LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 25/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 17:11-19. And now I will no longer be in the world, but
they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your
name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. When I was
with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them,
and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the
scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the
world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the
world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong
to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep
them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong
to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me
into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them,
so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Hizballah’s Phoneprints All Over Hariri Assassination?.By:
W.
Thomas Smith Jr
24/05/09
Hezbollah...Fear and
Begging!/By
Tariq Alhomayed 24/05/09
Frightening data/Future News
24.05.09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
24/09
Jumblat Warns Against Game of Nations Hariri Affirms Cedar Revolution Principles-Naharnet
Aoun Criticizes President, Vows to Wipe Out Corruption-Naharnet
Franjieh Vows to Bar
Opponents from Running in Elections Again-Naharnet
Assiri From Bkirki: We Continue to Reach For All and Seek Stability-Naharnet
Israel: Arrest Hezbollah chief over
Hariri assassination/Haaretz
Poll: Half of Israelis back strike
on Iran/Israeli News
Barak: Israel to remove 22 illegal
settlement outposts/Haaretz
Sayyed Ali al-Amin: May 7, a black
day in Lebanon’s history/Future News
Biden's Beirut Visit Focused on Lebanese Stability And Regional Settlement-Naharnet
Barak: Hizbullah battling Lebanon's normalcy-Ynetnews
Hizbullah Rejects Link to Hariri Murder-Naharnet
Hezbollah denies Hariri murder role-Aljazeera.net
Netanyahu sounds alarm over Hizbullah control of Lebanon-Jerusalem
Post
Biden's Beirut Visit Focused on Lebanese Stability And Regional Settlement-Naharnet
Miliband: Hizbullah and
Hamas Among Groups That Have Patriotic Aim-Naharnet
Aley votes for Pierre Amin
Gemayel…and March 8 is not keen for Lebanon/Future News
Hariri refuses the campaign against
Sleiman/Future News
Security Source Rules Out
Role of Israeli Espionage Cells in March 14 Figures Assassinations-Naharnet
Lebanon to Receive Fire
Fighting Helicopters Next Week-Naharnet
Harb: Syria Shouldn't
Delve into Our Affairs-Naharnet
Defense Minister Suspends
Arms Permits from May 25-Naharnet
Aoun: We Haven't Attacked
Sfeir Despite Differences-Naharnet
Hariri: Majority Not
Awaiting Biden to Win Over Indecisive People-Naharnet
Berri Slams March 14's
'Prosecutor' But Stresses on National Partnership-Naharnet
Jumblat from Aley: We Will
Vote for Pierre Gemayel Represented by Fadi al-Habr-Naharnet
Lebanon Releases Two
Detainees, Continues Its Crackdown on Espionage Rings-Naharnet
Rizk Announces Independent
Jezzine List-Naharnet
Reconciliation between Tor
Sarkissian, Richard Kouyoumjian-Naharnet
Ain Alaq Main Suspect
Tells Hearing Details of Twin Bombings-Naharnet
Israel: Arrest Hezbollah
chief over Hariri assassination
By Avi Issacharoff and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and
The Associated Press
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman Sunday called for an international arrest
warrant for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to be issued over his militant
group's reported role in the assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik
Hariri. "This only shows to us with whom we are dealing," said Lieberman before
the weekly cabinet meeting.
"To the best of my understanding, if this is the conclusion of the investigators
an arrest warrant must be issued immediately. If it is not, he must be forcibly
arrested and brought to the International Court of Justice." Lieberman was
referring to a report the German magazine Der Spiegel published Saturday that
the tribunal established to investigate the assassination had found evidence
suggesting that Hezbollah masterminded the killing. Hezbollah officially denied
report on Sunday. In a statement carried by its Al-Manar television, the Shi'ite
group asked the United Nations-backed international tribunal to take firm
measures regarding publishing "these fabrications." Hezbollah said the Der
Spiegel report was aimed at tarnishing its image ahead of Lebanon's June 7
parliamentary elections. The report, which was based entirely on unnamed
sources, said Lebanese detectives monitored the telephone conversations of
individuals who were in the vicinity when the former prime minister was
assassinated in a Beirut bombing in 2005. The magazine suggested that the
detectives monitored the mobile phone signals of these people and followed them
to the Hezbollah's "special forces" unit. The report hypothesized that Hezbollah
Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah was jealous of Hariri due to the latter's
great public support in Lebanon during those days, and ordered the hit on the
basis of political and personal disagreement. Most Lebanese believe Syria
masterminded Hariri's assassination to maintain its slipping control over
Lebanon, a charge Damascus vehemently denies. According to the Los Angeles
Times, almost all of the Hezbollah operatives allegedly involved in the
assassination are dead or missing. The Lebanese officer investigating the
cellphones connection was killed, and Imad Mughniyeh, who oversaw the Hezbollah
"special forces" unit, also was killed in Damascus last year, making the
allegations tough to verify.
