LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِJune
28/2010
Bible Of
the Day
Ecclesiastes 3/1-14: "For
everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 3:2 a
time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that
which is planted; 3:3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down,
and a time to build up; 3:4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to
mourn, and a time to dance; 3:5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 3:6 a
time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 3:7 a
time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
3:8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
3:9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors? 3:10 I have seen
the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 3:11 He
has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their
hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the
beginning even to the end. 3:12 I know that there is nothing better for them
than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. 3:13 Also that every man
should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 3:14
I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it,
nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before
him. 3:15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long
ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.
Free Opinions, Releases,
letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite
Church celebrates one of its own entering into priesthood in FLINT TOWNSHIP,
Michigan/The Flint Journal/June
27/10
Who’s threatening Lebanon’s
Christians?/By: Ana Maria Luca/27 June/10
Criminal Intent and Militant Funding/Written
by Scott Stewart/Right Side News/ June
27/10
Latest News
Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June 27/10
Two Canadian soldiers killed in
Afghanistan/The
Canadian Press
G20 protesters infiltrate Toronto
sewers/The Canadian Press
Hamas police seize thousands from Gaza
bank branch/AP
Lebanon Witnesses Religious Day
with Estephan Nehmeh's Beatification/Naharnet
Vatican beatifies Lebanon monk/AFP
U.S. Congresswoman Warns About
Hizbullah-Drug Cartel Link on Border with Mexico/Naharnet
Abu Jamra: Nadim Lteif Resigned
because of Aoun's Single-handed Policies/Naharnet
Baroud: If Zahle Blast Was
Serious I Wouldn't Have Left Lebanon/Naharnet
Major Drug Dealer Arrested in
Beirut Southern Suburbs/Naharnet
Helicopters Trying to Prevent
Huge Fire in Akkar from Reaching Homes/Naharnet
Police Violence in Saadnayel,
Baroud Orders Arrest of Culprits/Naharnet
Congresswoman: Hezbollah joining Mexican drug
cartels/Ynetnews
Iranians to join ship
to Gaza/Jerusalem
Post
Chavez hails anti-capitalism role as Assad visits/AFP
Iraqi refugees 'should go home voluntarily'/BBC
News
Chavez meets with Syria's Assad in Venezuela/The
Associated Press
An overshadowed nuclear threat/Ha'aretz
Chavez meets with Syria's Assad in Venezuela/The
Associated Press
Iran MPs to Join Lebanon Aid Ship
Bound for Gaza/Naharnet
Two Canadian soldiers die in Afghanistan
Sat Jun 26,
By Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Canada's death toll in Afghanistan has hit another
tragic milestone with the death of two soldiers Saturday west of Kandahar city.
MCpl. Kristal Giesebrecht, 34 and Pte. Andrew Miller, 21 were attached to a unit
that was on its way to deal with a mine that had been found in the doorway of a
home when the vehicle they were in detonated an improvised explosive device.
Giesebrecht and Miller were both medical technicians attached to the 1st
Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group.
The incident occurred at 11 a.m. local time about 20 kilometres southwest of
Kandahar City.
"Although we cannot say for certain that these medical personnel were targeted
deliberately, it is for certain that the threat to Afghans stemming from the
influence of out of area fighters at this time of year is very serious," said
Brig.-Gen Jonathan Vance, the commander of Task Force Kandahar. The latest death
brings to 150 the number of Canadian Forces members to die as part of the
Afghanistan mission since it began in 2002. "Medical Technicians are
indispensible to the work being done by Canadian and Afghan soldiers. They
participate in every Canadian Forces patrol and operation," said Vance.
"It is because of their dedicated and skilful work, often under fire, that many
Canadian, Coalition, and Afghan soldiers and civilians are alive today." A third
soldier was injured in the blast and airlifted to the Role 3 Hospital at
Kandahar Airfield where he is listed in stable condition. Giesebrecht becomes
the third Canadian woman to be killed in a combat situation.
Trooper Karine Blais of Les Mechins, Quebec was hit by a roadside bomb blast in
a district north of Kandahar last April. The 21-year-old was serving with the
2nd Battalion of the Royal 22nd Regiment based at Valcartier, near Quebec City.
The first was Capt. Nicola Goddard of the 1st Regiment of the Royal Canadian
Horse Artillery, who died May 17, 2006, in a grenade attack in the Panjwaii
district west of Kandahar city.
Vance said Giesebrecht was born in Wallaceburg, Ontario and was a member of 1
Canadian Field Hospital, based at CFB Petawawa. He said she was married and a
fit, dedicated and fun-loving medical technician serving on her second tour in
Afghanistan. "She was a mentor and an inspiration for her fellow medical
technicians. Kristal loved life to the fullest. She was a wonderful friend,
always opening her heart to everyone in need," Vance said. "Kristal prided
herself on her health and fitness, although she always felt the solution to any
problem could be found in a box of chocolates." Pte Andrew Miller was born in
Sudbury, Ontario. A member of 2 Field Ambulance, based at CFB Petawawa, he was
serving on his first overseas deployment.
Vance said Miller will be remembered as someone who would give his fellow
soldiers the shirt off his back and was always the first to volunteer. "Andrew
was very confident in both his soldier and clinical skills. He wanted nothing
more than to be part of the Health Services Unit for ROTO 9, in Afghanistan, so
that he could put his skills to the test," he said. "Called Caillou by his
friends - everyone acknowledged the resemblance as soon as they met him."They're
the second and third Canadian deaths in Afghanistan in a week. Sgt. James
MacNeil, 28, was killed by an IED on June 20th while on a foot patrol near the
village of Nakhonay. "It may seem to you that we are simply victims here - I
assure you we are not. We take casualties, and we hurt, and such is the nature
of war, but your soldiers, soldiers like Kristal Geisebrecht and Andrew Miller
stand as guardians between a terrible threat and the innocents who cannot
protect themselves," Vance said. "I am proud and grateful that our young men and
women have the kind of soldierly courage to turn a bad day for themselves into a
better future for those who need their help." IEDs have been the single biggest
cause of death among Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
Ten out of the 12 Canadian deaths this year were the result of an IED blast. In
all, 91 of the 150 Canadian fatalities in the eight-year-old Afghan mission came
about from IEDs _ which include roadside bombs and some other type of
explosives, according to the Department of Defence. Two civilians _ diplomat
Glyn Berry and journalist Michelle Lang _ have also been killed in Canada's
mission to Afghanistan.
