LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 23/09

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 3,16-21.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Who's helping who?Al-Ahram Weekly/By: Lucy Fielder 22/04/09
Open season on Nasrallah. Al-Ahram Weekly/By: Gamal Essam El-Din 22/04/09
Stepping carefully-By: Dina Ezzat/Al-Ahram Weekly 22/04/09
Both Lebanon and Jordan need a solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict. The Daily Star 22/04/09
Ahmadinejad's Wager, The World's Peril. By Barry Rubin 22/04/09
Can the al-Asad Regime Make Peace with Israel?Washington Institute for Near East Policy 22/04/09

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 22/09
Moussa in Beirut Saturday as Egypt Plans to Take Strict Measures in Issuing Visas for Lebanese-Naharnet
Murr: Lahoud's Withdrawal Wouldn't Affect Metn Outcome-Naharnet
Husseini Drops Out of Race, Calls for Civil System of Governance-Naharnet
Osama Saad Challenges Bahia Hariri to a Public Debate-Naharnet
Hariri Tries to Contain Wadi Khaled Protests-Naharnet
Jumblatt: my words describe the sick segregation cases in all of Lebanon’s sects/Future News
Jumblat Seeks to Appease Christians After 'Insulting' and 'Unintentional' Remarks on Maronites-Naharnet
Moussa in Beirut Saturday as Egypt Plans to Take Strict Measures in Issuing Visas for Lebanese-Naharnet
Geagea calls for preserving March 14 unity/Future News
Hariri Tries to Contain Wadi Khaled Protests-Naharnet
Berri Confirms Contacts Underway with Aoun Over Jezzine-Naharnet
Berri Lauds Jumblat, to Meet Arslan Soon-Naharnet
Cabinet Expected to Approve Appointments-Naharnet
U.S.: Swedish-Lebanese Man was Qaida Operative-Naharnet
No Final Decision Yet on Possible Hariri-Jamaa Islamiya Alliance-Naharnet
Suleiman in Turkey Seeks to Speed Implementation of UNSC 1701 For Regional Stability-Naharnet
Murr: Aoun Calls For Lowering Voting Age to 18 And Criticizes Candidacy of Tueni and Gemayel
Gunmen Shoot Near Hotel, Minutes before Tueni Launches Platform-Naharnet
Egypt summons Iran envoy over Hezbollah spat-AFP
US-Iranian journalist appeals jail sentence-Daily Star
Turkey promises to boost both military and civilian ties with Lebanon-Daily Star
Egypt reports links between alleged Hizbullah cell, Lebanese government-Daily Star
Parliament session delayed again over lack of quorum-Daily Star
Carter Center launches poll-observing mission-Daily Star
Spain donates $5 million for development in poor communities in north-Daily Star
Dubai police chief denies reports of Siddiq arrest-Daily Star
Lebanon urged to develop plan to protect financial system from economic crisis-Daily Star
IMF confident of Lebanon's ability to sidestep immediate effects of crisis-Daily Star
Jewelry store, bank robbed in Chtaura-Daily Star
Army shows off its skills during mock raid at weapons exhibition-Daily Star

Egypt summons Iran envoy over Hezbollah spat
CAIRO (AFP) — The foreign ministry summoned an Iranian official on Tuesday after Iran criticised Egypt's claim that it had arrested members of Lebanon's Hezbollah for allegedly planning attacks in the country. Foreign ministry official Mohammed el-Zarqani summoned Mohammed Rajabi, the head of Iran's special interests office in Egypt, to express key US ally Cairo's "absolute rejection" of the criticism, a statement said.
Strained ties between regional heavyweights Egypt and Iran, which severed diplomatic relations almost 30 years ago, have deteriorated further since Egypt accused a Hezbollah cell earlier this month of plotting attacks in the country. Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has accused Tehran of using the Shiite militant group Hezbollah to gain a foothold in the most populous Arab country, saying that Iran wished to make Egypt its "maid of honour."
Iranian officials have said Egypt's case against 49 suspects accused of belonging to Hezbollah and of planning attacks inside the country was spurious and an attempt to influence upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections. Zarqani told Rajabi that "Egypt would not accept statements such as these and (Iran's) hostile position, warning that Egypt will not stand silent with folded arms when confronted with such positions," the statement said.
Egyptian security officials say 25 members of the alleged cell have been arrested. Official media have reported that a Lebanese commander of the group admitted to plotting attacks on resorts in Egypt. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah confirmed that the man, identified as Sami Shihab, was a Hezbollah agent and that he had been tasked with smuggling arms to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. But he denied that the cell, which he said consisted of no more than 10 members, had planned attacks in Egypt itself. Cairo and Tehran broke off diplomatic ties a year after Islamist revolutionaries overthrew the pro-Western shah of Iran in 1979.
Iran opposed Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel and named a street in Tehran after the assassin of then Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who was killed by an Egyptian Islamist militant in 1981.Copyright © 2009 AFP.