Poll: Half of
Israelis back strike on Iran
Poll conducted by Tel Aviv University institute finds Israelis divided almost
evenly on question of whether to strike Iran's nuclear facilities immediately or
wait and give diplomacy a chance
Ynetnews Published: 05.24.09, 15:12 / Israel News
The Israeli public is split almost evenly between those who support an immediate
strike on Iran's nuclear facilities (51%) and those who believe that Israel
should wait for the results of US engagement before pursuing alternative paths
(49%), a new poll revealed. The poll, conducted by the Center for Iranian
Studies at Tel Aviv University from a representative sample of 509 Israeli
adults, also found that 81% of the Israeli public believes that Iran will attain
a nuclear bomb and 70% would not consider emigrating from Israel should Iran
achieve nuclear capability.
However, according to the poll most Israelis (74%) do not believe that the
current American policy of engagement will persuade Iran to change its course. A
major difference exists between right-wing and left-wing Israelis regarding the
appropriate Israeli policy. The survey revealed that 38% of those leaning to the
left favor an attack, as opposed to 63% of those leaning to the right. Prof.
David Menashri, the director of theCenter for Iranian Studies, suggested that
"the violent language used by President Ahmadinejad and his assertion of wiping
Israel from the pages of history, in addition to Iranian advancement of its
nuclear and ballistic programs, has created a real concern among Israelis. "The
Israeli public statements and talks of 'existential threat' used by Israeli
leaders to alert the world of its concern, could only add to popular anxiety.
Still, I think it is important to note that half of the population surveyed
(49%) still believe a diplomatic venue should be used."He added, "Ten percent
even believe that Israel itself should engage in diplomatic effort with Iran.
When few years ago I suggested that it would be an Israeli interest to engage
Iran, I was sharply criticized. Clearly the attitude has been changed
significantly."
Sayyed Ali al-Amin:
May 7, a black day in Lebanon’s history
Date: May 23rd, 2009 Source: Al Raii
Sayyed Ali al-Amin has said that May 7 is a black day in Lebanon’s history that
the Shiite must not be held responsible for, noting that Hizbullah’s
Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah should have not described it as a
“Glorious” day.
“Nasrallah’s recent speech returned the country to the atmosphere of tension
after it was heading toward calm,” Amin told the Al-Rai Kuwaiti newspaper
reported Saturday.
“There is nothing to prevent the recurrence of May 7 incidents if the Lebanese
government tries to impose decisions that the March 8 alliance does not approve
of,” he added.
May 7 incidents erupted when March 8 militia led by the pro-Iranian Hizbullah
invaded the capital as well as other areas in the mountain and Bekaa in response
to two decisions taken by the government to dismantle Hizbullah’s phone network
and replace head of the Airport security General Wafic Shoukeir.
On the issue of the Hizbullah network captured in Egypt, he said “the Shiites
must not be held responsible for the pro-Iranian Hizbullah’s actions, and
Lebanon must not be held accountable for Hizbullah’s actions as well.”“Lebanese
Shiites cannot be restricted to a party or an organization, and there are many
of them who reject the Iranian project implemented by Hizbullah.”
He described Hizbullah and Amal as the “de-facto powers that dominate the Shiite
arena in Lebanon.”
“Wilayat Al- Faqih- the rule of the supreme jurist- was never part of the Shiite
believes, but it was imposed after Ayatollah Ali Khomeini held power in Iran, in
order to give the Iranian regime some sort of sanctity.”
Frightening data
Date: May 24th, 2009
Future News
The report distributed by the United Nations Development Program under the title
"Poverty, growth and income distribution in Lebanon” is scary. One who reads it
fears of the coming days if the current situation persists. It raises concern
due to the results revealing that the poor in Lebanon make up 28.5 % of the
total population, while 8.1 % of the Lebanese are suffering from extreme
poverty, which means that 300 thousand Lebanese are unable to provide food, and
are with a daily income that does not exceed $ 2.4 per person. People no longer
care what the political situation would be after the elections, but what would
the economic situation and livelihood of the Lebanese would turn to, if "March
8" continues its commitment in waging the battles of Iran and Syria on our land
and with our blood? And how will we build a "strong and fair" state, through the
speeches of wars, tension and mistrust, and without any hope or promise or
clarification on how to provide employment opportunities and addressing the
economic crisis? All what these forces do is ensure the salaries of their
militiamen and gangsters who invaded Beirut and the outskirts of Mount Lebanon,
to keep them ready for more battles if the international embargo intensifies on
Syria and Iran, as happened on "May 7". The economic situation will not develop
without political stability, and it can be ascertained that the "Thank you
Syria" gang would not be able to provide this stability for several reasons
including: - The absence of an economical program, not even an economical vision
that has the minimum limit of rationalism or scientific mechanisms. - The link
between its agenda and countries as Syria and Iran, which are in international
siege and lack the minimum terms of political and economical stability.