Four arrested after tunneling near G20 summit
By The Canadian Press
TORONTO - Police have arrested four people after witnesses saw them emerge from
a manhole near the G20 summit security zone early this morning. A spokeswoman
for the Integrated Security Unit said the safety of international leaders at the
summit was never at risk. But workers are welding shut more manhole covers that
lead to "underground infrastructure" as a precaution. Details of the charges
against the four are not yet available. City crews and police are checking the
underground system of sewers and access tunnels but police maintain there is no
danger. Infiltrating the sewer system is a popular tactic by anarchists, and
crews welded shut manhole covers in the summit district in the weeks leading up
to the G20.
It is not known how the four got into a manhole that should have been sealed.
They were seen emerging from the hole in the downtown Richmond and Bay street
area and arrested around 2:30 a.m. "I don't know what they were doing down
there," said Jillian Van Acker, a spokeswoman for the ISU. "I guess they would
be able to tell you that."
While Van Acker said she had no specific information whether any weapons or
incendiary devices where found, she said that "at no time was there a risk to
the safety of summit participants."Police are continuing to arrest demonstrators
who rioted in the city for several hours Saturday. Toronto's police chief called
it the most violent outburst in Toronto's history.
Hamas police seize thousands from Gaza bank
Sun Jun 27, /By The Associated Press
GAZA, Palestinian Territories - Palestinian bank officials say Hamas police have
seized thousands of dollars from a Gaza branch. Sunday's raid is the latest
example of tensions between Gaza's Hamas rulers and the Western-backed
Palestinian Authority that runs the West Bank. Islamic Hamas militants violently
seized control of Gaza three years ago. A Palestinian Authority-supervised body
ordered the Islamic Palestinian Bank to freeze the assets of a charity accused
of money laundering. Mahmoud al-Ramah of the bank estimated the police took
$16,000 after Hamas-run court in Gaza declared the move illegal. A Hamas
statement said police seized the money to implement the court ruling to return
the cash to the charity.
The Islamic Palestinian Bank has six Gaza branches.
Lebanon Witnesses Religious Day with Estephan Nehmeh's Beatification
Naharnet/Lebanon is witnessing a national religious ceremony on Sunday to
beatify Maronite Monk Estephan Nehmeh amid a massive political, religious and
popular participation.
President Michel Suleiman and Premier Saad Hariri led a host of politicians,
officials and clergy during the celebrations at the monastery of Mar Qobrianos
and Justina in Kfifan in Batroun province. The naturally-preserved body of
Nehmeh rests inside a glass coffin at the monastery. Maronite Patriarch
Nasrallah Sfeir celebrated the mass for the event. Pope Benedict XVI's
representative, Archbishop Angelo Amato, also took part in the ceremony. Amato
read the papal decree bestowing the title of "blessed" on Nehmeh, who devoted
his life to "meditative prayer and unlimited service to the poorest." Church
bells rang throughout Lebanon in celebration of the beatification at 9:00am
ahead of the mass. Head of the monastery, Father Michel Elian, who oversaw all
preparations for the ceremony, expected more than 50,000 believers to attend the
beatification. "We have received a lot of phone calls from Lebanese expatriates
in Australia, the United States, Canada, Venezuela and Mexico saying they will
be part of this holy day," Elian told An Nahar daily. Nehmeh, who was born in
1889, has made several miracles. He died in 1938. In December 2007, Benedict
gave the green light for his beatification. Beirut, 27 Jun 10, 07:43
Pope’s
representative declares beatification of Nehmeh
June 27, 2010 /Pope Benedict XVI’s representative, Archbishop Angelo Amato,
declared the beatification of Venerable Estephan Nehmeh in Kfifan in northern
Lebanon on Sunday during a ceremony attended by President Michel Sleiman, Prime
Minister Saad Hariri, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, cabinet
members, MPs and a large crowd, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. This
comes after the Pope and the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints
decided to beatify Nehmeh earlier in March. Reading the Pope’s message during
the ceremony, Amato said Nehmeh’s beatification will be celebrated every year on
August 30, “the day he was born in the sky.”Later, the curtain of Nehmeh’s
picture hanging on the Kfifan monastery’s wall was removed amid the audience’s
applause. -NOW Lebanon
Who’s threatening Lebanon’s Christians?
Ana Maria Luca, June 27, 2010
A mountain of rubble lies in the middle of the small street in the industrial
area of Zahle, reeking heavily of burnt tires. What was a week ago a shop
selling spare car parts is now around 50 square meters of burned land. The
explosion happened Saturday, June 19, on the eve of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah
Boutros Sfeir’s visit to Zahle, where he was to hold a mass at the Saint Maroun
Cathedral in the wake of his visit to Paris. There has been speculation that the
explosion happened when men in the shop were working on a bomb meant to target
the head of the Lebanese Maronite Church, but that it detonated by accident the
night before his visit.
An incident in the villages neighboring Saida the day before was apparently also
aimed at sending a message to Lebanon’s Christians. A few hundred fliers were
distributed in the village of Aadra on the night of Friday, June 18, ordering
Christians to evacuate their homes in east Saida and the city’s suburbs within a
week for “the wellbeing of their families, sons and daughters.” The leaflets
mentioned the “Prophet Mohammad and his messenger,” which some say hints that it
was Hezbollah’s work. But investigators and local politicians doubt that the
party’s supporters were behind the incident.