Egypt reports links between alleged Hizbullah cell, Lebanese government
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Egyptian investigators have reportedly uncovered links between an alleged Hizbullah cell operating in Egypt and Lebanese government officials. Citing an informed source, the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that Cairo has information that Lebanese authorities provided a member of the alleged cell with forged documents and would encourage Lebanon to investigate the "dangerous" allegations.
Egypt has over the last five months arrested 25 members of what it calls a 49-man Hizbullah cell tasked with destabilizing the country and planning attacks against Egyptian and Israeli interests.
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah admitted that one of the prisoners, Lebanese citizen Mohammad Youssef Mansour (called Sami Shehab), was a Hizbullah operative, but the group maintained that Shehab and any other operatives in Egypt were tasked only with providing material support to Gaza and its Hamas rulers.
Al-Hayat reported that Shehab had entered Egypt on several occasions with a forged passport under the name of "Salem Bassem Sami." The Egyptian source said the passport had Shehab's photo but fake information, suggesting that Lebanese officials had provided him with the forged document.
In addition, the source said that another official document, which was notarized and confirmed that Shehab's family had hired defense attorney Montasser al-Zayyat, was signed by Shehab's brother Walid Shehab, who does not actually exist. "So the certificate was issued by a fake person, and yet it was still stamped with the official seal, while knowing that Sami Shehab's real name is Mohammad Youssef Mansour," the source told Al-Hayat. The source added that Cairo would "throw the ball in the Lebanese court," and leave it to Beirut to settle the details of the forgery allegations. Separately, Lebanon's Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Lebanon's Al-Mustaqbal newspaper in comments published Tuesday that the fallout from the Egypt-Hizbullah row had not been all bad. "It is clear that Lebanon will not allow this problem to disturb the relations between Lebanon and Egypt," he was quoted as saying. - The Daily Star

من الياس بجاني
مقالتي الجديدة وهي تتناول كلاماً للنائب جنبلاط ما كان يجب أن يقال
فشة خلق جنبلاط هي القاعدة، وليست الشواذ/بقلم الياس بجاني/22 نيسان/09/http://www.10452lccc.com/elias.arabic09/elias.jumblat23.4.09.htm
إن ما قاله النائب جنبلاط بحق الموارنة تحديداً هو بالطبع تجني مستنكر ومدان ومعيب ولكن هو القاعدة في مجالس اللبنانيين الخاصة وليس الشواذ. والحقيقة التي نعرفها جميعا وإن كنا نغلفها باللياقات، هي أننا كلبنانيين عموما قادة وسياسيين ورسميين وأفراد ورجال دين نقول في مجالسنا الخاصة بحق بعضنا البعض كمجموعات اثنية ودينية وحضارية كلاماً أكثر بكثير قساوة وتعدياً وإهانة واستخفافاً وحتى تحقيراً مما قاله جنبلاط. أما المشكلة الأساسية في كلام جنبلاط كما نراها، فهي تكمن في أنه عُمم إعلامياً، فيما كلام غيره لا يخرج إلى العلن. والسؤال هو، من أوصل هذا الكلام إلى الإعلام وهو قيل في جلسة جداً خاصة، مصلحة من يخدم، ولماذا؟
From Elias Bejjani/My new Arabic editorial/For publication

Egypt Summons Iran Envoy over Hizbullah Spat
The Egyptian foreign ministry summoned an Iranian official on Tuesday after Iran criticized Egypt's claim that it had arrested members of Hizbullah for allegedly planning attacks in the country. Foreign ministry official Mohammed el-Zarqani summoned Mohammed Rajabi, the head of Iran's special interests office in Egypt, to express Cairo's "absolute rejection" of the criticism, a statement said. Strained ties between regional heavyweights Egypt and Iran, which severed diplomatic relations almost 30 years ago, have deteriorated further since Egypt accused a Hezbollah cell earlier this month of plotting attacks in the country.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit has accused Tehran of using Hizbullah to gain a foothold in the most populous Arab country, saying that Iran wished to make Egypt its "maid of honor." Iranian officials have said Egypt's case against 49 suspects accused of belonging to Hizbullah and of planning attacks inside the country was spurious and an attempt to influence upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections. Zarqani told Rajabi that "Egypt would not accept statements such as these and (Iran's) hostile position, warning that Egypt will not stand silent with folded arms when confronted with such positions," the statement said. Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah confirmed that one of the suspects, identified as Sami Shehab, was a Hizbullah agent and that he had been tasked with smuggling arms to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. But he denied that the cell, which he said consisted of no more than 10 members, had planned attacks in Egypt itself.(AFP) Beirut, 21 Apr 09, 17:53

Geagea calls for preserving March 14 unity
Date: April 21st, 2009 Source: Free Lebanon
Leader of Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea called Tuesday for March 14 unity while receiving Kataeb candidate running for the Maronite seat in the Metn district Sami Gemayel. Geagea warned “if March 14 does not remain united, Lebanon’s future would be endangered,” and expressed LF support to the Kataeb candidates in all Lebanese districts. The LF leader resented the poor performances of parliament members, neglecting their legislative role at the time they should have been and ‘waking up’ four weeks before the elections to talk about people’s best interests and righting wrongs. Gemayel discussed the Christian-Druze reconciliation, pointing to Kataeb’s adherence to the Progressive Socialist Party and the Sunni sect and asserting that the Metn electoral ticket will be announced next Sunday. The LF launched its electoral machine in Bsharri yesterday, in the presence of the party’s candidates MPs Strida Geagea and Elie Kayrouz.

