LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 15/08

Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11,37-41. After he had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.

Saint Ambrose (c.340-397), Bishop of Milan and Doctor of the Church
Commentary on Saint Luke's Gospel (SC 52, p.44)/"Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? "
«Oh you Pharisees! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish.» As you see, it is our bodies that are referred to here by the names of fragile, earthenware things that a simple fall can break. And the soul's intimate feelings are indicated by bodily expressions and gestures, just as what is contained within the cup is made known outside it... Thus you see that it is not the exterior of this cup or plate that soils us, but the interior.
Like a good master, Jesus teaches us how to clean away the marks on our bodies by saying: «Give alms, and behold everything will be clean for you». You see how many remedies there are! Mercy cleanses us; God's word cleanses us, too, as it is written: «You are already clean because of the word I spoke to you» (Jn 15,3)...
This begins a very lovely passage: the Lord invites us to look for simplicity and he condemns attachment to what is superfluous and earthly. Because of their feebleness the Pharisees are compared, not without reason, to the cup and the dish: they observe details without any use to us and they neglect those in which the fruit of our hope is to be found. And so they are guilty of a grave fault by despising the better part. Even so, even for such a fault, forgiveness is promised if it is followed by the merciful act of almsgiving.

Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Thousands of Christians Flee Iraqi City After String of Killings-AP 14/10/08
France's War with Jihadis.By WALID PHARES.Middle East Times 14/10/08
Sleiman could spur a coordinated Arab response to the financial crisis. The Daily Star 14/10/08
Fair winds for Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood.By Shadi Hamid 14/10/08
Keep Iran Off the UN Security Council. By: Joseph Klein 14/10/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for October 14/08
Lebanon:Wood Fire Prompts University Evacuation, Burns House, Wounds Four-Naharnet
France Welcomes Assad's Move on Lebanon Ties-Naharnet
Salloukh to Sign Joint Declaration on Diplomatic Ties with Syria-Naharnet
Jumblat Welcomes Assad's Decree on Ties with Lebanon-Naharnet
Chamoun Resigns and Runs for Elections-Naharnet
A contingency plan if Israel assassinates Nasrallah-Al-Arabiya
Bush Says Syria Must Respect Lebanon's Sovereignty-Naharnet
CIA Chief in Beirut this Week?-Naharnet
U.N. Undersecretary General: Beirut is ESCWA's Permanent HQ-Naharnet
Assad Issues Decree to Establish Beirut Embassy-Naharnet
Syria establishes diplomatic ties with Lebanon-The Associated Press-Naharnet
Terrorist Cell Planned to Assassinate Qahwaji-Naharnet
Danger persists despite terrorists arrest in North Lebanon-Xinhua-Naharnet
Geagea in Cairo-Naharnet
Aoun Discusses Lebanon Problems With Iran-Naharnet
Syria: Riots proof of Israel's racist policy-Ynetnews
US frustration as Syria and Iran weigh joint bank venture-Financial Times
Israel’s Leading Parties Sign a Draft Agreement to Form a New Government-New York Times
Syria and Iran consider joint bank venture-Financial Times
Bush urges Syria to respect Lebanon's sovereignty-Xinhua
Terror cell 'sought revenge' for Nahr al-Bared defeat-(AFP)
New UN representative for Lebanon takes up post in Beirut-UN News Centre
ESCWA back in business as Lebanon security improves-Daily Star
Lebanon's economy can weather the storm - Citigroup-Daily Star
Southern farmers flock to olive groves as harvest season kicks off-Daily Star
Lebanon says it has arrested Islamic militants responsible for ...Los Angeles Times
Sleiman urges Saudi entrepreneurs to boost investments in Lebanon-(AFP)
Panel endorses new law on Constitutional Council-Daily Star
Panel laments woeful state of business reporting in Arab world-Daily Star
Economy has clean bill of health - Siniora-Daily Star
Fatah sapper dismantles bomb in Ain al-Hilweh-Daily Star
Analysts say authorities must keep up pressure on Islamist groups-Daily Star
Aoun credits Iran with 'helping Lebanon achieve national unity'-(AFP)
Andre Tabourian: son of Karekin, son of Lebanon-Daily Star
Lebanon's economy can weather the storm - Citigroup-Daily Star
Bassil says some Lebanese have helped terrorists-Daily Star
LAU Jbeil hosts Extreme Sports Day to open year-Daily Star
Campaigners keep up pressure to lower voting age to 18-Daily Star
 

Bush Says Syria Must Respect Lebanon's Sovereignty
Naharnet/U.S. President George Bush warned Syria on Monday that it must respect Lebanon's sovereignty and urged Damascus to establish full diplomatic ties with Beirut. "We discussed the need for Syria to respect Lebanon's sovereignty, to cease its support for terror, and to open full diplomatic relations with Lebanon's elected government," Bush said after talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. His comments came as Washington closely watched Syrian troop movements near the border with Lebanon. "Together, we are giving support to rising democracies, and defending the innocent against the violent," Berlusconi earlier said as Bush welcomed him to the White House. "Italy has shown that commitment by deploying forces to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, and by leading NATO training operations in Iraq. Italian forces are also serving the cause of peace and stability in Lebanon and Kosovo and Bosnia," he added.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 05:11