Both incidents came shortly after Patriarch Sfeir made statements directed at
the Resistance and Syria. Hezbollah is armed and has “its own strategy and
interests,” Sfeir said after meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on
Thursday, June 17, adding that “Most Lebanese are not in favor of two armies
within the same state.”
The patriarch also said that Lebanon wants good relations with all its
neighbors, especially its closest, Syria. “However, relations have not always
been the way they ought to be,” he pointed out. The incidents are especially
telling as the majority of the Christians in Zahle and the villages east of
Saida support the Lebanese Forces, an anti-Syrian party that has been very vocal
for the disarmament of Hezbollah. The LF also opposed a recent bill to grant
Palestinian refugees civil rights in Lebanon.
LF politicians see the two incidents as warnings to stop promoting their
political stance in Europe and the United States. But they say they refuse to
make any accusations in order not to stir more sectarian strife.
“That was a strong message in Zahle, and we would like to see who exactly is
behind this,” Lebanese Forces International Affairs Advisor Elie Khoury told NOW
Lebanon. “Although we have no tangible proof, we can assume which forces might
have been behind this. But we want to see the Lebanese authorities go all the
way with the investigation and then state clearly who was behind it. It’s their
credibility at stake,” he said. The Saida leaflets, Khoury said, didn’t prompt
too much fear in local Christians, as they were used to getting the same type of
message during the civil war, after the 1982 Israeli invasion. Many evacuated
the area in 1985, but returned to their homes after the civil war ended in 1990.
No threatening leaflets had been seen since – until last week. “They were
trying to make us believe it was Hezbollah. But the way the fliers were written
doesn’t show that at all,” said Elias Mchantaf, the president of the Aadra
municipality. “We held meetings with everybody in Saida: Bahia Hariri, Osama
Saad, Nabih Berri, the Muslim Brotherhood. They all showed their support and
they promised to investigate who might have been behind this. I hope they were
just boys playing.”
Fifteen young men were detained in the week after the incident, Mchantaf said,
but were later released for lack of evidence.
Many politicians, including Khoury, are trying to downplay the flyer incident.
“The people won’t leave their homes. I don’t believe that the leaflets are that
threatening or that they will put the Christians in danger,” Khoury said. “The
reality today is different from the reality of the civil war. Today the
Christians and the Sunnis in Saida are on the same political side. The
Christians will continue to stand for what they believe, despite threats like
this.”While politicians are trying not to cause any more sectarian friction, and
the Lebanese police and army are trying to figure out what exactly happened in
Zahle and Saida, the people are wondering if they will ever know who was behind
the two incidents.
Three men from the Eastern Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar, a hotbed for Salafists
who work under Syrian influence, were involved in the explosion. Ziad Hussein
died, while Khaled Hamzeh Hammoud and Amer Ajami are still recovering from burns
in a hospital in Beirut. While preliminary investigations pointed to the
explosion happening when the three men were making a bomb that might have
targeted the patriarch, investigators are no longer sure that it was in fact a
bomb, as the victims had no shell fragments in their bodies.
Zahle residents, however, don’t agree. “Do they really expect us to believe it
was an accident? Take a look at that place. It’s completely shattered,” a man
who runs a manakish store across the street from the car parts shop told NOW
Lebanon. “Two brothers from the Dallah family rented the place about six months
ago to sell spare parts. They haven’t sold any! We’ve never seen these three
people who [were involved in the explosion] before. They showed up that night
only,” he added.
*Nadine Elali contributed reporting to this article
Hariri to visit Syria on July 5 or 6, Syrian newspaper reports
June 27, 2010 /Prime Minister Saad Hariri will visit Syria on July 5 or 6 to
follow up on the joint Lebanese-Syrian administrative and technical committees
that worked on 148 agreements, protocols, memorandum of understanding and
executive programs between the two countries, Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported
on Sunday. Earlier this month, Minister of State Jean Ogassapian, who headed the
Lebanese delegation to talks in Syria, said that the next step in following up
bilateral agreements between Lebanon and Syria is a visit by Hariri to Damascus
to sign agreements that have been approved after two days of talks by the
Lebanese-Syrian technical preparatory commission. Al-Watan said that the date of
Hariri’s visit comes after joint Lebanese and Syrian administrative and
technical committees made their reservations about 15 bilateral agreements
signed by Lebanon and Syria. The committees are putting final touches to 8 other
agreements, the paper added. -NOW Lebanon
Kheir wants Bassil to cut “deceptive policies” on power rationing
June 26, 2010
Lebanon First bloc MP Kazem al-Kheir criticized Energy Minister Gebran Bassil’s
power rationing plan for the Minieh region at a press conference Saturday night,
the National News Agency (NNA) reported. Earlier this month Kheir won the
Minieh-Donniyeh parliamentary by-elections which were held to fill the seat left
vacant by the April death of Lebanon First bloc MP Hashem Alameddine. Kheir said
the people of the region have lost trust in Bassil’s promises. The MP said that
energy from the area’s power station has not been used to benefit the people of
the region. He asked President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Saad Hariri to
“put a stop to [Bassil’s] deceptive policies.” Kheir also called on residents to
be patient and avoid blocking roads in protest. He said that Bassil bears
“complete responsibility” for any escalating reactions to the electricity issue.