Ain Alaq Main Suspect Tells Hearing Details of Twin
Bombings
Naharnet/The main suspect in the 2007 twin bombings in Ain Alaq has confessed in
detail to how he executed the operation after being recruited by Fatah al-Islam
organization.
Ibrahim Sayou, a Syrian, is being tried for the February 13, 2007 explosion in
Ain Alaq which killed three people and wounded 20 others. In addition to Sayou,
two other Syrians are being tried for involvement while four other fugitives are
being tried in absentia including Fatah leader Shaker al-Abssi. Fatah officials,
Omar al-Hajji, also known as Abi Omar, and Majd al-Din Abboud, known as Abi Yaza,
recruited Sayou for the operation in order to send a "political message,"
according to the testimony. He did not elaborate on who the message was being
sent to. The attacks took place on the eve of a mass rally to commemorate the
second anniversary of the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri. The judicial
council held Friday's hearing, presided by Judge Ghaleb Ghanem, as part of the
trial of detained suspects in the explosions. Sayou confessed to placing two
bags containing the explosives, which were prepared by Hajji and equipped with a
timer in the buses. He claimed he did not know what was in the bags and was
simply carrying out Hajji's orders to place them in a crowded bus. Sayou said he
asked two ladies sitting in the back seat of one of the buses that he placed the
bags there and asked them to move forward. He said he can recognize the two
women in case he meets them. He did not elaborate on why he had told them of his
intentions or whether they were involved. The suspect said he entered Lebanon
through al-Arida on February 1, 2007 and joined Fatah for eventually travelling
to another country that he declined to name. Beirut, 23 May 09, 12:27
Security Source Rules Out Role of Israeli Espionage Cells
in March 14 Figures Assassinations
Naharnet/A high-level security source said that none of the arrested suspects in
the Israeli espionage cells has been connected to assassination and bomb attacks
stemming from 2005 that targeted Lebanese politicians and media figures.
"Investigations have revealed no connection between those arrested and attacks
that targeted March 14 and security figures since 2005 following the
assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri," the sources said. In the
meantime, security forces assisted by military intelligence arrested on Saturday
Hassan A.H. from Qantara for suspicion in working for the Israeli Mossad
service. Preliminary information showed that the suspect is a retired military
officer in his fifties. Security forces uncovered an advanced computer and
sophisticated equipment used for communicating with Israel. Beirut, 24 May 09,
10:52
Lebanon to Receive Fire Fighting Helicopters Next Week
Naharnet/Next Thursday Lebanon is scheduled to receive four helicopters designed
to carry out fire-fighting missions. The daily An-Nahar said on Sunday that the
four helicopters would be delivered following payment. The paper added that al-Mustaqbal
Movement leader MP Saad Hariri has donated two helicopters to Lebanon for this
purpose. It added that both choppers are worth $8 million. Beirut, 24 May 09,
11:26
Jumblat from Aley: We Will Vote for Pierre Gemayel Represented by Fadi al-Habr
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said on Saturday that
his supporters will vote for slain minister Pierre Gemayel represented by Fadi
al-Habr and for partnership with the Phalange party. "We will vote for
partnership with the Phalange party, we will vote for the partner with whom we
reconciled in Mukhtara in 2001, and for martyr Pierre Gemayel represented by
Fadi al-Habr," Jumblat told a rally in Aley. "June 7 will be the day of loyalty
for Lebanon's sovereignty, freedom and independence," he said, voicing hope for
unity between the Phalange, Socialists, the LF and al-Mustaqbal. He said he
accepts the decisions of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon "but we will not drop
political accusations and we will never forget."
Jumblat told the crowd that the next stage will be more difficult. "Maybe it
will turn out that Kamal Jumblat was killed in a car crash and (former Premier)
Rafik Hariri committed suicide," the Druze leader said. Beirut, 23 May 09, 19:03
Hariri: Majority Not Awaiting Biden to Win Over Indecisive
People
Naharnet/MP Saad Hariri said after meeting President Michel Suleiman on Saturday
that the presidency should not be attacked, adding that the majority is not
awaiting U.S. Vice-President Biden's statement to win over indecisive people.