Jumblat Seeks to Appease Christians After 'Insulting' and 'Unintentional' Remarks on Maronites
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said Wednesday that his statement regarding Maronites was "unintentional" and he meant by it the isolationist trend in the country. "The video was part of a long discussion which talked about the isolationist trend in the country," Jumblat said about a mobile phone video in which the Druze leader criticized Maronites and some March 14 leaders. "I wish that (Maronite) Patriarch (Nasrallah) Sfeir and all Maronites would take the bad and insulting word I used – and which was taken out of context from a long discussion about isolation – as a mere description of the situation that caused isolationism" in Lebanese sects, Jumblat said during a press conference from his home in Clemenceau. The Druze leader stressed that he was expressing in the video broadcast by several TV stations, his frustration at ways in which politicians formed their electoral lists. "I was expressing (my point of view on) choosing candidates particularly by the March 14 alliance. The latest victim was Nassib Lahoud who decided to withdraw his candidacy. This attitude doesn't only exist among March 14 but also rests with the other party." After reminding the Lebanese about "great" Maronites who had major impact on the economy, politics and literature, Jumblat hoped his announcement would be enough to eliminate the "unintentional harm" he has done. The PSP leader urged media institutions to be aware of the current dangers particularly after agreement has been reached to maintain calm in the country. Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 10:26

Moussa in Beirut Saturday as Egypt Plans to Take Strict Measures in Issuing Visas for Lebanese
Naharnet/Arab League chief Amr Moussa is expected in Beirut on Saturday to discuss the alleged Hizbullah cell case with Lebanese officials as Cairo plans to carefully examine the passports of Lebanese citizens traveling to Egypt. An Nahar newspaper said Wednesday that Moussa will visit several officials and attend the launching of "Beirut 2009 World Book Capital" on Saturday. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar said that "involved state institutions" will carry out investigation over the issuance of a fake passport for the leader of the alleged cell, Sami Shehab, whose real name is Mohammed Youssef Mansour. "This is very dangerous and it rarely happens," Najjar told Future News. "Probably the passport was issued as a result of a fake ID. That's why it is premature to make an official stance." Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing well-informed Egyptian sources, said Tuesday that Cairo will file an official request with Lebanon demanding to open an investigation into what it called "serious deviations" the probe has revealed, most significantly of all is Lebanese authorities' "conspiracy" in facilitating the work of the Hizbullah cell. The sources spoke of "grave breaches," including the usage of official Lebanese stamps to mark approval on forged documents. An official Egyptian source told al-Hayat in remarks published Wednesday that Cairo will closely examine the passports of Lebanese traveling to Egypt. "No one wants to impede the entry of Lebanese into Egypt. But at the same time (Egyptian authorities) will have to carefully examine the identification papers (of Lebanese) while getting their entry visas or entering Egyptian territories," the source said.Al-Mustaqbal newspaper also said that Egyptian authorities concluded their interrogation of those in custody and several of the cell's members were taken to prison pending the prosecutor general's decision next week to refer the case to the state security court. Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 07:37

Hariri Tries to Contain Wadi Khaled Protests
Naharnet/Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri will announce the March 14 forces' electoral lists in Minieh-Dinniyeh and Tripoli on Wednesday as the MP makes efforts to face the repercussions of Arab tribes' protest in Wadi Khaled against Mohammed Abdullah Suleiman's exclusion from the Mustaqbal ticket in Akkar. As Safir daily said that Hariri made two moves on Tuesday to contain the situation, first by issuing a statement stressing on future cooperation with Suleiman and second by addressing the tribes during the announcement of the Akkar list. Suleiman's press office snapped back at Hariri's statement, saying his supporters were shocked upon learning his exclusion from the list. He invited Arab tribes and their supporters for a meeting in Wadi Khaled on Sunday to take appropriate decisions. Meanwhile, electoral protests moved from Akkar to Minieh Tuesday evening as several officials in the area complained against the candidacy of Bassam Rimlawi on the March 14 list at the expense of MP Hashem Alameddine. Several protestors shattered the podium and removed Hariri's photos and others ripped the posters apart.
Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 09:02

Berri Confirms Contacts Underway with Aoun Over Jezzine
Naharnet/As Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun gets ready to announce the minority's lists in the Metn and Jbeil, Speaker Nabih Berri said that the Jezzine ticket awaits more consultations between the two sides. "The issue depends on contacts," Berri told As Safir daily in remarks published Wednesday. "We are waiting to find solutions." Asked if differences over the Jezzine list broke relations between the two politicians, Berri said: "I respect Gen. Aoun and I think he respects me too. Contacts are underway over Jezzine district. There are viewpoints regarding this district and I think there is no use of talking about the problem or exaggerating it in Jezzine."He also told An Nahar newspaper that solutions have been found for Baabda and Beirut 2 districts. Aoun will announce the minority's lists in the Metn and Jbeil on Wednesday, As Safir said as other newspapers reported the announcement will be made soon. Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 09:22

Berri Lauds Jumblat, to Meet Arslan Soon
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri has stressed on his firm relations with Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat, lauding the Druze leader's positive stances that help create stability in the country. "Jumblat is the connecting link in the nation," Berri told An Nahar and As Safir dailies in remarks published Wednesday. "He does not lose the compass whatever happens and whatever he says."Berri stressed that his relationship with Jumblat "continues and it wasn't broken even in the climax of political discord ... because I look at the issue from the perspective of general national reconciliation."As Safir said that contacts are underway between Berri's Amal movement and Minister Talal Arslan's team including a meeting between the Druze politician and MP Ali Hassan Khalil.Berri confirmed to the newspapers that he will hold a meeting with Arslan soon. Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 08:27