Residents in the northern towns of Minieh and Bahanin blocked the main road
leading to Syria on Thursday to protest continuing electricity rationing in the
area, the NNA reported. It also reported that youths in Tripoli blocked the
highway to Syria on Saturday to protest power cuts.-NOW Lebanon
Major Drug Dealer Arrested in Beirut Southern Suburbs
Naharnet/Judicial police arrested a "major drug trafficker" and seven addicts in
Beirut's southern suburbs, the National News Agency reported Sunday. NNA said an
anti-drug taskforce raided the home of Youssef Mohammed Q, 41, in al-Musharafiyyeh
neighborhood at dawn and found cocaine packed inside plastic bags and ready for
distribution. Police drug units also arrested seven addicts after the trafficker
phoned them to inform them where to receive the drugs. The suspects have been
referred to the anti-narcotics bureau at the Werwar barracks for further
interrogation. Beirut, 27 Jun 10,
Helicopters Trying to Prevent Huge Fire in Akkar from Reaching Homes
Naharnet/Lebanese army helicopters and firefighters on Saturday were trying to
prevent a huge forest fire that broke out earlier in the day on the outskirts of
Akkar from reaching homes.
The state-run National News Agency said the fire which broke out around 2:00pm
on the edges of Safinat al-Qaitaa and Bzal in Akkar soon spread to reach Oyoun
al-Samak on the Bared River between Akkar and Dinniyeh. Strong winds contributed
to the spread of fire which slowly expanded engulfing pine and fruit trees as
well as agricultural fields close to civilian homes.
NNA said army helicopters were battling to put out the fire before nightfall.
Beirut, 26 Jun 10, 20:32
Oil Exploration Tests Consensus Next Week
Naharnet/All eyes are turned to the meeting of joint
parliamentary committees on Monday to discuss an oil exploration draft law
proposed by member of Speaker Nabih Berri's bloc MP Ali Hassan Khalil.
The first meeting last Tuesday had no outcome after a lack of quorum following
differences of opinion between members of Berri's bloc and al-Mustaqbal MPs. The
controversy emerged due to another governmental project on oil exploration.
Electricity Minister Jebran Bassil held talks with PM Saad Hariri on Saturday.
An Nahar daily said that the meeting led to a positive atmosphere on the eve of
the committees' session that will be headed by Berri. All parliamentary blocs
will participate in the meeting, according to An Nahar. However, a rival
ministerial committee tasked with following up the government's project will
meet on Tuesday to speed up its adoption by the cabinet. If adopted, the project
would be referred to parliament for discussion by the committees and finally
adoption during a general session. "There is a general conviction that the oil
exploration draft law should be prepared by the government and voted on by
parliament," Bassil told An Nahar. "The priority is to speed up discussion of
the draw law in full cooperation between the cabinet and parliament and
completing the necessary Lebanese procedures to demarcate the sea border," he
said. Head of the parliamentary public works and energy committee MP Mohammed
Qabbani believed "there was no national interest in creating a confrontation
between parliamentary MPs in the issue of exploration." "There are no
substantial differences," he told An Nahar. Beirut, 27 Jun 10, 08:46
Baroud: If Zahle Blast Was Serious I Wouldn't Have Left Lebanon
Naharnet/Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said Sunday he wouldn't have traveled to
Barcelona if the explosion in Zahle on the eve of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah
Sfeir's visit was serious.
Baroud went to Barcelona to receive the 2010 U.N. Public Service Award. The
blast went off in the eastern city's industrial region last Saturday night.
Baroud told Voice of Lebanon that he was awaiting the results of the
investigation and "things might not be as imagined." Asked about fliers in Zahle
threatening the Christian population, the minister said such threats were not a
source of concern. "The reaction of Muslim leaders confirms that everyone wants
to coexist and Christians trust their permanent presence in the area," Baroud
told VDL. Beirut, 27 Jun 10, 11:21
Berri in Damascus Tuesday
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri travels to Damascus on Tuesday to participate in
the extraordinary conference of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Countries,
the National News Agency reported. The conference will discuss efforts to lift
the Israeli blockade of Gaza, NNA said. Beirut, 27 Jun 10, 13:31
Abu Jamra: Nadim Lteif Resigned because of Aoun's Single-handed Policies
Naharnet/Former Deputy Premier Maj. Gen. Issam Abu Jamra said Maj. Gen. Nadim
Lteif's resignation from the Free Patriotic Movement goes back to FPM leader
Michel Aoun's single-handed policies. Aoun has announced that "he is the leader
and all others are advisors and there is no need for leadership," Abu Jamra told
Ad-Diyar newspaper in an interview published Sunday. The FPM official announced
his resignation Wednesday, saying Aoun showed no concern for his calls to reform
the movement. Lteif told the Central News Agency that his resignation came after
a series of recommendations he made to Aoun over reforming the FPM went
unheeded. Abu Jamra, who is a member of the "FPM Elders," told Ad-Diyar that the
main reason behind Lteif's resignation was Aoun's refusal to implement the
movement's by-laws adopted in 2006. Beirut, 27 Jun 10, 09:20
Iran to
Hide Behind Hizbullah in Lebanon Sail to Gaza
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu/Arutz Sheva
Iran apparently is trying to save face by hitching a ride to Gaza with Hizbullah-Lebanese
ships, after having backed down three times from its bravado that it would
launch its own ships to risk challenging the Israeli navy on the way to Gaza. "A
Lebanese ship is heading to Gaza in a few days and Iranian lawmakers are trying
to reach Gaza via this ship which is threatened by the Zionist regime," Iranian
legislator Mahmoud Ahmadi Bighash said Saturday. He blamed Egypt for Iran’s
backing down from its announcement that its Red Crescent organization would set
sail for Hamas-controlled Gaza, saying Egypt had refused to allow Iranian
Members of Parliament to reach Gaza by land. “Egypt wants to misuse Iranian
parliamentarians' plan to visit Gaza to improve its reputation ruined during the
22-day war between Hamas and the Zionist regime", said Bighash, referring to
last year’s Operation Cast Lead. "The Zionist regime wants to spread pressures
across land borders of Gaza …due to presence of aid flotillas in Gaza coast."