Hariri also described Biden's visit to Beirut on Friday as historic and said
there is no U.S. deal at Lebanon's expense.
He told reporters at Baabda palace that he discussed with Suleiman the issue of
administrative appointments. On the upcoming Israeli maneuvers, Hariri said:
"The Lebanese government is making contacts on the issue of the Israeli
exercises that will be held at the end of May." He stressed that the government
is making every effort to face a possible Israeli attack. About the June 7
elections, the Mustaqbal movement leader said: "The March 14 forces will remain
unshaken." Beirut, 23 May 09, 14:57
Aoun: We Haven't Attacked Sfeir Despite Differences
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun said on Saturday that
he hasn't attacked Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir although he has announced
he had political differences with him. "We have political differences with
Patriarch Sfeir but we haven't attacked" him, Aoun told an FPM rally in Hadath.
He also denied that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would rule Lebanon
if the opposition wins the June 7 parliamentary elections. On criticism of his
slogan the "Third Republic," Aoun said: "We swear that whatever the sky's color
is we will fight together the state of corruption and we will cross into the
Third Republic." "We will have a third, fourth, fifth and sixth republic," he
said. Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan, who also addressed the
rally, said: "We ask along with Gen. Michel Aoun to usher together into the
Third Republic." He said the opposition is united and determined to win and
"congratulations in advance for its victory." Beirut, 23 May 09, 20:41
Qahwaji in Message to Army: Remain Vigilant and Preserve
May 25 Achievement
Naharnet/Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji on Saturday urged the military to
safeguard the resistance's achievement and prepare to maintain security during
the elections, in a message celebrating the ninth anniversary of the south's
liberation on May 25. Qahwaji saluted "the martyrs of the homeland including
military men, resistance fighters and civilians for shedding their blood to
liberate the land, claim back national sovereignty and confirm Lebanon's
strength and right to its soil and water." "Rest assured that the preservation
of this achievement is considered one of your primary duties and commitments
because by reaching this noble goal you proved your commitment to the oath (of
loyalty)," he said.
He said the army's deployment in the south, with UNIFIL's support, confirms the
military's "resolve to retrieve the land that is still under occupation in the
northern part of al-Ghajar, Shebaa Farms and the hills of Kfarshouba." "On this
glorious day of Lebanon's history, I ask of you more vigilance and constant
preparedness to foil the schemes of the Israeli enemy and to continue to
dismantle its sabotaging networks. "And don't forget that the collaborators only
represent themselves… they belong only to their betrayal.
"I also ask of you to combat, with force, terrorism, protect civil peace and
crackdown on organized crime." Qahwaji reminded the military men of the
challenging task ahead of them as the elections day draws near. He asked
the army to be "completely prepared to maintain security during the
parliamentary elections, which represent an opportunity for the Lebanese to
express their choices, freely and democratically." He called on them to be firm
against law violators and to be disciplined and unbiased. "I am sure that you
will succeed (at your mission) as you have done in the past during major
national stops and once again prove you are up to the task." Beirut, 23 May 09,
11:25
Harb: Syria Shouldn't Delve into Our Affairs
Naharnet/MP Butros Harb said that cooperation with Syria should be based on
mutual respect of independence and sovereignty adding that Syria should not
delve into internal Lebanese affairs. "Syria has to respect our rights and not
delve into our internal affairs. We have to live as equals [with Syria] and
cooperate according to the principles of total respect for sovereignty and
independence,"Harb said. In a joint electoral campaign on Sunday with Lebanese
Forces Mp Antoine Zahra in Batroun, Harb said that the june elections would
determine Lebanon's future adding: "do you want an independent country with a
strong military a president a cabinet and a legislature or do you prefer a
country governed by gangs?" Zahra pointed that March 14 Forces aim to defeat a
program that seeks to defeat the Lebanese state "the owners of this program own
weapons, money and are regionally connected." Beirut, 24 May 09, 12:34
Hizbullah Rejects Link to Hariri Murder
Naharnet/Lebanon's Hizbullah on Sunday dismissed a German magazine report that a
U.N. commission believed the Shiite militant group was behind the 2005
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "This is a pure fabrication
aimed at influencing the election campaign and to deflect attention from the
news about the dismantling of spy networks working for Israel," a Hizbullah
statement said. Germany's Der Spiegel reported on Saturday that the U.N.
commission probing the Hariri murder had new evidence that Hizbullah special
forces "planned and executed" the Beirut car bombing which killed the former
billionaire premier and 22 others on Valentine's Day in 2005. The report comes
just two weeks ahead of a June 7 election in Lebanon that pits the U.S.-backed
parliamentary majority against an alliance headed by Hizbullah (the Party of
God), which has the support of Syria and Iran.