Cabinet Expected to Approve Appointments
Naharnet/Cabinet is expected to settle the controversial issue of appointments in its next session headed by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace, Beirut newspapers reported Wednesday. As Safir daily said that the upcoming cabinet session will be decisive in terms of appointments linked to the June 7 parliamentary elections. State Minister Jean Oghassabian told Voice of Lebanon radio on Wednesday cabinet will meet on Friday, adding "there is a big possibility" that ministers would discuss and approve the appointments of governors and the interior ministry director general. Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat also quoted sources close to Premier Fouad Saniora as saying that "everything is possible in terms of appointments."

U.S.: Swedish-Lebanese Man was Qaida Operative
Naharnet/In opening arguments in federal court Tuesday, U.S. prosecutors argued that Ousama Kassir, a Swedish man of Lebanese descent, was planning to set up an al-Qaida terrorist training camp in the United States. Kassir was extradited to the United States in September 2007 from Prague, where he was jailed after his arrest in 2005 during a stopover while flying from Sweden to Lebanon. "This case concerns a global conspiracy that takes place down here in the United States," assistant U.S. attorney Michael Farbiarz told judge John Keenan in the U.S. district court in Manhattan. Kassir, 43, is charged with conspiring with others to set up a "jihad" (holy war) camp in Oregon, in the northwest United States, that would offer military weapons training for Muslims interested in fighting in Afghanistan.
Kassir declared his innocence when he was charged last year, and his lawyer on Tuesday said his client had "a big mouth," but was not a criminal.
Kassir arrived in the United States in 1999 and spent a year at an Oregon ranch, imparting religious teachings at a Seattle mosque before returning to Europe, according to the prosecution. "You are going to see a knife that he used for training at the ranch," Farbiarz told the jury as Kassir, in a red tunic, listened through an interpreter. "You will see the bomb making manuals and the poison making manuals," he added. Farbiarz said next week he would call James Ujaama, a former activist from Seattle who has admitted supporting the al-Qaida network and is now a witness for the prosecution. Kassir allegedly admitted before witnesses he supported al-Qaida and its boss Osama bin Laden. The U.S. government also accused Kassir of being a follower of Egyptian Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, currently jailed in Britain for inciting to violence. "He did it for Abu Hamza, he did it for al-Qaida, he did it for Jihad," Farbiarz said. Defense lawyer Mark DeMarco denied the charges, and said his client was not a terrorist. "He is certainly not a terrorist, he is certainly not a member of al-Qaida," said DeMarco. He asked the jury for "a fair trial." The trial is expected to last at least four weeks. Kassir could face life in prison if found guilty. Kassir was born in Lebanon and has Swedish citizenship.(AFP) Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 06:59

No Final Decision Yet on Possible Hariri-Jamaa Islamiya Alliance
Naharnet/The final decision on an electoral alliance between MP Saad Hariri and Jamaa Islamiya hasn't been made yet although the grouping confirmed it has hit a "dead end" with Future Movement. As Safir newspaper on Wednesday quoted Jamaa sources as saying that Hariri entrusted Premier Fouad Saniora with continuing the dialogue with the grouping. Jamaa Islamiya's politburo chief Sheikh Ali Ammar stressed that he would continue to run in the elections, urging his campaign officials to work on the basis that the battle is now a reality, As Safir said. The grouping's Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Ibrahim al-Masri told the newspaper that the impasse with Mustaqbal movement was a consequence of Hariri's insistence on not giving the Jamaa what "it deserved in the electoral alliance."Al-Akhbar newspaper quoted a Jamaa Islamiya source as saying that its delegation that met with Hariri felt that "things remained as they are because of (Hariri's) insistence on his old offer under which he can't give the Jamaa more than one seat in Beirut 3 and a cabinet post in the first government that he could form." An-Nahar newspaper also said that Mustaqbal was waiting for the Jamaa's final stance, so as to decide on the movement's next step. Mustaqbal had postponed announcement of its list in Beirut 3 district in an attempt to reach agreement with Jamaa. Beirut, 22 Apr 09, 10:04

Murr: Aoun Calls For Lowering Voting Age to 18 And Criticizes Candidacy of Tueni and Gemayel
Naharnet/MP Michel Murr said that the head of 'Change and Reform' parliamentary bloc Michel Aoun stance showed much controversy in asking for lowering the voting age to 18 and in criticizing the candidacy of Nayla Tueni and Nadim Gemayel. Following his meeting with Greek Orthodox Bishop Elias Aoude on Tuesday Murr said: "candidate Nayla Tueni is a daughter of Ashrafieh. She is not a stranger like others are. Moreover, she is the daughter of Gebran Tueni."He was referring to the late MP Gebran Tueni who was assassinated in 2005."Ashrafieh voters won't just vote for Nayla because of her father, but because they also believe in her principles," Murr said. Murr was asked to comment on the recent withdrawal of State Minister Nassib Lahoud from the parliamentary race saying: "Nassib Lahoud is a respectable man, I hoped he would be on the list with us. However, he decided not to run for personal reasons and we [would] welcome him any time." Murr said that he is to announce his electoral list for the Metn region prior to Sunday. Beirut, 21 Apr 09, 21:22