Iran announced Thursday it is scrapping its plan to sail, two weeks after it
first ditched the launching of a ship to try to challenge Israeli sovereignty
over the Gaza coastal waters. The United States and the European Union have
backed the Israeli embargo to prevent the open delivery of advanced weapons from
Iran, Hizbullah and Syria to the Hamas terrorist organization. Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad originally said that Iranian Revolutionary Guards would
escort a ship, but Iranian officials later denied the boast. One of the boats
from Lebanon apparently has finally received clearance to sail after several
political obstacles kept it and another vessel in port. Cyprus reportedly has
reversed its previous refusal to allow the ships to dock at its ports on the way
to Gaza, the Associated Press reported Saturday.
"We have been granted permission to go to Cyprus and we are now in the process
of making final preparations," said Yasser Kashlak, a Syrian millionaire who is
sponsoring one ship. He did not disclose a departure day, but one news site has
reported it will sail this Wednesday. One explanation for Kashlak's claim of
Cyprus’ reversal is that the boat actually will sail via a breakaway Turkish
Cypriot island. A second boat, named the Maryam and scheduled to carry a group
of women, still is docked in Tripoli, and it is not yet known if it will receive
clearance to leave port. Using Cyprus as a port in transit would circumvent
Israel’s claim that a ship from Lebanon, a declared enemy, cannot be allowed to
reach Israel.
Israel has said it will stop all ships from reaching Gaza, as it did May 31 when
Turkish terrorist activists attacked Navy commandos before the Navy overpowered
the Mavi Mamara ship. An inspection of its cargo proved that it was not carrying
any humanitarian aid, contrary to its organizers' claims. (IsraelNationalNews.com)
G8 leaders condemn Iran, North
Korea Module body
Sat Jun 26, /By The Canadian Press
HUNTSVILLE, Ont. - G8 leaders wrapped up their summit today with a statement
condemning Iran and North Korea.
The unanimous admonishment — in the final communique — is welcome news for the
Harper government, which had been pushing hard for it.
Sources say the deal came together at the last minute.
That's because Russia was reluctant to take a strong stand.
Iran and North Korea have become international pariahs for their nuclear
ambitions, oppressive regimes and inflammatory rhetoric
Congresswoman: Hezbollah joining Mexican drug cartels
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3910808,00.html
Sue Myrick demands Homeland Security probe of terror group's presence on
US-Mexican border
Yitzhak Benhorin Published: 06.26.10, 08:48 / Israel News
WASHINGTON – North Carolina Congresswoman Sue Myrick warned Friday that
Hezbollah may be colluding with drug cartels on the US-Mexican border, and
called on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to investigate the
matter.
Fox News reported Myrick is arguing that the Lebanese militia would soon begin
threatening the US as it does Israel.
"It is vital we know what is happening on our border, especially as crime and
violence continue to rise there and as terrorist plots and threats are
increasing inside the US," she wrote.
Hezbollah has been known for years to operate drug trafficking rings in South
America, especially on the Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay border, but recently claims
have been surfacing that it has stepped into the Mexican drug trade as well.
Myrick said Hezbollah's drug agents undergo Spanish language lessons sponsored
by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after which they disguise themselves as
Mexican civilians in order to obtain false US entry passes.
She added that the group has experience with tunnel-digging, which may put the
US-Mexican border at risk for further infiltration.
The congresswoman, who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said
members of drug cartels imprisoned in South America have been spotted lately
tattooing Persian writing on their bodies, evidence of Iranian involvement.
"Persian influence that can likely be traced back to Iran and its proxy army,
Hezbollah," she said.
In her appeal to Napolitano, Myrick quoted a senior Mexican army official who
says Hezbollah agents may even be training cartel members to make bombs. "This
might lead to Israel-like car bombings of Mexican/USA border personnel or
National Guard units," she said.
Suspected Hezbollah financier arrested in Paraguay / AFP
Lebanese national suspected of funneling money to Shiite group in South
America's tri-border area detained by Interpol. Justice officials consider
whether to extradite him to US
Fox News reported Myrick is arguing that the Lebanese militia would soon begin
threatening the US as it does Israel.
"It is vital we know what is happening on our border, especially as crime and
violence continue to rise there and as terrorist plots and threats are
increasing inside the US," she wrote.
Hezbollah has been known for years to operate drug trafficking rings in South
America, especially on the Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay border, but recently claims
have been surfacing that it has stepped into the Mexican drug trade as well.
Myrick said Hezbollah's drug agents undergo Spanish language lessons sponsored
by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after which they disguise themselves as
Mexican civilians in order to obtain false US entry passes.
She added that the group has experience with tunnel-digging, which may put the
US-Mexican border at risk for further infiltration.
The congresswoman, who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said
members of drug cartels imprisoned in South America have been spotted lately
tattooing Persian writing on their bodies, evidence of Iranian involvement.
"Persian influence that can likely be traced back to Iran and its proxy army,
Hezbollah," she said.
In her appeal to Napolitano, Myrick quoted a senior Mexican army official who
says Hezbollah agents may even be training cartel members to make bombs. "This
might lead to Israel-like car bombings of Mexican/USA border personnel or
National Guard units," she said.
Iranian lawmakers to join ship to Gaza
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
06/26/2010 16:16
Teheran cancels Iranian ship, MP says he will join one in Lebanon
Iranian parliamentarian Mahmoud Ahmadi Beighash announced Saturday that he and
other Iranian lawmakers intend to join a ship headed for Gaza by way of Lebanon.
"A ship is going from Lebanon to Gaza in the course of the current week and the
lawmakers will go to Gaza via this ship," Beighash said in comments to
semi-official news agency ISNA cited by Reuters.
The decision to head from Lebanon to Gaza and not Egypt was reached in a meeting
with speaker of parliament Ali Larijani according to Beighash.
Earlier in the week an Iranian aid ship which had been due to set sail for the
Gaza Strip in the coming days in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade
canceled its trip due to Israeli warnings, Iranian officials said Thursday
night.