Thousands of Christians Flee Iraqi City After String of Killings
Monday, October 13, 2008/AP
Oct. 13: A Christian boy looks on as he sits at the back of his family car after leaving Mosul.
BAGHDAD — Cars and trucks loaded with suitcases, mattresses and passengers cradling baskets stuffed with clothes lined up at checkpoints Monday to flee Mosul, a day after the 10th killing of an Iraqi Christian in the northern city so far this month.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but local leaders have blamed al-Qaida in Iraq, which maintains influence in the region despite an ongoing U.S.-Iraqi military operation launched in May.
The latest victim was a music store owner who was gunned down Sunday evening at work in an attack that left his teenage nephew wounded, according to police and a neighbor. Farques Batool, in his 50s, had refused to join other Christians fleeing the city because he needed to care for his wife, a daughter, his mother and the family of his dead brother, his neighbor Raid Bahnam said.
Batool's family finally fled Mosul after his death, leaving his wounded nephew in the hospital.
With the killing of at least 10 Christians this month alone, according to police, thousands have abandoned their homes in Mosul to seek refuge in churches and with relatives in neighboring villages or in relatively safe Kurdish-controlled areas nearby.
Christian Businessman Gunned Down in Iraq Terrified Christian Families Flee Iraq's Mosul Faraj Ibraham, a 54-year-old power station employee who moved in with relatives in the village of Burtulla, said he was worried about his two daughters who had to leave school.
"We left in a hurry and they forgot to bring even their books. It will be a heavy burden for them even if we get to return home soon," he said.
Islamic extremists have frequently targeted Christians and other religious minorities since the 2003 U.S. invasion, forcing tens of thousands to flee Iraq — although attacks slowed with a nationwide decline in violence.
The reason for the latest surge in attacks was unclear. But it coincides with strong lobbying by Christian leaders for parliament to restore a quota system to give religious minorities seats on provincial councils that will be chosen by voters before the end of January.
U.N. special representative Staffan de Mistura strongly condemned "the spike in violence that has targeted the Christian communities in recent days" and warned the attacks were seeking to "fuel tensions and exacerbate instability at a critical time."
Religious leaders called for action. Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako of the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk denounced "a campaign of liquidation and violence, with political objectives." Another churchman, Monsignor Shiemon Warduni, appealed to "all the brother Muslims in Mosul, Baghdad and in Iraq" to do everything possible to end "this painful campaign," according to Vatican Radio. Local organizations, meanwhile, appealed for help as they faced a flood of internal refugees.
"Thousands of people fled virtually overnight, many with only the clothes on their back," said Jamil Abdul-Ahad, the head of an interfaith Christian council in Mosul that has been distributing blankets and food aid to the internal refugees. Iraq's government sent police reinforcements, and patrols were stepped up in Christian communities. For many Christians, this was not enough. "Our situation needs active work, not just media propaganda from government officials," Abdul-Ahad said. "The government should protect Christians in Mosul and safeguard their rights."The governor of Ninevah province, which includes Mosul, said Christians began fleeing in force last week after seven Christians were reported killed. "Fear spread because of threats from al-Qaida and 'Takfiris' (Sunni extremists) toward Christians and the assassinations of some of them," Gov. Duraid Mohammed Kashmoula said.
Bashar Jirjis Habash, the secretary of the committee for Christian affairs in the nearby town of Qaraqosh, said some families began arriving there after receiving threats in early September as the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan got under way. There were conflicting reports on the number of Christians who have fled the city, although local officials said there were fewer leaving on Monday. The International Organization for Migration, an intergovernmental humanitarian group based in Switzerland, estimated that at least 829 families had been displaced and said Iraqi officials were asking for tents and plastic sheeting for possible camps to house them all. One senior government official in Mosul, Jawdat Ismaeel, said the latest figures show that 1,092 families, or some 4,400 people, have fled the city.
The ongoing military operation in Mosul began in May after the Iraqi army proved itself in sharp fighting against Shiite extremists in the southern city of Basra.
In an interview published Monday by The Times of London, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraqi forces had performed so well in Basra that the 4,100 British troops in southern Iraq were no longer needed to provide security, although some should stay to help in training.
"Definitely, the presence of this number of British soldiers is no longer necessary. We thank them for the role they have played, but I think that their stay is not necessary for maintaining security and control," al-Maliki said. In London, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense agreed that Britain's military role was shifting from fighting to training and that al-Maliki had "acknowledged this important mentoring and training role."

LEBANON: Maverick Christian leader cozies up to Iran
Los Angeles Times
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/10/iran-seeking-ch.html
Against all tides, he had the audacity to band together with Hezbollah in 2005. Now Lebanese Christian leader Michel Aoun is aiming higher by seeking ties directly with Iran, the staunchest state supporting the Shiite militant group.
The lawmaker, who returned to the country in 2005 after 15 years of exile in Paris, is on a high-profile official visit to Tehran. His trip, which started Sunday, was described by Iranians as “historic” and was an occasion for them to show that they support the Christians of the region.
The bold step has angered many Lebanese who still consider Iran as a major source of instability in their country.
In a joint news conference with Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Aoun, once a fierce opponent of Iran’s regional ally Syria, praised the Islamic Republic for its help to the Lebanese:
Iran is especially helping Lebanon today in confronting its problems and achieving national unity. ... Iran never helped one Lebanese party against the others.
On his trip to Tehran, Aoun also met with Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He was quoted by reporters saying that Iran and Lebanon are going through "similar difficulties that they have to overcome."
Back in Beirut, Aoun’s visit to Tehran provoked the ire of pro-U.S. politicians, who accuse Iran of arming Hezbollah to use Lebanon as a “proxy” nation in its conflict with the West and Israel.
Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, one of Aoun’s main foes, accused Aoun of attempting to thwart "the policy of non-alignment that Lebanon is trying to adopt" with respect to regional disputes.
Jumblatt, in an editorial in his party’s weekly publication which appeared on Monday, described Aoun as the "leader of defeats" and said his visit to Iran was meant to "rekindle divisions” regarding various Lebanese groups ties to certain Arab states. The country's Sunnis are closely allied with Saudi Arabia, which considers Iran a rival.
Fears that Iran's influence is growing in the Arab world is a recurrent concern in the region.
The pro-U.S. Lebanese online publication Now Lebanon lambasted Aoun for seeking Iran’s “friendship.” An opinion article posted on its website on Monday said:
It is no exaggeration to posit that Iran sees Lebanon, through the prism of Hezbollah, as nothing short of a satellite state. ... As a self-described representative of the Christian community in Lebanon, Aoun should be worried about sitting at the same table as those who would hang a man for his religious beliefs. He should choose his friends more carefully.— Raed Rafei in Beirut