Gunmen Shoot Near Hotel, Minutes before Tueni Launches Platform
Naharnet/Suspected gunmen started shooting near a hotel in Ashrafiyeh Tuesday shortly before parliamentary contender Nayla Tueni launched her electoral platform at a gathering being held there. One man was wounded.
The NNA reported the shooting came from a convoy of cars as they passed by Hotel Le Gabriel at 6:45 pm, only fifteen minutes before Tueni's scheduled appearance.
The wounded man, identified by his last name Abu Shaqra, works in the hotel's parking lot. Security forces are investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, Tueni dedicated her candidacy to the memory of her father Gebran, who was killed in 2005 in a car explosion."I am running for parliament to continue the journey of late MP Gebran Tueni and to realize his dreams and plans," she said. While she did not believe in political succession, she said "political heritage is passed on naturally, not through parliamentary elections." She said only voters had the power to make her a member of parliament. The platform was dubbed "Yes and 48 Times Yes" in reference to the number of years Gebran Tueni lived. The young Tueni said she was prepared to be "held accountable for any mistake she might commit." She stressed on the need to respect the constitution, for decentralization and for the resistance to fall under the "banner of one weapon on the Lebanese territories." Tueni also vowed to promote the cause of jailed Lebanese prisoners languishing in Syrian jails and to uncover the fate of those who went missing there. She also called for the right to vote for Lebanese living in exile. Beirut, 21 Apr 09, 20:25

Hariri Announces March 14 List in Akkar, Derides March 8
Naharnet/MP Saad Hariri on Tuesday announced March 14 list of candidates in the district of Akkar and lambasted March 8 for failing to support the Army and the city during the Nahr el-Bared battle. Addressing a public rally in Akkar, Hariri said the "Future of Akkar" candidates were Hadi Hbeish, Riad Rahhal, Nidal Tohmeh, Naim Mereibeh, Khaled al-Daher, Khaled Zahrman and Khodr Habib.He then took a swipe at his political opponents telling the crowd to "take a close look at the March 8 candidates in Akkar.""Then I want you to ask 'where were these (contenders) the day (ex-Premier Rafik) Hariri was martyred? (Where were they) when the army, your sons and your brothers were subjected to one of the most gruesome massacres in Nahr el-Bared?" he said. "Did they stand by the army, the state, the mothers of martyrs, the widows and the orphans? Where were they during the wave of assassinations, terrorist explosions, during the obstruction of state institutions and dialogue and during the aggression against the people, their dignities and businesses? Hariri pledged to "follow in (the late) Hariri's footsteps in the service of Lebanon.""I tell you with all honesty that they are trying once again to kill Hariri's legacy through the voting ballot," Hariri warned. "When they murdered Rafik Hariri you were the first to realize that the real target was Lebanon… and Lebanon's coexistence, unity, the economy…" he said. Hariri said the June 7 polls will be a chance to renew "allegiance to Rafik Hariri and … to insist on the international tribunal for the sake of justice and the protection of Lebanon from the murderers." The Future Movement leader singled out Akkar's Arab tribes, who he said enjoyed "historical ties" with his family. "I am the candidate of the Arab tribes. You are my brethren and the future lies before us. This is your ticket."Before the rally, three candidates informed Hariri of their decision to withdraw from the race. The contenders are Mohammed Hassan Noman and Khalil Mustapha Mustapha who were running for the Sunni seats in Akkar in addition to Mohammed al-Somaili of the Western Bekaa-Rashaya district. Beirut, 21 Apr 09, 18:40

Khoja arrives to Beirut
Date: April 22nd, 2009 Source: NNA
Abdel Aziz Khoja, the Saudi minister of Culture, arrived Wednesday to Beirut to meet a number of Lebanese officials.
Khoja was the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon before being appointed minister of Culture in the kingdom’s cabinet on March 14.

Dubai police chief denies reports of Siddiq arrest
By Dalila Mahdawi
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
BEIRUT: Dubai's top police officer denied claims Tuesday that a key suspect in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri had been arrested in the emirate after spending over a year on the run. Mohammad Zuhair Siddiq was "not arrested on Dubai territory," Dubai's police chief General Dahi Khalfan told the Ash-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, adding that he had no knowledge off his arrest elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The rejection came in response to allegations made Friday by an unidentified Arab diplomat in Dubai that Siddiq had been arrested in the UAE and that Syria had requested his extradition.
Siddiq, supposedly a former Syrian intelligence agent, was arrested in a Paris suburb in October 2005 under an international arrest warrant requested by a Lebanese prosecutor. He was placed under house arrest after the French authorities refused a request to extradite him to Lebanon, saying it had failed to receive guarantees that Siddiq would not face the death penalty if convicted.
Siddiq disappeared in March 2008, prompting accusations by his brother that France had "liquidated" him.
In 2006, Siddiq alleged Syrian President Bashar Assad and his then-Lebanese counterpart Emile Lahoud had ordered Hariri's murder, which also killed 22 others along Beirut's seafront in February 2005. The UN tribunal charged with prosecuting Hariri's killers initially considered Siddiq a key witness in their investigation, but made him a suspect after his testimonies were discredited.
Officials at the Hariri tribunal reported in March receiving telephone calls from Siddiq, but said his whereabouts remained a mystery.
Only four other suspects are being held in connection with Hariri's death, after the Lebanese authorities released three men on bail in late February. The fate of the suspects, generals Raymond Azar, Ali Hajj, Mustafa Hamdan and Jamil al-Sayyed, is to be decided by the end of April. Earlier this month, Lebanon's investigative judge Saqr Saqr lifted arrest warrants for the men, though they will remain in custody until month's end, when the tribunal's prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, decides whether they should be freed.
Defense Minister Elias Murr said on Monday that the Hariri tribunal would make the appropriate decision on their release. "If it decides to release the generals, then it has many reasons for doing so, while the Lebanese justice department may only have 1 percent of what [evidence] the tribunal has," the minister said in a statement. He added that he would leave it to "justice" to decide on the fate of Hariri's killers.