The Iranian ship called Infants of Gaza had been expected to sail Sunday for
Gaza carrying 1,100 tons of relief supplies and 10 pro-Palestinian activists but
plans were canceled "due to restrictions imposed by the occupying Zionist
regime," Beighash said.
IDF sources said that the navy would intercept an Iranian or Lebanese ships and
would operate under the assumption that hostile elements could be aboard.
In Lebanon, organizers of the ship, Julia, said they plan to sail in the next
few days but said they had nothing to do with Iran. A second ship will only be
transporting women, while a third ship will include parliamentarians from the
Middle East and Europe. It is not clear when that ship will sail.
Criminal Intent and Militant Funding
Written by Scott Stewart
Saturday, 26 June 2010 07:59
STRATFOR is currently putting the finishing touches on a detailed assessment of
the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), the al Qaeda-inspired jihadist franchise in
that country. As we got deeper into that project, one of the things we noticed
was the group's increasing reliance on criminal activity to fund its operations.
In recent months, in addition to kidnappings for ransom and extortion of
businessmen - which have been endemic in Iraq for many years - the ISI appears
to have become increasingly involved in armed robbery directed against banks,
currency exchanges, gold markets and jewelry shops.
This increase in criminal activity highlights how the ISI has fallen on hard
times since its heyday in 2006-2007, when it was flush with cash from overseas
donors and when its wealth led the apex leadership of al Qaeda in Pakistan to
ask its Iraqi franchise for financial assistance. But when considered in a
larger context, the ISI's shift to criminal activity is certainly not surprising
and, in fact, follows the pattern of many other ideologically motivated
terrorist or insurgent groups that have been forced to resort to crime to
support themselves.
The Cost of Doing Business
Whether we are talking about a small urban terrorist cell or a large-scale rural
insurgency, it takes money to maintain a militant organization. It costs money
to conduct even a rudimentary terrorist attack, and while there are a lot of
variables in calculating the costs of a single attack, in order to simplify
things, we'll make a ballpark estimate of not more than $100 for an attack that
involves a single operative detonating an improvised explosive device or using a
firearm. (It certainly is possible to construct a lethal device for less, and
many grassroots plots have cost far more, but we think $100 is a fair general
estimate.) While that amount may seem quite modest by Western standards, it is
important to remember that in the places where militant groups tend to thrive,
like Somalia and Pakistan, the population is very poor. The typical Somali earns
approximately $600 a year, and the typical Pakistani living in the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas makes around $660. For many individuals living in such
areas, the vehicle used in an attack deploying a vehicle-borne improvised
explosive device (VBIED) is a luxury that they can never aspire to own for
personal use, much less afford to buy only to destroy it in an attack. Indeed,
even the $100 it may cost to conduct a basic terrorist attack is far more than
they can afford.
To be sure, the expense of an individual terrorist attack can be marginal for a
group like the ISI or the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). However, for such a
group, the expenses required to operate are far more than just the amount
required to conduct attacks - whether small roadside bombs or large VBIEDs. Such
groups also need to establish and maintain the infrastructure required to
operate a militant organization over a long period of time, not just during
attacks but also between attacks. Setting up and operating such an
infrastructure is far more costly than just paying for individual attacks.
In addition to the purchasing the materials required to conduct specific
terrorist attacks, a militant organization also needs to pay wages to its
fighters and provide food and lodging. Many also give stipends to the widows and
families their fighters leave behind. In addition to the cost of personnel, the
organization also needs to purchase safe-houses, modes of transportation (e.g.,
pickup trucks or motorcycles), communications equipment, weapons, munitions and
facilities and equipment for training. If the militant organization hopes to use
advanced weapons, like man-portable air defense systems, the costs can go even
higher.
There are other costs involved in maintaining a large, professional militant
group, such as travel, fraudulent identification documents (or legitimate
documents obtained through fraud), payment for intelligence assets to monitor
the activities of government forces, and even the direct bribery of security,
border and other government officials. In some places, militant groups such as
Hezbollah also pay for social services such as health care and education for the
local population as a means of establishing and maintaining local support for
the cause.
When added together, these various expenses amount to a substantial financial
commitment, and operations are even more expensive in an environment where the
local population is hostile to the militant organization and the government is
persistently trying to cut off the group's funding. In such an environment, the
local people are less willing to provide support to the militants in the way of
food, shelter and cash, and the militants are also forced to spend more money on
operational security. Information about the government must also be purchased or
coerced, and more "hush money" must be paid to keep people from telling the
government about militant operations. In an environment where the local
population is friendly, they will shelter militants and volunteer information
about government forces and will not inform on militants to the government.
Sponsorship
One way to offset the steep cost of operating a large militant organization is
by having a state sponsor. Indeed, funding rebel or insurgent groups to cause
problems for a rival is an age-old tool of statecraft, and one that was
exercised frequently during the Cold War. During that period, the United States
worked to counter communist governments around the globe, and the Soviet Union
and its partners operated a broad global array of proxy militant groups. In
terms of geopolitical struggles, funding proxy groups is far less expensive than
engaging in direct warfare in terms of both money and battlefield losses. Using
proxies also provides benefits in terms of deniability for both domestic and
international purposes.
For the militant group, the addition of a state sponsor can provide an array of
modern weaponry and a great deal of useful training. For example, the FIM-92
Stinger missiles that the United States gave to Afghan militants fighting Soviet
forces greatly enhanced the militants' ability to counter the Soviets' use of
air power. The training provided by the Soviet KGB and its allies, the Cuban DGI
and the East German Stasi, revolutionized the use of improvised explosive
devices in terrorist attacks. Members of the groups these intelligence services
trained at camps in Libya, Lebanon and Yemen, such as the German Red Brigades,
the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), the Japanese Red Army and various
Palestinian militant groups (among others), all became quite adept at using
explosives in terrorist attacks.
The prevalence of Marxist terrorist groups during the Cold War led some
observers to believe that the phenomenon of modern terrorism would die with the
fall of the Soviet Union. Indeed, many militant groups, from urban Marxist
organizations like the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) in Peru to
rural based insurgents like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC),
fell on hard financial times after the fall of the Soviet Union. While some of
these groups withered away with their dwindling financial support (like the MRTA),
others were more resourceful and found alternative ways to support their
movement and continue their operations. The FARC, for example, was able to use
its rural power in Colombia to offer protection to narcotics traffickers. In an
ironic twist, elements of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a
right-wing death squad set up to defend rich landowners against the FARC, have
also gone on to play an important role in the Colombian Norte del Valle cartel
and in various "bacrim" smuggling groups. Groups such as the PIRA and its
splinters were able to fund themselves through robbery, extortion and "tiger
kidnapping".
In some places, the Marxist revolutionaries sought to keep the ideology of their
cause separate from the criminal activities required to fund it following the
loss of Soviet support. In the Philippines, for example, the New People's Army
formed what it termed "dirty job intelligence groups," which were tasked with
conducting kidnappings for ransom and robbing banks and armored cars. The groups
also participated in a widespread campaign to shake down businesses for
extortion payments, which it referred to as "revolutionary taxes." In Central
America, the Salvadoran Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN)
established a finance and logistics operation based out of Managua, Nicaragua,
that conducted a string of kidnappings of wealthy industrialists in places like
Mexico and Brazil. By targeting wealthy capitalists, the group sought to cast a
Robin Hood-like light on this criminal activity. To further distance itself from
the activity, the group used American and Canadian citizens to do much of its
pre-operational surveillance and employed hired muscle from disbanded South
American Marxist organizations to conduct the kidnappings and guard the
hostages. The FMLN's financial problems helped lead to the peace accords signed
in 1992, and the FMLN has since become one of the main political parties in El
Salvador. Its candidate, Mauricio Funes, was elected president of El Salvador in
2009.
Beyond the COMINTERN
The fall of the Soviet Union clearly did not end terrorism. Although Marxist
militants funded themselves in Colombia, the Philippines and elsewhere through
crime, Marxism was not the only flavor of terrorism on the planet. There are all
sorts of motivations for terrorism as a militant tactic, from white supremacy to
animal rights. But one of the most significant forces that arose in the 1980s as
the Soviet Union was falling was militant Islamism. In addition to the ideals of
the Iranian Revolution, which led to the creation of Hezbollah and other
Iranian-sponsored groups, the Islamist fervor that was used to drum up support
for the militants fighting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan eventually gave
birth to al Qaeda and its jihadist spawn.
Although Hezbollah has always been funded by the governments of Iran and Syria,
it has also become quite an entrepreneurial organization. Hezbollah has
established a fundraising network that stretches across the globe and
encompasses both legitimate businesses and criminal enterprises. In terms of its
criminal operations, Hezbollah has a well-known presence in the tri-border
region of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, where the U.S. government estimates it
has earned tens of millions of dollars from selling electronic goods,
counterfeit luxury items and pirated software, movies and music. It also has an
even more profitable network in West Africa that deals in "blood diamonds" from
places like Sierra Leone and the Republic of the Congo. Cells in Asia procure
and ship much of the counterfeit material sold elsewhere; nodes in North America
deal in smuggled cigarettes, baby formula and counterfeit designer goods, among
other things. In the United States, Hezbollah also has been involved in
smuggling pseudoephedrine and selling counterfeit Viagra, and it has played a
significant role in the production and worldwide propagation of counterfeit
currencies. The business empire of the Shiite organization also extends into the
narcotics trade, and Hezbollah earns large percentages of the estimated $1
billion in drug money flowing each year out of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.
On the jihadist side of militant Islamism, jihadist groups have been conducting
criminal activity to fund their movement since the 1990s. The jihadist cell that
conducted the March 2004 Madrid Train Bombings was self-funded by selling
illegal drugs, and jihadists have been involved in a number of criminal schemes
ranging from welfare fraud to interstate transportation of stolen property.
In addition, many wealthy Muslims in Saudi Arabia the Persian Gulf states and
elsewhere saw the jihadist groups as a way to export their conservative
Wahhabi/Salafi strain of Islam, and many considered their gifts to jihadist
groups to be their way of satisfying the Muslim religious obligation to give to
charity. The governments of Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Pakistan saw
jihadism as a foreign policy tool, and in some cases the jihadists were also
seen as a tool to be used against domestic rivals. Pakistan was one of the most
active countries playing the jihadist card, and it used it to influence its
regional neighbors by supporting the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan as
well as Kashmiri militant groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for use
against its archrival, India.
After 2003, however, when the al Qaeda franchise in Saudi Arabia declared war on
the Saudi government (and the oil industry that funds it), sentiment in that
country began to change and the donations sent by wealthy Saudis to al Qaeda or
al Qaeda-related charities began to decline markedly. By 2006, the al Qaeda core
leadership - and the larger jihadist movement - was experiencing significant
financial difficulties. Today, with Pakistan also experiencing a backlash from
supporting jihadists who have turned against the state, and with the Sunni
sheikhs in Iraq turning against the ISI there, funding and sanctuary are
becoming increasingly difficult for jihadists to find.
In recent years, the United States and the international community have taken a
number of steps to monitor the international transfer of money, track charitable
donations and scrutinize charities. These measures have begun to have an effect
- not just in the case of the jihadist groups but for all major militant
organizations. These systems are not foolproof, and there are still gaps that
can be exploited, but overall, the legislation, procedures and tools now in
place make financing from abroad much more difficult than it was prior to
September 2001.