Since January, Lebanon has charged a total of 18 people with spying for
neighboring Israel. Hizbullah, which fought a devastating 2006 war with Israel,
said the Spiegel allegations "harm the credibility" of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) and called on The Hague-based court to act to unmask those behind
the "lies." "This is not the first time that newspapers have resorted to such
fabrications," said the Shiite group. A spokeswoman for the tribunal prosecutor
refused on Saturday to comment on the Spiegel report.
"We don't know where they are getting the story from. The office of the
prosecutor doesn't comment on any issues related to operational aspects of the
investigation," she said.
According to Der Spiegel, the Shiite group is implicated through the discovery
of two linked networks of mobile phones, all belonging to Hizbullah's
"operational arm."
It says a secret unit of Lebanese security forces, led by intelligence expert
Captain Wissam Eid, filtered out the numbers before he was assassinated in
January 2008.
A Hizbullah commando unit is also thought to be behind Eid's killing, Der
Spiegel said. The U.N. investigative commission has said in the past that there
was converging evidence that Syrian and Lebanese intelligence services were
involved in Hariri's killing. But Syria has consistently denied any
involvement.(AFP) Beirut, 24 May 09, 11:09
Miliband: Hizbullah and Hamas Among Groups That Have Patriotic Aim
Naharnet/British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David
Miliband said that both Hizbullah and Hamas could be seen among groups that have
a patriotic aim.
In an interview with the daily pan-Arab al-Hayat on Sunday Miliband said "our
stance has always been up to the assassination of Lebanon's ex-premier Rafik
Hariri in 2005 was to dialogue with Hizbullah MPs. However, this stopped
following the Hariri assassination." He added that the military wing of the
party continues to be regarded as a terrorist organization in the United
Kingdom. "But we agreed to resume our dialogue with Hizbullah MPs partially
because they have a cabinet minister in Lebanon and the fact that the Lebanese
government is committed to the Arab peace process," Miliband said.
He explained that his government had one single meeting with Hizbullah MP that
was attended by the British ambassador in Beirut. Miliband explained that
Hizbullah insists that any future meeting with the British should be
photographed, showing the ambassador appearing in the photo. "We refuse to have
a photograph used in Lebanon's election campaign. Hence, no meetings [with
Hizbullah] would be held, the Lebanese people are the ones that decide whom to
vote for, this is a process that we won't interfere at," Miliband said.
The British foreign secretary directed his attention to armed groups saying: "I
would like to say to all armed militias, end your armed work and engage
yourselves into the political process. We want people to be respected for their
ideas in a political framework; you cannot be partially in the political process
and at the voting poll while part of you is still carrying a gun."
Miliband admitted that the Iraq war constituted on of the major
misunderstandings between the Arab and western worlds.
"We said that the peace process in Iraq was not built as should be. However, I
don't want to look backward but forward and I must understand history. This is
what I have attempted to reflect in my Oxford speech. If we cling to the past we
will achieve nothing," he said. Last Thursday British Foreign Secretary David
Miliband sought to reach out to Muslim nations, calling for a new coalition with
the West based on consent. In a speech to the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies,
he said that relations with the Muslim world had been "skewed" by terrorism,
while invasion of Iraq had left a legacy of "bitterness and resentment".