Stepping carefully
Al-Ahram Weekly/By: Dina Ezzat
Arab diplomacy is working overtime to prevent the Egypt-Hizbullah confrontation from deepening, Dina Ezzat reports
In Cairo, Beirut, Damascus and Gaza, diplomats, officials, Hamas members and Hizbullah figures seem unclear about how far Egypt and Hizbullah will go in their most recent confrontation. On both sides there is clear awareness that despite the profound hostilities -- both personal and political -- between the two, showdown comes at a price.
Egypt takes issue with the call to resistance Hizbullah champions in the face of negotiations Egypt advocates as the only reasonable way to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict. "Strategically Hizbullah is an Egyptian adversary. It is as simple as that," commented one Egyptian official who asked for his name to be withheld.
Since 2006, Egypt has gone public with this position. Indeed, Cairo is furious with Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah for having "dared" to call on top generals of the Egyptian army during the Israeli war on Gaza to challenge the decision of President Hosni Mubarak to keep the Rafah Crossing linking Egyptian territories to Gaza closed. Moreover, officials are making no secret of their threats to Hizbullah to back off or face Egypt's rage.
For its part, Hizbullah is open in its frustration with what it qualifies as an Egyptian attempt to stifle resistance, especially in Gaza. Hizbullah is angry not just for the recent arrest of one of its agents while trying to smuggle arms into Gaza, but also for other actions that Egypt has taken, including its interception of arms shipments to Hizbullah itself. Further, Nasrallah naturally is not amused by the attacks launched against him in Egypt's state-run media.
To judge by official statements, it appears the current confrontation will not end soon. Egypt is determined to smear Hizbullah as the agent of Iran that is attempting to challenge Egypt's call to champion Arab rights. Hizbullah, according to the weekend address of Nasrallah, is labelling the Egyptian regime as an anti-resistance apparatus that is working to stifle Hamas in favour of Israel.
Israel, to judge by the statements of its officials, is set to gain much from this confrontation. Egyptian officials do not deny security coordination with Israel. However, they insist that at the end of the day Egypt "is not at all interested in strengthening Israel". "Not in the least. Yes, we are opposed to Hizbullah, and we want it to put down its arms and turn into a political party, but it does not serve our strategic interests to strengthen Israel," commented one Egyptian official.
Further complicating the situation is Lebanon's upcoming legislative elections. Cairo knows that too strong an attack on Hizbullah would open the way to Egypt's allies in Lebanon -- including Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora and parliament majority leader Saad Al-Hariri -- coming under a counter-attack. Indeed, Cairo has showed understanding of the Lebanese government's reluctance to comment on the Egypt-Hizbullah showdown. A meeting between Egyptian Ambassador to Beirut Ahmed Badawi and Al-Siniora produced little in the way of results.
Moreover, Egypt recognises that Hizbullah is far from being isolated, regionally or internationally. Egyptian embassies report to Cairo that Hizbullah members and associates are increasingly being received in capitals like London and Berlin. They also report an expanding tendency within academic and advocacy quarters in these and other Western capitals -- including Washington -- to call for "engaging" rather than isolating Hizbullah.
For its part, Hizbullah seems aware of the fact that if Egypt decides to maximise the confrontation -- if only at the level of intelligence activity -- it could give the resistance movement a tough time. Further, Egypt could act to dismantle Arab and international openness towards Hamas and Hizbullah, and even if it cannot end this openness completely.
According to Manar El-Shorbagui, associate professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, the ongoing showdown between Hizbullah and Egypt emphasises the "two- camps" theory that divides Arabs into "moderates" and "hardliners", and this is not in the interest of either side. While acknowledging the offence of attempting to use Egyptian territories to convey arms, El-Shorbagui is convinced the issue can be resolved without media confrontation.
Arab diplomats who approached the Egyptian government and Hizbullah -- at times at the request of Al-Siniora's government -- have advocated "a quiet security approach that could settle the matter and provide Cairo with sufficient guarantees that its sovereignty will not be overlooked in any way". Hizbullah has nodded, one source told Al-Ahram Weekly. Egypt, another source said, is still thinking.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved

Open season on Nasrallah
Al-Ahram Weekly/By: Gamal Essam El-Din
Parliament joined forces with the official media campaign against the Lebanese-based Shia party of Hizbullah, accusing its leader of trying to undermine Egypt's national security, reports Gamal Essam El-Din
The two houses of parliament -- the People's Assembly and Shura Council -- were mobilised this week in a concerted attack on Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese-based Shia party Hizbullah.
The broadside came in response to Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud's announcement last week that 36 operatives associated with Hizbullah had been arrested in Egypt, with a further 13 still at large. Mahmoud believes that the cell intended to launch "terror attacks within Egypt".
MPs, many angry enough to demand an arrest warrant be issued in Nasrallah's name, praised the role of the security forces in arresting the operatives and thwarting Hizbullah's plans to launch terror attacks on Egyptian territory.
Opening the debate on Tuesday speaker of the People's Assembly Fathi Sorour said Hizbullah's "schemes against Egypt had made it a criminal party in the eyes of all Egyptians".
"We admired Hizbullah in 2006 when it bravely fought Israel but we stand firmly against the party when it plans criminal acts on our land," said Sorour. He added that Hizbullah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had conceded that the operatives detained belong to his party. "The admission makes Nasrallah a criminal, and subject to punishment under the Egyptian penal code."
Sorour urged the Lebanese government to take action against Hizbullah.
On Tuesday morning the assembly's committees of Arab affairs and national defence convened an urgent meeting to show solidarity with security forces as they clamped down on Hizbullah operatives. Saad El-Gammal, chairman of the Arab Affairs Committee, said the recent plot against Egypt was part of a wider Iranian agenda seeking to undermine the Arab world.
"Iran now constitutes a major threat to the security of the region, using its proxies, foremost among them Hizbullah, to dictate its will across the Middle East," said El-Gammal, who reminded MPs that Yemen, Bahrain and Morocco have all accused Iran and Hizbullah of trying to destabilise their regimes.
El-Gammal continued by warning that "Israel should not feel happy with this crisis between Egypt and Hizbullah," an illusion to comments made by the President of Israel Shimon Peres on Monday that "Egypt and Hizbullah are fighting without us and this is good".
Amin Radi, deputy chairman of the Defence and National Security Committee, urged security forces to strike with an iron fist not only at Hizbullah but at "all those who plan to cross red lines in Egypt".
Trucks carrying central security began arriving at the two parliamentary buildings early Tuesday to disrupt demonstrations planned by some Arab nationalist elements to protest against the escalating media war against Hizbullah.
Deputies from the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group struck an uncharacteristically cautious note. Hussein Ibrahim, parliamentary spokesman of the group, said that while the Brotherhood "firmly supported all kinds of resistance against the Zionist enemy we do not accept any plans that aim to tamper with the sovereignty of Egypt".
Leader of the liberal-oriented Wafd Party Mahmoud Abaza urged the government not to escalate the campaign against Hizbullah but to "wait until the criminal investigation into the case is complete".
Abaza also noted that "Nasrallah's admission of planning hostile operations on Egyptian land places responsibility on the Lebanese government".
"Under international law the Lebanese government is required to take action against Hizbullah. If it fails to do so Egypt should initiate legal action against the Lebanese government itself."
Mohamed Shaaban, sole parliamentary representative of the leftist Tagammu Party, said "Hizbullah has become a major threat not only to Egypt but to the Palestinian cause."
Ragab Hilal Hemeida, the Ghad Party's solitary MP, argued "there is a difference between resistance and spying and Hizbullah was caught spying on Egypt."
Hamdeen Sabahi, leader of the pan-Arabist Karama Party, took a different tack, telling MPs that Israel would be the main beneficiary of any anti-Hizbullah campaign, "in both political and financial terms".
Mustafa Bakri, a pan-Arabist MP who has seldom shown any inclination to shirk the limelight, announced that he was against all attempts aimed at undermining the national security of Egypt, whether planned by Hizbullah, America or Israel. He went on to accuse the American Embassy in Cairo of doing its best to spy on the country.
Moufid Shehab, minister of state for legal and parliamentary affairs, retorted by saying that "what some Egyptian newspapers have recently published about the American embassy does not mean that the allegations have any basis in fact."
"We strongly reject any attempts from Israel, America, the UK or any other country to interfere with Egypt's sovereignty."
Shehab argued that "we should not jump to hasty conclusions about the case but wait until the due processes of justice deliver a final word." He did, however, point out that "the fact that Nasrallah fully admitted that Hizbullah was planning to carry out sabotage in Egypt" subjects him to possible prosecution under Article 186 of the Egyptian penal code which "applies to all crimes perpetrated on Egyptian territory regardless of the nationality of the perpetrators".
Shehab also defended the government's position over the Rafah crossing to Gaza against Hizbullah criticisms, wondering why Nasrallah had kept such a low profile during Israel's recent war against Gaza. "One cannot help but question why he refrained from calling for Syrian or Jordanian territory to be used to send weapons to the Palestinians and launch attacks against the Israelis," said Shehab.
On Sunday the upper consultative house of the Shura Council launched its own attack on Hizbullah. Safwat El-Sherif, chairman of the council and secretary-general of the ruling National Democratic Party said: "We want to tell Hizbullah, the source of terrorism for our country, that Egypt will not be a test ground for your plots and your conspiracies. We will not permit anyone to violate the sanctity of our land, its sovereignty and dignity."