The Need to Survive
And this brings us where we are today regarding terrorism and funding. While
countries like Venezuela and Nicaragua play around with supporting the export of
Marxism through Latin America, the funding for Marxist movements in the Western
Hemisphere is far below what it was before the fall of the Soviet Union. Indeed,
transnational drug cartels and their allied street gangs pose a far greater
threat to the stability of countries in the region today.
Groups that cannot find state sponsorship, such as the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in Nigeria, will be left to fund
themselves through ransoms for kidnapped oil workers, selling stolen oil and
from protection money. (It is worth noting, however, that MEND also has some
powerful patrons inside Nigeria's political structure.) And groups that still
receive state funding, like Iranian proxies Hezbollah and Hamas as well as
Shiite militant groups in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region, will continue to get
that support. (There are frequent rumors that Iran is supporting jihadist groups
in places like Iraq and Afghanistan as a way to cause pain to the United
States.)
Overall, state sponsorship of jihadist groups has been declining since
supporting countries realized they were being attacked by militant groups of
their own creation. Some countries, like Syria and Pakistan, still keep their
fingers in the jihadist pie, but as time progresses more countries are coming to
see the jihadists as threats rather than useful tools. For the past few years,
we have seen groups like al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb resort to narcotics
smuggling and the kidnapping of foreigners to fund their operations and that
trend will likely increase. For one thing, the jump from militant attacks to
criminal activity is relatively easy to make. Criminal activity (whether it's
robbing a bank or extorting business owners for "taxes") requires the same
physical force - or at least the threat of physical force - that militant groups
perfect over years of carrying out insurgent or terrorist attacks.
While such criminal activity does allow a militant group to survive, it comes
with a number of risks. First is the risk that members of the organization could
become overly enamored with the criminal activity and the money it brings and
abandon the cause - and the austere life of an ideological fighter - to pursue a
more lucrative criminal career. (In many cases, they will attempt to retain some
ideological facade for recruitment or legitimacy purposes. On the other hand,
some jihadist groups believe that criminal activities allow them to emulate the
actions of the Prophet Mohammed, who raided the caravans of his enemies to fund
his movement and allowed his men to take booty.) Criminal activity can also
cause ideological splits between the more pragmatic members of a militant
organization and those who believe that criminal behavior tarnishes the image of
their cause. And criminal activity can turn the local population against the
militants - especially the population being targeted for crimes - while
providing law enforcement with opportunities to arrest militant operatives on
charges that are in many cases easier to prove than conspiring to conduct
terrorist attacks. Lastly, reliance on criminal activity for funding a militant
group requires a serious commitment of resources - men and guns - that cannot be
allocated to other activities when they are being used to commit crimes.
As efforts to combat terrorism continue, militant leaders will increasingly be
forced to choose between abandoning their cause or possibly tarnishing its
public image. When faced with such a choice, many militant leaders - like those
of the ISI - will follow the examples of groups like the FARC and the PIRA and
choose to pursue criminal means to continue their struggle.
Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church celebrates one
of its own entering into priesthood in FLINT TOWNSHIP, Michigan/The Flint
Journal/
Saturday, June 26, 2010,
Dana DeFever | The Flint Journal
FLINT TOWNSHIP, Michigan — For years the parishioners at Our Lady of Lebanon
Maronite Catholic Church have watched Tony Massad grow from a young boy to an
adult.
And on Saturday, they watched on Massad again as he received a special honor —
his induction into priesthood.
The 27-year-old Mundy Township man was ordained Saturday at the Flint Township
church, a place he calls his “second home,” with his church family there by his
side.
“His whole family is so proud of him and the whole parish. They know Tony and
knew that’s what he was supposed to be,” said his mother, Diane.
Massad, a 2001 graduate of Carman-Ainsworth High School, said he enjoys working
in the church, one reason he decided to enter the priesthood. But it also was a
calling, he said.
Massad has wanted to be a priest since he was a young teenager. He served as an
alter boy, attended Sunday school, participated in several youth groups and went
on youth retreats. Throughout school, friends called Massad “Abouna,” which
means “father” in Arabic.
The church was considered family.
“Growing up, if I did something wrong, I was yelled at by more than just my mom.
I got it from everybody,” Massad said. “I don’t have one grandma, I have 12. I
don’t have one grandpa, I have 10.”
Ordinations typically are held at the dioceses’ headquarters in St. Louis,
Missouri. However, Massad asked if his could be in his home church. The dioceses
was happy to oblige.
“It’s not just for the guy who’s getting ordained. It’s for the community. They
helped raise me,” Massad said. “It’s not just my celebration. It’s theirs as
well.”
Saturday’s ordination was the second to be held in the area. The first one was
in 1982 when Bishop Gregory Mansour, of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn,
was ordained a priest in St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in Flint.
After the ordination, Massad is taking a week off to spend with family before he
moves out of the state to serve as an associate pastor at Saint Maron Maronite
Catholic Church in Cleveland, Ohio. There he will work under a priest, who will
serve as a mentor, before he moves on to have his own church.
Bishop Robert Shaheen, of Our Lady of Lebanon of Lost Angeles, said he has
always been impressed by Massad’s outgoing, friendly personality and ability to
talk with people, young and old. The youth, he said, flock to him.
“People are attracted to his personality,” Shaheen said. “He’ll fit in really
good in Cleveland.”
Massad is looking forward to going to Cleveland and joining the new parish,
although he acknowledges that it will be tough leaving family and friends from
the church.
As a University of Michigan fan, Massad is also moving into enemy territory —
Ohio — and expects to get a lot of flak after the move.
“As much as I love my Detroit sports teams, the people (in Cleveland) are
great,” he said.
Diane Massad said she’ll miss her son when he leaves for Cleveland, but knows
his home is always at Our Lady of Lebanon.
“I know he has a greater calling. I didn’t raise my kids to sit in my basement.
I raised my kids to fly out on their own,” she said.