Terrorist Cell Planned to Assassinate Qahwaji
Naharnet/A terrorist cell arrested in Tripoli over the weekend had reportedly planned to assassinate Army Chief Jean Qahwaji who was at that time commander of the 10th brigade. A statement by the Lebanese army on Sunday said troops have arrested members of a terrorist group allegedly involved in recent bombings in northern Lebanon. Sunday's statement said several people from a "terrorist cell" were arrested for their involvement in the Aug. 13 and Sept. 29 bombings in the port city of Tripoli. The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing security sources, said on Tuesday that the terror cell members admitted to planning an attack on the Internal Security Forces (ISF) headquarters in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district. They also admitted failure to detonate a 10-kilogram bomb that was planted on the road leading to Qleiat military air force base in the Akkar province in north Lebanon aimed at targeting Qahwaji's convoy, the sources said. They said the explosives, which were discovered by chance in June, had been defused. They said two more suspects were arrested in addition to the three others who were detained near the southern Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp for alleged connections with Fatah al-Islam terrorist group. Last year, the army fought a 15-week battle with the al-Qaida inspired Fatah al-Islam in the northern refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared that left 400 people dead, including 168 soldiers. Al-Hayat reported that security agencies had took photos of Abdul Ghani Jawhar, leader of the terrorist cell who is still at large, at the site of the attack in Tal square in Tripoli minutes before the Sept. 29 bus blast which killed four soldiers and three civilians. A similar attack on Aug. 13 killed 14 people, including nine soldiers and a child. Jawhar had bought 50 kilograms of explosives from Ain al-Hilweh and transported them to Baddawi camp, according to the newspaper. Two wanted Fatah al-Islam members identified as Ousama al-Shehabi and Mohammed Awad reportedly bought the explosives and used them for the second Tripoli bombing. Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 09:45

Assad Issues Decree to Establish Beirut Embassy
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree paving the way for the establishment of diplomatic ties with Lebanon and the opening of an embassy, the official SANA news agency said on Tuesday. The decree provides for "the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Lebanese republic and the creation of a diplomatic mission at ambassador level in the Lebanese capital Beirut," it said.
Syria and Lebanon announced on August 13 their intention to open diplomatic ties for the first time since independence some 60 years ago -- following up on a pledge made by Assad and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman in Paris in July. Assad said last month he expected full diplomatic relations with Beirut by the end of this year. On Monday, U.S. President George Bush warned Syria that it must respect Lebanon's sovereignty and urged Damascus to establish full diplomatic ties with Beirut. His comments came as Washington closely watched Syrian troop movements near the border with Lebanon, which have raised concerns among anti-Damascus figures in Lebanon. Syria, a longtime powerbroker in Lebanon, withdrew its troops from the country in 2005 after three decades of military and political domination. Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 11:10

Aoun Discusses Lebanon Problems With Iran
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Monday discussed with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the Lebanon situation and praised Tehran for helping Lebanon. Aoun said Iran and Lebanon are going through "similar difficulties that they have to overcome." Ahmadinejad expressed "appreciation for Aoun and his stands in the region." Earlier in the day, Aoun said Iran is helping Lebanon to achieve national unity and dismissed criticism at home about his visit to the Islamic republic. "Iran is especially helping Lebanon today in confronting its problems and achieving national unity," Aoun told a joint news conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. "Iran never helped one Lebanese party against the others," said the FPM leader. He said he was "surprised and astonished" at criticism from Lebanese Christian factions about the visit. Aoun, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday, is also to hold talks with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani. Beirut, 13 Oct 08, 20:44

Geagea in Cairo
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea traveled to Cairo on Monday night in a previously unannounced official visit that will last several days.
He is expected to meet Tuesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Arab League chief Amr Moussa and other officials.
MP Antoine Zahra, Ex-Minister Joe Sarkis and LF's Foreign Affairs Official Joseph Nehmeh accompanied Geagea. Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 06:18

Palestinian Sapper Defuses Bomb in Ain el-Hilweh
Naharnet/A sapper from the mainstream Palestinian group Fatah on Monday defused a bomb planted near a checkpoint manned by members of the Palestinian military police in the southern camp of Ain el-Hilweh. The bomb, sources said, was made up of two Rocket-Propelled Grenades and set for detonation.
Two bombs exploded separately in Ain el-Hilweh last week, wounding two people and inflicting damage. The camp, on the southern edge of the southern provincial capital of Sidon, is off limits to Lebanese security forces. Beirut, 13 Oct 08, 16:56

U.N. Undersecretary General: Beirut is ESCWA's Permanent HQ
Naharnet/The executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) has said the improving security situation helped the body recover its activities in Lebanon and denied rumors that it would move from the country.  The "positive" developments which Lebanon had witnessed since May "helped us a lot to recover our activities in the country," Badr Omar al-Dafa said during the opening of the periodical meeting of ESCWA's advisory committee on Monday. More than 100 "meetings, conferences, seminars and other activities ... had been all cancelled or referred to other countries due to the security situation in Lebanon," he said. "Beirut is the permanent headquarters of U.N.-ESCWA," al-Dafa said in response to reports about relocating the Commission. "However, the economic and social development work that we are carrying out in Lebanon and the region requires political and security stability."
Al-Dafa, who is also the U.N. undersecretary general, welcomed Sudan's recent joining of ESCWA. "This step promotes the Commission's position as a regional arm for the U.N. and a forum for the concerned expertise in the region," he said. "I also thank Lebanese and Arab media outlets for their permanent support of ESCWA," he added. The advisory committee discussed the results of the 25th Ministerial Session of U.N.-ESCWA that was held on May 26-29 in Sana'a and those of the Regional Coordination Mechanism meeting that was held on 13-14 September in Beirut. Monday's meeting discussed the major activities to be implemented before the end of 2008. The conferees also tackled the executive secretary's upcoming official visits to several member countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Sudan. Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 08:26