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Who's helping who?
Al-Ahram Weekly/By: Lucy Fielder
An acrimonious row between Egypt and Lebanon's Hizbullah has added to long-running tensions, reports Lucy Fielder from Beirut
A heated dispute between Hizbullah and the Egyptian government dominated headlines this week, after the Shia group's secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, hit back at allegations of stirring strife in the Arab state.
This spat was the latest and most sensitive episode in a wrangle that boiled over during the Gaza conflict earlier this year, when Hizbullah accused Cairo of complicity with Israel in its siege of the beleaguered Palestinians. It started when the office of Egypt's prosecutor-general accused Iranian-backed Hizbullah of planning attacks in the country, monitoring the Suez Canal and tourist facilities in Sinai, setting up businesses to cover for spying and spreading Shia religious beliefs among Egypt's predominantly Sunni Muslims. So far 36 Hizbullah operatives of different nationalities had been detained, while 13 remain at large.
The scale of the allegations was unprecedented, although tensions have prevailed for several years between the group and Cairo. Analysts say Cairo hopes to undermine, through the arrests, those who have called for the state to do more to help the Palestinians in Gaza.
Nasrallah hit back at the allegations with a detailed televised speech. He confirmed that Lebanese Sami Shehab, who was arrested in Cairo, was a member of Hizbullah. Shehab had been providing logistical support to help the Palestinians transport weapons and people into the Strip to help the resistance, he said, adding that the other allegations were fabricated and aimed at tarnishing Hizbullah, Hamas and other resistance movements.
"If helping the Palestinian brothers, whose land is occupied and who are being besieged, killed, displaced, and starved, is a crime, then I today officially confess to that crime, and if it is a sin then it is a sin by which we seek to get nearer to God and we do not ask His forgiveness for it," Nasrallah said. He went on to accuse Egypt of blockading Gaza through its control of the Rafah crossing, in complicity with the Israelis and United States.
His comments provoked an angry reaction from the Egyptian pro-government media, with the state-owned Al-Gomhouriya calling Nasrallah the "monkey sheikh" and an unrepentant criminal.
Beirut-based Hizbullah expert Amal Saad-Ghorayeb said Nasrallah had used his response to the Egyptian allegations to embarrass Cairo. "He was saying the real allegation is we're helping the Palestinians, and that's something we take a pride in; he was throwing it back in [President Hosni] Mubarak's court and making it backfire against the Egyptian regime," she said. But Egypt's response would likely be limited to sentencing the detained men and a row in the media, she said, since few beyond Egypt's borders appear keen to get involved.
In Lebanon, reaction even from the Saudi- backed Sunni Future Movement, led by Saad Al-Hariri, for example, was muted, while Hizbullah supporters saw the allegations as a badge of honour for the group. Even many critics of the group see the row as a politically motivated one that is part of the ongoing rancour between the Shia party and Arab state and timed to undermine the group in the elections. Prime Minister Fouad Al-Siniora requested an official briefing on the dispute from the Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon, Ahmed Badawi, but the government shows little sign of wading in.
"Egypt's hoping this will weaken Hizbullah on the eve of the parliamentary elections by provoking more Sunni, anti-Shia sentiment against it," said Saad-Ghorayeb, a political scientist at the Lebanese American University. But no major side in Lebanon is seen as wanting a conflagration before the June elections, so criticism of Hizbullah's actions and Nasrallah's admission has largely been limited to editorials in the press supportive of the anti-Syrian 14 March movement.
"Nasrallah simply erred in using his position as the leader of Hizbullah to make a series of uncalled-for remarks about the Egyptian regime of President Hosni Mubarak," the English-language Daily Star wrote last week. "Why would Nasrallah take on Egypt after being caught red-handed running an arms smuggling network in that country?"
Washington and the West have also been unusually quiet. All eyes appear to be on the US warming towards Iran under President Barack Obama. With Iran-US talks a real prospect, and Obama's high-profile visit to regional power Turkey last week, Egypt was keen to show Washington it still played a regional role, Saad-Ghorayeb said.
There was also little sign the row threatened the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Syria that began after the Gaza conflict, she said. "There may have been a green light from the US or Saudi Arabia, but with the attempt to reach out to Syria and Iran, I don't know whether this is the best strategy at the moment."
Hilal Khashan, who chairs the political science department at the American University of Beirut, also believed the dispute's regional effect would be limited. "I don't think this will have much to do with the Arab outlook, which is not very good anyway, though they've been trying to contain their differences," he said.
He said the row was part of the ongoing dispute between Iran and the pro-Western Arab states, which see the Shia power as an encroaching threat. "This has to do with the continuing confrontation between the international community and Iran over its ambitions, including its nuclear programme," he said, describing Hizbullah as the "long arm of Iran", which wanted to destabilise its Arab opponents in the region.
Accusations of Hizbullah being an Iranian tool to destabilise Tehran's rivals are not new, so the effect of the latest wrangle on the group is likely to be limited, analysts say. "If anything, this could increase Shia support for Hizbullah, but otherwise it's unlikely to have any real impact in Lebanon; the Lebanese are already divided by sect," Khashan said.
Saad-Ghorayeb said beyond Lebanon's borders Hizbullah's prestige will only be heightened by its admission, not for the first time, to helping the Palestinians fight Israel. "This is going to make Hizbullah more popular on the Arab Sunni street, rather than weaker," she said.
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