He stressed the importance of achieving an early resolution to the Middle East
conflict, with the establishment of a Palestinian state, as the key to improving
relations, and acknowledged also the need for Western nations to work with
countries and organizations whose values they did not share in the pursuit of
common interests. The British Foreign Secretary said that for centuries
relations between Europe and the Islamic world had been characterized by
"conquest, conflict, and colonialism" and that there was now a need to address
the grievances that "keep Muslims down". He called for a renewed sense of
urgency in the effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with "more
political activism and more diplomatic engagement. "For people of all faiths and
of none, it remains an issue that stirs up an acute sense of injustice and
resentment," he said. "We need - all of us, in our own ways - to act soon, very
soon, to prevent a fatal and final blow to the scope for compromise." Beirut, 24
May 09, 08:50
Reconciliation between Tor Sarkissian, Richard Kouyoumjian
Naharnet/A reconciliation gathering was held between Beirut 1 Armenian seat
candidate MP Serge Tor Sarkissian and LF's Richard Kouyoumjian, who withdrew on
Thursday from the electoral race in favor of the legislator. Lebanese Forces
leader Samir Geagea announced on Thursday he was withdrawing Kouyoumjian from
the race in favor of Tor Sarkissian, who is a March 14 ally. Saturday's
gathering was held at Hotel Alexandre in Ashrafiyeh based on the invitation of
MP Michel Pharaon's office. Tor Sarkissian "stressed the importance of unity in
order to achieve in the fateful electoral battle the result that we seek." He
said the March 14 coalition's Armenian parties support the alliance's all lists
in Lebanon because the ultimate aim is victory. In his turn, Kouyoumjian
announced LF's support for the Beirut 1 list. "The battle is our battle," he
said, adding that "the Armenians should return to their historical political
line which is the project of the state, Lebanon's freedom, sovereignty and
independence." As for Pharaon, he described Geagea's decision to withdraw
Kouyoumjian "a daring stance."
Beirut, 23 May 09, 18:01
Rizk Announces Independent Jezzine List
Naharnet/Former Minister Edmond Rizk announced on Saturday the "Independent
Jezzine List" that includes himself, Fawzi al-Asmar and Ajaj al-Haddad. "All of
Lebanon's sects are present in Jezzine," Rizk said. He called on the president
to use his powers in the way that he finds most suitable. "We salute the
presidency. The president has enough powers to lead the country. He is the first
and highest authority," he stressed before announcing the list. "We have today a
chance to produce a legitimate Lebanese authority," Rizk added.
Beirut, 23 May 09, 18:37
Lebanon Releases Two Detainees, Continues Its Crackdown on
Espionage Rings
Naharnet/The Lebanese authorities have released a woman and her brother in law
who were arrested on suspicion of dealing with Israel as a crackdown on
suspected collaborators continued with the arrest of at least two more suspects.
Evidence found in the woman's home in Shebaa later turned out to belong to her
father who has been serving a jail sentence in Syria since 2006 for
collaborating with Israeli intelligence. Investigations showed the two suspects
were unaware of the nature of the evidence, the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar
reported Saturday.
In a separate development, security forces raided the home of Mustapha Said near
Ain el-Helweh camp following his arrest Friday morning in al-Qassir village in
Nabatiyeh on suspicion of spying for Israel. Said is the former brother in law
of another suspect Nasser Nader who has been dubbed by investigators as one of
the most valuable detainees in the espionage investigation. Investigations
showed that Said, along with Nader, was involved in the preparation for the
murder of resistance leader Ghaleb al-Awali.
Said and Nader were not members of the same ring but accidently ran into each
other when the latter was inspecting the neighborhood where Awali lived in the
southern suburbs.
Nader then informed the Israelis out of fear of being uncovered and was then
told that Mustapha was also a collaborator. The two men continued their mission
up until the execution of the murder, the daily said. According to
investigators, Nader was also responsible of monitoring one of the resistance's
operations areas in the south during the 1980's and was behind the death of a
large number of fighters after informing the Israelis of their positions.
He was also responsible for the destruction of tens of buildings in the southern
suburbs during the July 2006 war on Lebanon. On Thursday, security forces also
arrested Ziad al-Saadi from Shebaa on suspicion of dealing with Israel and
raided two of his homes. They suspected Saadi was preparing to flee the country
after he sold one of his café shops in the town four days prior to his arrest,
the Lebanese newspaper As Safir said Saturday. Hizbullah has also taken security
measures in the southern suburbs after discovering that collaborators had set up
surveillance cameras at the entrances of some buildings, stores and
institutions. Some of the cameras broadcast, in real time, the movements of
officials in the resistance and of their convoys, al-Akhbar reported.
Separately, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the crackdown on espionage
networks reflects growing frictions among the Israeli intelligence agencies
active Lebanon including the Mossad, military intelligence and Israel security
agency (Shabak). An Israeli expert in strategic and intelligence affairs
said that "efforts to sign a power-sharing deal among Israeli intelligence
services have not always succeeded in resolving tensions between them." He
quoted Israeli analysts as saying one of the reasons that led to the arrest of
the suspected collaborators in Lebanon was "a flaw in hiding data." Beirut, 23
May 09, 09:54
Hizballah’s Phoneprints All Over Hariri
Assassination?
By: W. Thomas Smith Jr.
23 May 2009
The Lebanon-based Jihadist terrorist group, Hizballah, is now believed to have
been directly involved in the 2005 Valentine's Day Massacre of 23 people in
Beirut – including former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri (the primary
target of the bomb-assassins) – according to a May 23 article in DER SPIEGEL.
No real surprise. But will the forthcoming revelations be enough to quash
Hizballah’s push less than three weeks before the June 7 parliamentary elections
in Lebanon wherein the terrorist group is already attempting to manipulate the
outcome through its classic methods of intimidation? And will the revelations be
enough to shut down the Syrian-Iranian-Hizballah operations room in Lebanon.
Difficult to say. What we do know is that Hizballah – which former U.S. Homeland
Security chief Michael Chertoff says, “makes al Qaeda look like a minor league
team” – has a media/propaganda arm that is second to none. Its military wing is
stronger – and frankly has more political leverage – than the Lebanese army and
police (both of which have been heavily infiltrated by Hizballah). Hizballah’s
possession of huge stockpiles of military grade weapons – staged throughout the
country (in violation of both United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1559
and 1701) – has never been adequately challenged. And if Hizballah doesn’t get
what it wants from the so-called democratically elected government of Lebanon,
the terrorist group and its allies will attack the Lebanese people as they did
in May 2008 with impunity.
Now, “the United Nations special tribunal investigating the murder [of Hariri]
has reached surprising new conclusions -- and it is keeping them secret,” says
Erich Follath, writing for the German-based weekly magazine. “…investigators now
believe Hizballah was behind the Hariri murder.”
Counterterrorism officials with the pro-democracy World Council for the Cedars
Revolution (WCCR) say the “surprising new conclusions” are simply a
reaffirmation of what they have been reporting for the past four years.
“The Syrians planned the operation which was then coordinated through the
joint-operations war room between the Syrians, Hizballah and its Iranian
overlords, and the security apparatus of the previous [Emile] Lahoud regime,”
says Col. Charbel Barakat (Lebanese Army, ret.), a former infantry brigade
commander who today serves as senior security advisor to the WCCR and directs
the council’s office of counterterrorism. “We have long-believed Hizballah
executed the operation, and the group did so in concert with the three regimes.”
According to the article, who killed Hariri “has been the source of wild
speculation.” Suspects have included everyone from the Israelis to Syria’s
intelligence services to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, even to Al
Qaeda.
In the wake of Hariri’s assassination, a UN-approved investigative team was
established, which ultimately determined that Syrian and Lebanese officials were
responsible. But as Follath writes, “the smoking gun, the final piece of
evidence, was not found.” A UN special tribunal revisited the investigation in
March 2009, and that tribunal has now “yielded new and explosive results.”
According to Follath, Lebanese security forces’ intelligence expert Capt. Wissam
Eid, who himself was assassinated Jan. 25, 2008, had determined that eight cell
phones (purchased on the same day in the Lebanese city of Tripoli) “were
activated six weeks before the assassination, and … were apparently tools of the
hit team that carried out the terrorist attack.”
The eight phones have since been referred to as the "first circle of hell."
A so-called "second circle of hell," approximately 20 additional phones that
were “noticeably often” in close proximity to “the first circle,” belonged to
the "operational arm" of Hizballah.
Apparently one of the Hizballah operatives “committed the unbelievable
indiscretion of calling his girlfriend from one of the ‘hot’ phones.” This led
investigators to the suspected mastermind of the operation, Hajj Salim, who
assumed command of Hizballah’s military wing following the Feb. 2008
assassination of the previous commander, the notorious Imad Mughniyeh, in
Damascus.
The tribunal’s collected evidence runs even deeper, according to DER SPIEGEL’s
source: “They have apparently discovered which Hizballah member obtained the
small Mitsubishi truck used in the attack. They have also been able to trace the
origins of the explosives, more than 1,000 kilograms of TNT, C4 and hexogen.”
Barakat says, “Our intelligence assessment has always indicated that the Hariri
assassination – decided and ordered at the highest levels of government in
Damascus and Beirut – was a direct-action operation carried out by Hizballah’s
special hit squads. What’s worse is that the joint-operations room, known as
‘Ghurfat al amaliyat al mushtaraka,’ which coordinated the attack, was never
dissolved even after the Syrians were kicked out in 2005.”
Follath writes, “One can only speculate over the reasons why the Hariri tribunal
is holding back its new information,” but adds the investigators may fear such
revelations might inflame the already caustic situation in Lebanon.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. at uswriter.com.
Hezbollah...Fear and Begging!
23/05/2009
By Tariq Alhomayed
Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat
Hezbollah clearly has a noticeable infatuation with the word “sectarianism” and
this is evident in the speeches delivered by “Bin Nasrallah” and other party
leaders. The most recent example of this came in the interview Asharq Al-Awsat
conducted with one of Hezbollah’s leaders Nawaf al Moussawi, which brought to
mind the following saying: the truth contains a lot of lies.
Al Moussawi’s warning to the Lebanese against the evil of sectarianism and
obeying foreign parties was valid as this is a real threat to Lebanon and the
Lebanese. But the question here is who is it that is responsible for igniting
the fire of sectarianism and who is it that follows a foreign party? This is
what’s important.
Not only did al Moussawi warn against sectarianism and subservience to a foreign
party, he also begged for sympathy to be shown to the party by saying that
Israeli maneuvers aimed at assassinating Bin Nasrallah, accusing the Arabs of
paving the way for this in the media! Without doubt, this is a way of begging
for votes and there is clear craftiness in this as what al Moussawi is referring
to is merely the criticism of Bin Nasrallah, which in itself is [considered]
participation in assassinating the “morals” of Nasrallah. In other words, after
considering himself to be a divine victor, he has become a divine leader who
cannot be criticized!
What’s strange is that it is the party and its leader who are treacherous and
who are provoking the sectarian conflict. Here we have al Moussawi saying that
his opponents represent a “regime of exclusivity and individuality, and follow
foreign parties, and encourage agents by provoking climates of sectarianism.”
This is completely in line with the speech given by the spiritual guide of Iran
on his visit to the Kurdistan region a week ago and comes in the context of Bin
Nasrallah’s most recent speeches that have begun to focus on the idea that to be
an agent for foreign parties is to have a relationship with Saudi Arabia and
Egypt.
So that we are not accused of exaggerating, let us quote Nasrallah who said in
his last speech that there are people “in the Gulf States, from the elite, who
say we must cooperate with Israel to protect the Arab world from Persian Iran
and Shiism and some of them say to protect the Sunnis.”
This is clearly instigation against the Gulf and the Egyptians but what is
strange is that in his speech Nasrallah says, “Yes, we do have ties with Iran,
and Iran does support us; where’s the shame in that?” This reminds us of the
time he boasted about being a member of the Wilayat al Faqih party!
Following the speech given by Nasrallah who described the day of armed
occupation of the Sunni part of Beirut as a “glorious day,” and after the
interview with Nawaf al Moussawi, the question that comes to mind is: is a
relationship with the Arab powers considered treachery?
As we said before, this is incorrect and it is a warped logic and it is what has
shown the Lebanese and the Arabs that Hezbollah is not concerned about the
greater interest of Lebanon i.e. to protect Lebanese unity, and that the party
does not care about Lebanon’s Arab ties. It cares more about Iran.
The importance does not lie in the fact that this proves what we have been
saying all along but in the statements of Hezbollah and those of its leader and
the timing of these statements – i.e. just before the upcoming Lebanese
elections. Therefore, the Lebanese must be cautious in selecting their
candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Here Comes Joe, There Goes Lebanon
http://rubinreports.blogspot.com/2009/05/here-comes-joe-there-goes-lebanon.html
By Barry Rubin
Sunday, May 24, 2009
It's really nice that Vice-President Joe Biden went to Lebanon in order to, in
the words of the White House statement, "reinforce the United States's support
for an independent and sovereign Lebanon" prior to the June 7 elections there.
That and whatever is the current prevailing price will get you a cup of coffee.
Of course, Hizballah said that the visits by Biden following that of Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton was a terrible "interference in Lebanon's affairs."
Strangely enough, I'm not aware of any U.S. statement complaining about Iranian
and Syrian interference in Lebanon's affairs. This is connected to the current
policy that basically amounts to, if you can't say something nice don't say
anything at all. Since the current administration won't admit to being in
conflict with anyone, except perhaps al-Qaida, it cannot fight back effectively.
Moreover, while the State Department's own report on terrorism was devastating
when it came to Hizballah's activities--including direct involvement in the
killing of Americans in Iraq--no high-level official has been going out of the
way to condemn the group.
As for the media, the New York Times investigated the elections and did find a
country whose interference in Lebanon should be criticized...Saudi Arabia.
One tough message was sent, though. The United States will review its foreign
aid program to Lebanon after the election. Since most of the money goes to the
Lebanese military, I'll predict that even if a government takes power that's a
Syrian-Iranian client continued aid will be justified on the increasingly shake
(though not completely false) pretext that the army remains independent of such
control.
Here's the problem: if your adversaries wage a struggle using all their assets
plus a great deal of dissimulation and trickery and you don't, well, guess who's
going to win?