Baroud: Terrorist Threat Persists
Naharnet/Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said Monday detecting alleged clue to terrorist cells accused of involvement in the Tripoli blasts does not end the persisting threat of terror. Baroud made the remark to reporters after a meeting by the Central Security Council that tackled such terrorist threats. He said the ongoing coordination between security forces and the Lebanese Army has led to this achievement in Tripoli. Baroud said security agencies would maintain the state of alert to confront terror. The ongoing investigation into the alleged terrorist cell blamed for the Tripoli blasts has achieved "tangible results." He refused to disclose details of the investigation, leaving such a task to the judiciary. Beirut, 13 Oct 08, 19:28

CIA Chief in Beirut this Week?
Naharnet/CIA chief Michael Hayden will reportedly visit Beirut this week to discuss with top Lebanese officials ways to cooperate in the fight against terror.
As Safir daily quoted U.S. sources in Washington as saying that Hayden will visit the Lebanese capital on Thursday for talks that will mainly focus on security cooperation to fight terrorism on the regional and international levels.  The newspaper said a U.S. military delegation will also arrive in Beirut before the end of the week to discuss military coordination. Beirut, 14 Oct 08, 09:41

Aoun credits Iran with 'helping Lebanon achieve national unity'
Mp brushes off criticism of Tehran visit from March 14
By Agence France Presse (AFP) -Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader and MP Michel Aoun said Monday that Iran was helping Lebanon to achieve national unity and dismissed criticism from his rivals at home about his visit to the Islamic Republic. "Iran is especially helping Lebanon today in confronting its problems and achieving national unity," he told a joint news conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. "Iran never helped one Lebanese party against the others," added Aoun, whose FPM is allied with Hizbullah. He said he was "surprised and astonished" at criticism by other Lebanese politicians from rival factions about the visit.
Aoun, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday, held talks on Monday with Mottaki and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and is also expected to meet Speaker Ali Larijani. Shiite-majority Iran is a staunch supporter of Hizbullah, although it denies Western and Israeli charges of providing military backing to the resistance group. Conversely, Aoun's rivals are allied to parties that are avidly backed by Sunni powers like Saudi Arabia.
Aoun's visit to Tehran drew harsh criticism from the March 14 alliance, whose members questioned the reasons behind his visit to Iran.
Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Walid Jumblatt argued that the trip was aimed at provoking differences among Lebanese factions.
Jumblatt, in an editorial to be published by the PSP's weekly magazine Al-Anbaa, described Aoun as "leader of defeats" and said his visit to Iran was meant to "rekindle divisions that had been settled by the Taif Accord regarding Lebanon's Arab belonging."
Aoun's visit, according to Jumblatt, also aims to torpedo "the policy of non-alignment that Lebanon is trying to adopt" regarding regional disputes.
The visit, Jumblatt wrote, "coincides with President Michel Suleiman's visit to Saudi Arabia that backs the concept of non alignment as stated by the Taif Accord."
National Bloc leader Carlos Edde said Monday that a recent speech by Aoun to commemorate the Syrian Army's storming of the Presidential Palace in Baabda on October 13, 1990, ending Aoun's "War of Liberation," included many falsities.
Edde argued that when Aoun criticized Saudi Arabia - which, Edde asserted, supported Lebanon without differentiating among its people - he was implicitly thanking Iran and Syria for their financial and political support. "Aoun rejects the Saudi Arabian petro-dollar but welcomes the clean and pure Iranian petro-dollar," he quipped. Edde said that Aoun's justifications for his alliance with Hizbullah were based on "misleading information and lies."
He also noted that Aoun's visit to Tehran coincided with the October 13 commemoration, which, he said, showed that he was not committed to "the values of sovereignty and dignity that many people died for that day." Separately, MP Ibrahim Kanaan of Aoun's Change and Reform parliamentary bloc said that the bloc's background was only Lebanese "and everyone knows that we are consistent in our objectives and visions."After meeting with Beirut Maronite Archbishop Boulos Matar on Monday, he added that Aoun had visited many countries, including the United States, Europe and Australia. He also said that FPM officials always use the same language with all political figures, whatever country they visit. He added that he feared a the lack of communication among various Lebanese groups "would obstruct the building of a strong and capable state." - AFP, with The Daily Star

Analysts say authorities must keep up pressure on Islamist groups
By Andrew Wander -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BEIRUT: Lebanese security forces must keep up pressure on militant Islamists after the capture of members of an extremist "cell" suspected of conducting a series of recent bomb attacks in Tripoli, analysts said Monday. On Sunday authorities swooped down on the group, accusing it of having been behind three bomb blasts that left more than 20 people dead. Of the six men rounded up, three have since been released and are protesting their innocence. Another man, believed to be the cell's leader, is on the run.
Security officials have said the group wanted revenge for the battle between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Fatah al-Islam, a militant group based in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, in the summer of 2007. The fighting left more than 400 people dead and destroyed the camp.
Professor Elias Hanna, a retired LAF general now teaching at Notre Dame University said: "If you go back to Nahr al-Bared, at that time the army achieved a great deal. They completely destroyed the terrorist's safe haven."
But crucial follow-up work wasn't done, he added, leaving the militants time to regroup and plan further attacks. "The army should have followed up the operation, but for whatever reason this didn't happen to the extent it should have," Hanna said.
Despite this, he said important lessons were learned from engaging Fatah al-Islam. "Terrorism of this type used to be a mystery to Lebanon," he said. "It was new and unpredictable. Now it's not a mystery, it is a puzzle - there is a solution to it."
When they were arrested, members of the cell apparently had in their possession equipment for further attacks, including an explosive belt. Security sources said the potential targets could have been the Internal Security Forces headquarters in Beirut and another military bus. Hanna says the level of sophistication of the group had not been seen in Lebanon until the Nahr al-Bared fighting.
"We have never seen such types of terrorists, so we have to study their techniques to prevent their attacks," he said. He emphasized that human intelligence - information gathered by infiltration - was the key to solving the "puzzle" of Islamic militancy in time to prevent attacks.
"It's very important to have broken this cell - it will send others underground and disrupt their activities," he said. "You could have a lot of cells [that] can operate independently, like a lone wolf. So there needs to be a process of prevention, a proactive approach that does not give them time to launch an attack."
The Tripoli bombings had sparked fears that northern Lebanon was becoming a haven for Sunni extremists. Syria publicly called for the security situation in Lebanon to be improved, and massed thousands of troops on the border between the two countries.
Professor Fadia Kiwan, head of political science at Universite Saint Joseph, said the capture of the cell was the result of a new commitment by the government to tackle extremist groups in North Lebanon. "This event shows that there is a real political will. We didn't change our army and security forces. The only conclusion I can draw is that in the past they were lacking instructions [from politicians]." She said the election of a new president with a military background and Syria's troop build-up had galvanized support among Lebanese politicians for eradicating militant groups.

