track of him,” the interior minister said. “The plan was to blow up the plane 20 minutes after it took off, but the operation failed due to the luggage [weight limit].”

The bombs were hidden inside a large Barbie doll and a meat grinder and placed in a handbag that was seven kilos over the weight permitted by the airline, Mr Al Mashnouk said.

According to reports, one of the brothers never made it past check-in with the luggage. Investigators said they believe the bag with explosives was either too heavy to have been stowed on board the flight or the plotters had second thoughts.

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Mr Al Mashnouk said the luggage holding the bombs was taken back to the plotters' home. The plotters attempted to get two bombs on to the plane in case one failed to detonate, he said.

The attempt to bomb the Etihad Airways flight, which was carrying about 400 people including 120 Lebanese, was meant to be "a message for the UAE”, he said.

He said the brothers wanted to punish the UAE and Australia for being part of the US-led coalition that is targeting ISIL.

Two of the brothers — Khaled and Mahmoud Khayyat — were charged in Australia with two counts of planning a terrorist act. The charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. They are scheduled to appear in court again on November 14.

Australian police described the plane-bombing attempt as one of Australia's "most sophisticated" militant plots and said the two men had also planned to build a device to release poisonous gas in a public area.

The third brother, Amer, who was supposed to be on board the plane, was arrested in Lebanon after he arrived in mid-July from Australia.

"Intelligence branch followed on the case and found that Amer was involved in this act and it appears that he was supposed to carry it out,” Mr Al Mashnouk said.

Amer had travelled between Australia and Lebanon several times under pretexts such as coming to get engaged or get married, he said.

He said Lebanese police intelligence started tracking Tarek's brothers after he moved to Raqqa.

"When four Lebanese brothers in Australia decide to blow up an Emirati jet this means that the whole world should work together to fight terrorism," Mr Al Mashnouk said. "Co-ordination should be 24 hours a day between all security agencies to stop such attacks."

Australian police said the high-grade military explosives used to build the bombs had been sent by air cargo from Turkey as part of a plot "inspired and directed" by ISIL.

Etihad Airways has said it was working closely with the Australian investigation.

* Additional reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press

The%20specs
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The%20Sandman
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While you're here
Result

Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2

Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)

Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series

Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen​​​​​​​
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg​​​​​​​
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg

Race card

4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m

5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m

5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m

6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m

6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m

7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m

The National selections:

4pm Zabardast

4.35pm Ibn Malik

5.10pm Space Blues

5.45pm Kimbear

6.20pm Barney Roy

6.55pm Matterhorn

7.30pm Defoe

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Sun jukebox

Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)

This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.

Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)

The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.

Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)

Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.

Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)

Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.

Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)

An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)

Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.

Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
  • US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
  • Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
  • Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
  • Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
  • Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
  • The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
  • Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
  • Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
Andor
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tony%20Gilroy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDiego%20Luna%2C%20Genevieve%20O'Reilly%2C%20Alex%20Ferns%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%205%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
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The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
UAE%20ILT20
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No Shame

Lily Allen

(Parlophone)

What%20is%20Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3F%20
%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A