Terror cell 'sought revenge' for Nahr al-Bared defeat
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BEIRUT: A "terrorist" cell said to have been behind three bomb attacks in Lebanon was seeking revenge for the army's victory over an extremist Islamist group last year, a security official said on Monday. "The cell is linked to Fatah al-Islam and some of its members came from that group," the official told AFP, referring to an Al-Qaeda-inspired militia which fought a 15-week battle last year against the army in a Palestinian refugee camp.
"So far the army has been the sole target of attacks mounted by this cell and the operations they were planning target the army and Internal Security Forces," the official said on condition of anonymity. Six suspects were rounded up on Sunday but three have since been released. The official said the cell was to blame for an attack on a military bus in the Northern city of Tripoli on September 29, when four soldiers and three civilians were killed. It was also blamed for an attack in the port city in mid-August which killed 14 people, including nine soldiers and a child, and the murder of a soldier in a bomb blast on an army intelligence post in Abdeh in May. "Documents seized in two places searched by a joint force - in Tripoli and Akkar - show that the army and Internal Security Forces were also their next targets," he said. Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud said the breakthrough "does not mean the threats have been eliminated. The security agencies remain on alert."
Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Central Security Council to discuss the arrests as well as security threats, Baroud said that ongoing coordination between security forces and the Lebanese Army had led to this achievement in Tripoli.
He added that security agencies would maintain the state of alert to confront terror. The continuing investigation into the alleged terrorist cell blamed for the Tripoli blasts has achieved "tangible results," according to Baroud, who refused to disclose details of the investigation, leaving that responsibility to the judiciary
Ministry officials showed reporters an explosive belt, rifles, ammunition, bombs and guns that were found at the home of the sister of Abdel-Ghani Ali Jawhar, a fugitive in the case. As-Safir newspaper reported that the cell had been planning an attack on a Lebanese Army bus and on the Internal Security Forces headquarters in Beirut. The army ousted Fatah al-Islam fighters from the Nahr al-Bared camp near Tripoli in September last year after 15 weeks of fighting that left 400 people dead, including 168 soldiers.
However, Fatah al-Islam chief Shaker al-Abssi managed to flee and has vowed revenge attacks against the army.
Mahmoud Azzam, 80, who was briefly detained over the weekend along with three of his sons, denied the family had any links to Fatah al-Islam.
"I have been a businessman for many years ... and my sons worked with me. They didn't belong to any faction in the camp," Azzam, who owned candy stores in Nahr al-Bared, told AFP after his release. He said his son Jihad was killed during the fighting in the camp but insists he was not involved with any militia and died in a shelling as he went out to buy bread. Azzam said one of his sons, Mohammad, still remains in custody but that he had no political inclinations and was involved in teaching a children's folk-dance group. - AFP, with The Daily Star

Sleiman urges Saudi entrepreneurs to boost investments in Lebanon
President describes criticism of kingdom as 'moving away from arabism'
By Agence France Presse (AFP)/Compiled by Daily Star staff
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on Monday urged Saudi entrepreneurs to invest in his country during his first visit to oil-rich Saudi Arabia since his election in May. Addressing business leaders at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sleiman urged them to "boost their investments" in Lebanon, which offers "guarantees and facilities" for investors, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Lebanon has formed a committee to assess the losses incurred by Saudi investors during the political crisis his country went through in the past few years, Sleiman said, thanking Saudi Arabia for what he described as its constant support for Lebanon.
Sleiman, a former commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, was elected president in May after Lebanon's rival political factions struck an Arab-brokered deal in the Qatari capital, Doha, to end an 18-month political crisis that had brought the country to the brink of civil war.
The president of the Saudi-Lebanese Business Council, Abdel-Mohsen al-Hakir, was quoted by SPA as saying that "many Saudi investments will start flowing back to the Lebanese market."
Saudi investments in Lebanon are estimated at nearly 5 billion riyals ($1.3 billion) and are expected to increase, Hakir said.
Sleiman told the businessmen that the end of terrorism in the Arab and Islamic worlds was not far away.
The president also described media attacks against Saudi Arabia as a blow to Arabism.
"Any Lebanese individual who attacks any of his Arab brothers in the media, particularly Saudi Arabia, is moving away from his Arabism," he said.
Before heading to Tehran on Sunday, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said on Saturday that some Lebanese Christians were being swayed by Saudi petrodollars. Saudi Arabia is a main financial backer of Lebanon, and Saudi King Abdullah reportedly told Sleiman that it was not true that the kingdom supports only one camp in this country. "I hear that we are accused of being with some people and against others ... We are with all sides, and we do not pursue any private interests" in Lebanon, Abdullah told Sleiman, according to a Lebanese official.
The official, who requested anonymity, said the Saudi monarch made his remarks when he met Sleiman Sunday after the Lebanese leader arrived in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. "Lebanon must be respected; all countries must respect Lebanon," Abdullah said, stressing that Saudi Arabia was prepared to "help Lebanon in whatever it demands," according to the official. Some members of Lebanon's opposition, which is backed by Damascus and Tehran, accuse Riyadh of funding Sunni fundamentalist groups in Lebanon. For its part, the parliamentary majority is close to Saudi Arabia and accuses Syria of seeking to restore its grip on Lebanon, from which it was forced to withdraw its troops in 2005.
Relations between Riyadh and Damascus have been tense since the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally, in a bombing widely blamed on Syria. Syria has denied any role in the assassination. Addressing the Saudi king, Sleiman praised Riyadh for the role it played in sponsoring the Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon's 1975-1990 Civil War. "We need not to go far back in history to see that Saudi Arabia had always stood by Lebanon ... We can start with the Saudi-sponsored Taif Accord, which established peace among the Lebanese," Sleiman said, adding that Saudi aid to Lebanon had exceeded all expectations. "I would like to speak about the Saudi military aid to the Lebanese Army during the Nahr al-Bared battles last year," he said, referring to the conflict between with the Fatah al-Islam militant group in the Northern Palestinian refugee camp.
"We will not forget your famous saying: 'Letting down Lebanon equals letting down oneself,'" Sleiman told Abdullah. The president also said the upcoming stage in Lebanon was one of reconciliation and dialogue, adding that the country needed help to solve the issue of Palestinian refugees. "We must work on emphasizing the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland," he said. The bilateral talks on Sunday ended with the Saudi monarch awarding Sleiman a medal reserved for world leaders. On the second day of his visit, Sleiman met Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal.
The president held talks with Faisal in the presence of Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi, Lebanese Ambassador Marwan Zein, and Saudi Ambassador Abdel-Aziz Khoja. The Saudi foreign minister told reporters ahead of the meeting that differences over Lebanon were behind some of the kingdom's problems with foreign parties. "If Lebanon is in peace, the kingdom will be at peace with everybody," he said.
During his talks with Faisal, Sleiman proposed establishing a watchdog entity with the aim of countering terrorism in many Arab and Islamic countries. Sleiman returned to Beirut in the evening amid preparations for a meeting between Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh.
The meeting, which would be attended by Aoun and held under Sleiman's auspices, is aimed at reconciling the country's rival Christian leaders.
In a related development, Hizbullah MP Mohammad Raad said late Sunday that a meeting between Future Movement leader Saad Hariri and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was likely to take place soon. Asked to comment on Aoun's recent criticism of Saudi Arabia, Raad said Hizbullah was against attacking the kingdom or any other Arab state. "Aoun is our ally, but this does not commit us to all that he says," the MP said. Raad added that a meeting between a Hizbullah delegation and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt was also in the offing. - AFP, with The Daily Star

Panel endorses new law on Constitutional Council
By Nafez Qawas/Daily Star correspondent
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BEIRUT: Parliament's Administration and Justice Committee on Monday canceled interviews with 74 candidates for the Constitutional Council and decided to endorse a draft law concerning the council recently submitted by Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar. The panel also recommended that the 2006 law the establishing the council be repealed. The committee's head, MP Robert Ghanem, told reporters after the meeting, which was attended by Najjar, that all those who had submitted their candidacies would be allowed to reply. Parliament on Wednesday postponed talks on a draft law that calls for an extension of the deadline to appoint members to the Constitutional Council, whose activities have been paralyzed since 2005.
Speaker Nabih Berri asked the committee to examine the draft with the justice minister next week. The proposal may be presented and discussed at another legislative session later in October. Najjar had submitted a draft law aimed at introducing reforms to the makeup and by-laws of the council.
In an interview with Voice of Lebanon radio last week, Ghanem said that as soon as Parliament approves the draft law, candidates would be expected to submit their documents within 15 days. "Then Parliament would call for a session to elect five of the members of the council and the government would appoint the other five," he added. Ghanem said he expected the formation of the council within two months.The Taif Accord, which ended the 1975-1990 Civil War, mandated the establishment of a Constitutional Council "to supervise the constitutionality of laws and to arbitrate conflicts that arise from parliamentary and presidential elections.
Law 250 pertaining to the establishment of the Constitutional Council was originally issued on July 14, 1993.
The Lebanese Constitution, amended in keeping with the agreement reached in the Saudi city of Taif, now reads in part: "The Constitutional Council judges the validity of the mandate of an elected deputy as well as processing all contestations and complaints resulting from parliamentary elections. The council has the right to declare the invalidity of the electoral process and order the holding of new elections for a single seat or for the whole district. The council is also entitled to invalidate the mandate of a deputy and announce the candidate with the most votes as the winner. The Constitutional Council's decisions are irreversible and not subject to revision. The Constitutional Council is made up of 10 members; five of them are elected in Parliament by absolute majority during the first round and by proportional majority in the second round. In case of tie, the older candidate is elected.
The remaining five members are appointed by the Cabinet, provided that a two-thirds ministerial quorum attends the Cabinet session where the appointments will take place. The makeup of the council is also designed to preserves the confessional distribution arrived at under Taif, with two Maronite members, two Sunnis, two Shiites, two Orthodox, one Druze, and one Catholic. "Reviving the Constitutional Council is a pressing matter," Berri said in comments published in As-Safir newspaper last week. - The Daily Star

Andre Tabourian: son of Karekin, son of Lebanon
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Much will be written about Andre Tabourian,* and more will remain in the good memory of people who knew him or benefited from his work or philanthropy. My testimony highlights a story that must be told. Along with his brother Gerard Tabourian, Tabourian honored his father by establishing the Karekin Tabourian Dentofacial Clinic at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Medical Center. Many of my AUB colleagues and I met Andre Tabourian in these happy circumstances, and in him the knowledgeable, good-hearted, witty, charming and truthful man. At the time of the clinic dedication, the grateful children summed up their late father's interests in life and his legacy in two matters: his family and his profession as dentist and AUB professor. Recalling the ultimate sacrifice of Karekin's parents and Armenian people who were killed not because of what they did, but because of who they were, the sons stated: "He taught us the opposite." Empowered with this strength of character, Andre Tabourian built a successful and generous legacy like his father. He was a proud, grateful, and honorable son of Karekin. In this story that builds on suffering to reach the summit of success, lies a fertile ground of opportunity - Lebanon. Is it odd to think of the cedars land as one of opportunity? Not to this Tabourian family. Grateful to what this country offered, the Tabourians gave back, by creating work opportunities; through charity; and in public service, be it on Beirut's municipal council (Karekin), the Lebanese Parliament ( Andre) or government (Alain). Andre Tabourian was a good citizen. He was a proud, grateful and honorable son of Lebanon.
When planning the opening of the Tabourian Clinic, Andre expressed his and his brother's desire: no propaganda. "Our giving is for a cause, not self-satisfaction and praise." Though praise we may abundantly, in your honor we simply say: thank you for the lessons your life has been.
Joseph George Ghafari is head of the dentistry department at AUBMC
*Co-donor of Karekin Tabourian Dentofacial Clinic at AUBMC, Andre Tabourian passed away on October 7. Mr. Tabourian is survived by his wife Nina, his sons Alain (minister of energy) and Mark, brother Gerard, and their families.

Bassil says some Lebanese have helped terrorists
Tuesday, October 14, 2008/Daily Star
BEIRUT: Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil on Monday accused Lebanese citizens and security officials of financing terror. Bassil, a member of General Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, told supporters in Batroun "there are Lebanese citizens who financed, through foreigners, terror in the North ... Officials with some Lebanese security agencies collaborated with [terrorists] and provided political and security cover for them under the pretext of confronting factional groups and establishing factional balance."

ESCWA back in business as Lebanon security improves
Daily Star staff/Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BEIRUT: The executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) said on Monday that the "positive" developments which Lebanon had witnessed since May "helped us a lot to recover our activities in the country." More than 100 "meetings, conferences, seminars and other activities that ... had been all cancelled or referred to other countries due to the security situation in Lebanon," Badr Omar al-Dafa said during the opening of the periodical meeting of ESCWA's advisory committee. Among those in attendance were Egyptian Ambassador Ahmad Bidiawi and Sudanese Ambassador Jamal Mohammad Ibrahim, as well as other heads of mission, charges d'affaires, and high-ranking officials from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Palestine. Dafa, who is also the UN's undersecretary general, denied rumors that the commission would move from Lebanon. "Beirut is ESCWA's permanent headquarters," he said. "But the development, social and economic work that we are carrying out in Lebanon and the region requires political and security stability in order for it to become sustainable." Dafa also welcomed Sudan's recent joining of ESCWA.
"This step promotes ESCWA's position as a regional arm for the UN and a forum for the relevant expertise in the region," he said.
"I also thank Lebanese and Arab media outlets for their permanent support of ESCWA," he added. Meanwhile, the Sudanese ambassador expressed gratitude for the UN agency's support. "Sudan has been getting support from ESCWA for the past three years and now, with its affiliation to the commission, it has become in its normal position," Ibrahim said. Following the opening ceremony, participants discussed a number of agenda items, including the activities to be implemented before the end of 2008, and the executive secretary's upcoming official visits to several member countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria and Sudan.
Before the end of the meeting, Yemeni Ambassador Faysal Amin Abu Rass suggested that ESCWA "evaluate the wealth of every member country, in order to facilitate their interaction in all fields of development."The advisory committee was established in May 1989 as part of efforts to strengthen the role and performance of ESCWA. The panel is made up of heads of diplomatic missions in the host country (Lebanon) and a high-ranking representative of that country.
The committee is a major means of communication between member states and ESCWA's executive secretariat. - The Daily Star

New UN special coordinator arrives in Beirut
Daily Star/BEIRUT: The new United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams, begins meetings with Lebanese officials this week as part of his new mission, the UN's media center in Beirut reported on Monday.Williams, a Briton, arrived in Beirut on Sunday. He replaced Belgian Johan Verbeke, who was appointed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's special representative in the Georgian capital after reportedly being threatened by "extreme Islamist fundamentalists."Williams previously served as UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process and played a key role in the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 that brought the 34-day Israel-Lebanon war to a close in 2006. - The Daily Star

Sleiman could spur a coordinated Arab response to the financial crisis
By The Daily Star /Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Michel Sleiman's visit to Saudi Arabia gave the Lebanese president an opportunity to create inroads for Lebanon to participate in joint initiatives in partnership with the kingdom. There is no better way for Sleiman to use this freshly cemented alliance than to urge Saudi officials to host an Arab summit on economic affairs.
Over the past few weeks, countless experts have warned of the potential economic disasters that could unfold around the globe if the current financial crisis leads to a slowdown in the real economy. Since no country in the region - including those rich in oil resources - would be immune to such a turn of events, it would be wise for Arab leaders to prepare for the worst: global recession.
As the Arab world's economic powerhouse, Saudi Arabia has an even greater stake in taking measures to avert a regional economic disaster. The kingdom is expected to have a GDP of around $500 billion by the end of this year - or 25 percent of the combined GDPs of the Middle East and North Africa - making it the largest economy in the Arab world. But the kingdom's fortunes could quickly change if global recession drives oil prices down to historically low levels.
A global recession would be compounded in this part of the world by the Arab region's own long-standing economic troubles. For instance, many of the countries of the Middle East are experiencing rapid population growth, creating an urgent need for millions of new jobs. But the employment prospects of young educated Arabs would become doubly limited in a world dragged down by economic meltdown.
These potential problems warrant a systemic response, not just from individual Arab governments, but through coordinated policies. The Arab League would be wise to put strategies in place now so that they can act before - not after - disasters strikes.
Sleiman is especially well suited to encourage such a cooperative approach among the members of the Arab League. He has already demonstrated that he is adept at balancing his relations with rival politicians and foreign heads of state in an arena that often seems less like a political process and more like a minefield. Perhaps he can impress upon his allies both at home and abroad the urgent need for cooperation on economic matters.

France's War with Jihadis
By WALID PHARES
Middle East Times
http://www.metimes.com/Opinion/2008/10/14/frances_war_with_jihadis/1214/
Published: October 14, 2008
France's war with the jihadis is more intense than most Americans or even most Europeans would imagine.
With French troops engaging the Taliban in Afghanistan often coming under attack, jihadist cells have started targeting France as well as French presence in the Sahel, the north African Sahara.
In a recent interview with Parisian daily Le Figaro, French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie, provided significant revelations.
During a recent lecture tour of Europe I had the opportunity to meet with French defense and counterterrorism officials as well as with legislators, particularly members of the French National Assembly serving on the Afghanistan's committee.
According to Alliot Marie members of a terrorist group in Central Asia have recently been arrested in Mulhouse, in the east of France, where they were apparently undergoing military training.
This shows that active jihadist cells are indeed deploying inside France as they are inside many other Western European countries. The minister said: "I can tell you that 89 Islamic activists were arrested in France in 2007."
Asked about the recruitment factories Alliot Marie said, "French prisons are a place of privileged recruitment for Islamist radicals. It's one of my concerns. I come moreover to propose to my European counterparts to develop a handbook on Islamism in prison to inform security professionals on how to detect and prevent this type of recruitment."
France's prison system is not that different – in terms of incubator – from the United Kingdom or the United States.
The minister also indicated that "Certain problem areas in our suburbs also remain choice target for Salafist activities. The youth are then sent to theological education in the Muslim world and attend Koranic schools, like the madrassas of Pakistan, Egypt and Yemen."
Again, we can see clearly the nature of the international system established by the jihadist Salafists which applies in France, other European countries and in America as well. This undermines the theories that the bulk of jihadist indoctrination system is not unified nor is it universal.
For France, having the largest demography of jihadist Salafists is revealing that the recruitment-indoctrination process is somewhat comparable. Obviously, the language, local realities are always different.
On another level, Alliot Marie listed names for five countries described "at risk."
"Like Pakistan or Yemen, we do communicate, in agreement with the airlines, the names and dates of departure and arrivals of passengers reported as dangerous. We want to extend this watch to other countries and to flights with a stopover, which would prevent for example going through Switzerland when coming from Pakistan in order to cover up tracks. Finally, we would like to know if passengers travel alone or accompanied. It's important to prevent hijacking of planes."
Such a statement is surprising as many critics in the United States blast Washington for establishing lists of passengers from countries at risk while claiming that Europeans do not. Now we hear the French minister of interior clarifying that these lists exist and that they are part of the French national security apparatus. This demonstrates that the prevention policy in a country very sensitive to civil liberties such as France, can work as a component of counter terrorism measures.
Two other areas of confrontation with al-Qaida are the Sahel in Africa and on the Internet.
The French minister said: "AQMIM threatens today French interests throughout the Maghreb and its influence extends to the Sahel."
She continued: "[A] more important danger is that the terrorists have changed tactics. Several leaders of the Gulf countries have confided in me that attacks organized well in advance are yielding to opportunistic attacks, unplanned and committed by individuals indoctrinated through the internet. These wannabe jihadists are sometimes often don't even belong to. This new threat is therefore much more difficult to identify and follow up on."
Here again, another ingredient calling for attention internationally: what I have coined "Mutant Jihad" in my 2005 book "Future Jihad", which has been described as "homegrown terrorism," once again presents the feature of indoctrination as a root cause.
This finding by the French government should give the counter terrorism community across the Atlantic more indicators that the jihadist ideology remains in the center of the movement globally, even if regional interests are signaled here and there.
But I must admit that the most indicative statement made by Alliot Marie is her call to create a "handbook on Islamism" to be used inside the prison system to allow authorities to detect the growth of jihadist or Salafist ideology.
If anything, this bold move shows the precariousness of the recently developed assertions - both in Brussels and in Washington - that words that detect the ideology shouldn't be used. Here we have the minister of interior of the French Republic - a country that has more experience with Salafism than any other Western nation - urging just the opposite: that is the production of a manual that would precisely find and use all words possible that would help in finding the radicals.
This comes as greater evidence that the architects of the so-called Lexicon disseminated across the U.S. bureaucracy is not only counterproductive, but is actually dangerous for the efforts in counter terrorism to detect the enemy ideology.
While one of Europe's largest democracies is heading toward winning that battle of words by actually using them and understanding them, the most powerful democracy in the war on terror has abandoned one of the most efficient tools to "see" the enemy, and to educate its own public about it.
Note that the French minister uses these terms in a very precise way. She used "Islamists" when needed and Salafists when she wanted to be more specific about the doctrine.
In France, as I noted through my discussions this summer and as we can read widely in the media and academia, the terms jihadists, Islamists and Salafists are used with confidence and on solid academic grounds.
Furthermore, French-Muslim intellectuals and officials use these terms very naturally as these words are well understood in the Muslim community of France, the largest in Europe, unlike what some apologists claim in the United States: that these words, allegedly, touches the sensitivities of the community. However, the French use of these words is very focused and avoids the hyphenations and generalizations, which can indeed have a negative impact on the cultural dialogue.
In conclusion, the French battle with Salafist jihadism is widening, though not well publicized overseas. In the next months and years, it is expected that escalation would covers the areas mentioned by the French minister: Afghanistan, Sahel and North Africa as well as France itself.
***Walid Phares is the director of the Future Terrorism Project at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C. and a visiting scholar at the European Foundation for Democracy. He is the author of, "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy."