LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِSeptember 24/2010

Bible Of The Day
The Letter from Jude 1/4-16: " Jude, there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ. 1:5 Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. 1:6 Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, having, in the same way as these, given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 1:8 Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. 1:9 But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 1:10 But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they are destroyed in these things. 1:11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 1:12 These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 1:13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 1:14 About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 1:15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 1:16 These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts and their mouth speaks proud things, showing respect of persons to gain advantage."

Psalm 46/1: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble".

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
The US looks the other way as Lebanon slides towards chaos/Michael Young/September 23/10
What price for Bashar Assad's backing?/By Michael Young/September 23/10
Government of Canada Publishes Ninth Quarterly Report on Canada’s Engagement in Afghanistan/September 23/10
Reactivating the Syrian track/Tony Badran/September 23/10
Sharia & The Constitution: Never the Twain Shall Meet/By Major Gen. Jerry Curry/September 23/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 23/10
Iran is under cyber threat as Obama offers nuclear negotiations/DEBKAfile
Netanyahu is a skilled killer, says Ahmadinejad/JPOST
Ahmadinejad: Iran will never recognize Zionist regime/J.Post
France Soothes Hizbullah: Indictment Not End of the World/Naharnet
Pietton from Serail: Tribunal will Not Halt before Completing its Duties and Revealing Truth/Naharnet
Lavrov Stresses Importance of Peace Talks on Syrian, Lebanese Tracks/Naharnet
LEBANON: Faceoff over Hariri tribunal could drag country into new conflict/Los Angeles Times (blog)
Fayes Karam Admitted to Hospital, Security Forces Say No Cause for Concern/Naharnet
Lebanese Human Rights: Fayez Karam Subjected to Arbitrary Arrest/Naharnet
US working to continue military aid to Lebanon: officia/AFP
A walk on the historic side of Lebanon/Arab News
War of words/BBC
Italy seizes seven tons of Iranian explosives being shipped to Syria/Daily Star
Syria, Saudi seek to calm tensions in Lebanon/AFP
Sami Gemayel: The State is Not Being Objective in Applying the Law/Naharnet
Aoun Urges Pope to Spread 'Culture of Openness, Not Intimidation'/Naharnet
Sayyed: Wissam al-Hasan Was Supposed to be in Hariri's Car on Assassination Day/Naharnet
Jumblat: Controlling the Situation is Nasrallah's, Hariri's Responsibility/Naharnet
Opposition, Regional Officials Upset by Jumblat/Naharnet
Hariri-Assad Discuss Bilateral Relations in Telephone Call/Naharnet
Arrest Warrant Reportedly to be Issued against Sayyed/Naharnet
International Investigators Spent 2 Days at Alfa, Report/Naharnet
Hizbullah Denies Delegation Carried Message from Nasrallah to Saudi Ambassador/Naharnet
Clinton to Stress to Suleiman U.S. Commitment to Lebanon's Sovereignty/Naharnet
Report: Chicago's Lebanese Bomb Suspect Wanted Quick Fame/Naharnet
Lebanese Priest Kidnapped in Nigeria/Naharnet

Italy seizes seven tons of Iranian explosives being shipped to Syria
Thursday, September 23, 2010 /Daily Star/Naharnet
REGGIO DI CALABRIA, Italy: Italian authorities have seized 7 tons of powerful RDX explosive being shipped from Iran to Syria, police said on Wednesday.
Anti-mafia police found the cargo in a shipping container on a Liberian-registered ship that docked in the Calabrian port of Gioia Tauro in southern Italy last month and said it would have been enough to destroy the port. The cargo, hidden among packs of powdered milk, was seized on August 27 but police, who were tipped off by intelligence services, did not make an announcement until this week. Carmelo Casabona, the local police chief, said the cargo arrived in Italy “with the involvement of international criminal organizations.” But the ‘Ndrangheta, the powerful Calabrian mafia, did not appear to be involved, he said. Casabona told Italy’s private Sky 24 television news that the amount was too large to be destined only to the Calabrian mob. Authorities were originally considering whether some of the explosives may have been intended to be unloaded in Italy for local use but they said this did not now appear to be the case. Also known as T4, RDX is a powerful military explosive that has been used in several devastating attacks believed carried out by the Italian Mafia in past years. – Reuters, AP

Iran is under cyber threat as Obama offers nuclear negotiations
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 23, 2010,
cyber war Iran nuclear US-Israel Deadly new Stuxnet, soldier in cyber warBy choosing US President Barack Obama and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to deliver the opening addresses at the UN General Assembly session in New York Thursday, Sept. 23, the UN secretariat told the world that Iran's drive for nuclear bomb dominated world affairs at this time.
debkafile's military and intelligence sources note in this regard the US press leaks appearing since Monday, Sept. 20, which maintain that the United States has embarked on a clandestine cyber war against Iran and that Israel has established elite cyber war units for this purpose.
According to our Washington sources, Obama has resolved to deal with the nuclear impasse with Iran by going after the Islamic republic on two tracks: UN and unilateral sanctions for biting deep into the financial resources Iran has earmarked for its nuclear program, and a secret cyber war which the US is conducting jointly with Israel for crippling its nuclear facilities.
In New York, quiet exchanges are ongoing with Ahmadinejad's delegation for renewing the Six Power talks on Iran's banned uranium enrichment program. he US offer to go back to the negotiating table was made against a background of deliberately leaked revelations by US security sources to US media regarding the recruitment of Israel military and security agencies of cyber raiders with the technical knowhow and mental toughness for operating in difficult and hazardous circumstances, such as assignments for stealing or destroying enemy technology, according to one report. debkafile's sources disclose that Israel has had special elite units carrying out such assignments for some time. Three years ago, for instance, cyber raiders played a role in the destruction of the plutonium reactor North Korea was building at A-Zur in northern Syria. On Monday, too, the Christian Science Monitor and several American technical journals carried revelations about a new virus called Stuxnet capable of attacking and severely damaging the servers of large projects, such as power stations and nuclear reactors.
All the leaked reports agreed on three points:
1. Stuxnet is the most advanced and dangerous piece of Malware every devised.
2. The experts don't believe any private or individual hackers are capable of producing this virus, only a high-tech state such as America or Israel.
3. Although Stuxnet was identified four months ago, the only servers known to have been affected and seriously damaged are located in Iran.
Some computer security specialists report lively speculation that the virus was invented specifically to target part of the Iranian nuclear infrastructure, either the Bushehr nuclear plant activated last month or the centrifuge facility in Natanz.
debkafile's sources add: Since August, American and UN nuclear watchdog sources have been reporting a slowdown in Iran's enrichment processing due to technical problems which have knocked out a large number of centrifuges and which its nuclear technicians have been unable to repair. It is estimated that at Natanz alone, 3,000 centrifuges have been idled.
None of the reports indicate whether other parts of Iran's nuclear program have been affected by Stuxnet or the scale of the damage it may have caused.

Netanyahu is a skilled killer, says Ahmadinejad
By JPOST.COM STAFF /09/23/2010 11:15
Iranian president interviewed by CNN's Larry King, says Iran has "no interest" in nuke; calls Israel an "illegitimate, war-waging country."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is a "skilled killer," Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said via a translator in a televised interview with CNN's Larry King on Wednesday evening. When asked by the show's host for a response to Netanyahu's previous comments on the show, when the he said that "the greatest threat facing humanity is that Iran would acquire nuclear weapons," Ahamadinejad replied, "So you think that we should be concerned about allaying Mr. Netanyahu's fears and concerns? Why should we be doing that for him? Who is he? Who is he in the first place? He is a skilled killer. All dictators in the world have condemned others, and he is one of many of them." He continued his tirade against Netanyahu say that, "He should be put on trial for killing Palestinians, for placing Gaza under siege. He should be put on trial for killing women and children." Asked about Iran's nuclear activity plans, the Iranian president was equally forceful in his response, telling Larry King that "no one expresses fear about Iran's nuclear activities in the region except the Zionist regime, and some American authorities. We are not seeking the bomb, we have no interest in it and we do not think that it is useful." American and Israeli weapons should be of more concern to the international community, he said. "We are standing firm over the issue that both the Zionist regime and the US government should be disarmed. The threats to the world are the bombs that the US government and the Zionist regime have."
He further criticized Israel and the US, calling Israel an "illegitimate, war waging country" and saying that the US "gets into wars in Iraq, Afghanistan just over nothing."
Ahmadinejad is in New York for the UN General Assembly meeting. He is scheduled to speak at the annual ministerial meeting on Thursday.

Ahmadinejad: Iran will never recognize 'Zionist regime'
By JORDANA HORN /J.Post
09/22/2010 02:34
Iranian president makes comments on Israel, capitalism and the death penalty whilst on visit to New York for UN General Assembly.
Talkbacks (7)
NEW YORK – Stating that Iran would never recognize the “Zionist regime,” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke his mind freely on Monday and Tuesday while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meetings, commenting on capitalism, the Holocaust and a potential war that “knows no limits” to various audiences.
Ahmadinejad is to address the General Assembly on Thursday, but spoke to other audiences in the days leading up to his speech.
Speaking before a group of Muslim figures in New York on Monday night, Ahmadinejad said “the Iranian nation will never recognize the Zionist regime,” Iran’s Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday.
“Palestinians can cut the hands of the aggressor and put an end to the Zionist regime’s presence in the region,” he reportedly said.
Ahmadinejad reiterated Iran’s support for the Palestinians, as well as the Lebanese, in his remarks. The Iranian president’s remarks were reportedly met by applause from his audience.
Ahmadinejad criticizes Western media's double standard
In the same talk, the Iranian leader criticized Western media as having a double standard in reporting on the case of an American woman facing the death penalty, according to Iranian state-run reporting service IRNA.
Ahmadinejad accused the West of launching a “heavy propaganda” campaign against the case of an Iranian woman sentenced to be stoned to death for adultery, but of failing to react with outrage over the imminent execution of Teresa Lewis in Virginia, IRNA reported.
Ahmadinejad noted that “millions of Internet pages” have been devoted to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, whose stoning sentence was suspended in July, with her case put under review.
“Meanwhile, nobody objects to the case of an American woman who is going to be executed,” he was quoted as saying.
“Today Western media are propaganda agents who continuously speak about democracy and human rights, though their slogans are sheer lies,” he added.
Iran says it has put the stoning on hold for now, but also has indicated Ashtiani could be hanged for her conviction of playing a role in her husband’s 2005 murder.
At the UN on Tuesday, in a speech on the second day of the UN anti-poverty summit, Ahmadinejad said capitalism is facing defeat and called for an overhaul of the “undemocratic and unjust” global decisionmaking bodies.
The Iranian leader called on world leaders, thinkers and global reformers “to spare no effort” to make practical plans for a new world order. To spotlight this effort, Ahmadinejad proposed Tuesday that the United Nations name the current decade the Decade for Joint Global Governance.
On Tuesday morning Ahmadinejad candidly downplayed the Holocaust at a breakfast meeting for journalists attended by David Bradley, the proprietor of the magazine The Atlantic, and James Bennet, its editor.
According to a blog recounting by Atlantic writer Jeffrey Goldberg, James asked Ahmadinejad to respond to Fidel Castro’s recent request “to lay off the Holocaust denial, and to respect the history of Jewish suffering.”
According to the blog, Ahmadinejad evaded the question, saying “Mr. Fidel Castro is a recognized figure; he can have his views, we do not fight over views.”
“Ahmadinejad also said that an unnamed Cuban official informed Iran that ‘Mr. Castro said nothing in the recent interview except to support Iran.’ This is not true, of course,” Goldberg noted.
Ahmadinejad then reportedly went on to question the historical truth of the Holocaust.
“‘The question is, why don’t we allow this subject to be examined further... It is incorrect to force only one view on the rest of the world,’” Goldberg recounts the Iranian president as saying, adding that Ahmadinejad then asked, “How come, when it comes to the subject of the Holocaust, there is so much sensitivity?”
Ahmadinejad reiterated his point made in a Sunday interview with Christiane Amanpour, saying that he is not an anti-Semite, but merely opposed to Zionism, which is “based on racist thoughts and ideas.”
According to Bennett, Goldberg recounted, when journalist Joe Scarborough asked Ahmadinejad if he would consider it an act of war if the US were to allow Israeli warplanes to overfly Iraq on their way to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, Ahmadinejad responded, “Do you think anyone will attack Iran to begin with? I really don’t think so. The Zionist regime is a very small entity on the map, even to the point that it doesn’t really factor into our equation.”
Ahmadinejad then said, according to Goldberg, “The United States has never entered a serious war, and has never been victorious.”
“And, in what [Bennett] reports was his most ominous statement, Ahmadinejad said, ‘The United States doesn’t understand what war looks like. When a war starts, it knows no limits,’” Goldberg’s blog entry concluded. Barak says Iran could reach nuclear capabilities within a year-and-half
In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that “Iran could reach nuclear capabilities within a year-and-half or two years if they decide to break all the rules, but it might take a little longer.”
Barak, interviewed by Fox following his meetings with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, underscored that the Iranian threat is “the highest priority at the moment, not just for Israel, but even for this [Obama] administration. It will be part of the way that history will judge this administration.”
The US has been concerned about the nuclear program in Iran. Teheran is currently under four sets of Security Council sanctions for continuing its uranium enrichment and ignoring other UN demands meant to ease global concerns that Iran is seeking to make atomic weapons.
When asked about the usefulness of sanctions, Barak responded, “I don’t believe that sanctions alone could work... We believe that no option should be removed from the table.”
Turkish President Abdullah Gul will meet with Ahmadinejad in New York sometime this week. Gul plans to call for a Middle East totally free of nuclear weapons when he addresses the General Assembly later this week, he told The Associated Press in an interview on Monday. Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance, has opposed sanctions against Iran. Since 2002, Turkey has been governed by an Islamic-rooted party that has tried to improve relations with Iran. Gul said “of course, we cannot accuse Iran” of pursuing nuclear weapons without evidence. “We want Iran to be transparent” with International Atomic Energy Agency officials, Gul told The Associated Press. “We in Turkey would like to see a peaceful, a diplomatic solution to this problem.”

Pietton from Serail: Tribunal will Not Halt before Completing its Duties and Revealing Truth
Naharnet/French Ambassador to Lebanon Denis Pietton reiterated on Thursday France's recent position that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will not halt its functioning until the truth is revealed in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. He said after holding talks at the Grand Serail with Prime Minister Saad Hariri that Lebanon has overcome the tense atmosphere created in Lebanon after last week's tense political rhetoric. The ambassador repeated France's support for Lebanon's stability, hoping that the Lebanese parties "would demonstrate a high level of responsibility and discipline and give priority to understanding and dialogue." Earlier on Thursday, Hariri met with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams who stressed that dialogue is the main method to tackle any sensitive issue in Lebanon or any country. He said: "All Lebanese should protect state institutions, which are the basis for stability." "Lebanon becomes strong through its strong institutions," he added. Furthermore, Williams noted that last weekend's developments at the Rafik Hariri International Airport would not affect the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 16:47

France Soothes Hizbullah: Indictment Not End of the World
Naharnet/France plans to help restore confidence and relieve Hizbullah concerns over a possible indictment against Hizbullah members for the 2005 assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.
"Paris intends to convey a message to Hizbullah to help it get out of the whirlpool," French Ambassador Denis Pietton said in remarks published Thursday by An-Nahar newspaper.
"This message aims to reassure Hizbullah that the indictment by the International Tribunal would not be the end of the world in the event Hizbullah members were accused of involvement in Hariri's assassination," Pietton explained. He said Paris was about to issue a statement expressing its deep concern over the "developments" that took place at Beirut airport, a reference to the so-called Hizbullah "invasion." Hizbullah supporters massed at Beirut airport on Saturday to "escort" Brig. Gen. Jamil Sayyed home. He came from France.
Sayyed was ordered to be summoned to appear before court for threatening Prime Minister Saad Hariri and State security.
"What happened is very worrying, and there was great fear of repercussions in light of the stepped up positions and attacks against Hariri and reactions from Mustaqbal Movement," Pietton said. The French ambassador, however, said Hizbullah is unlikely to repeat the May 7, 2008 incident when Hizbullah fighters took over most of west Beirut.
He believed events such as May 7 and that against UNIFIL in southern Lebanon recently are "difficult to reoccur."He said France was concerned over Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon. "While he (Ahmadinejad) is expected to provide strong support for Hizbullah, there is fear of what his statements may carry during his visit to south Lebanon and the possibility of delivering a strongly-worded speech at Fatmeh Gate against Israel," he said. Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 08:06

Sami Gemayel: The State is Not Being Objective in Applying the Law
Naharnet/halange Party MP Sami Gemayel noted on Thursday that the state is not being objective in applying the law as demonstrated in the developments at the Rafik Hariri International Airport on Saturday. He asked: "In what right do some individuals allow themselves to enter the airport grounds with armed convoys?" "The unacceptable statements and actions on television make us doubt the state's ability in imposing the law and constitution on all Lebanese," he added. Furthermore, Gemayel rejected "the state's lax approach in fully performing its duties, as well as its abandonment of its duties towards martyrs in light of statements issued against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon." Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 16:29

Aoun Urges Pope to Spread 'Culture of Openness, Not Intimidation'
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Thursday urged Pope Benedict XVI to "spread the culture of openness and not intimidation." "Spreading the concept of Islamic terrorism will lead to further instability," Aoun said in his letter to the Synod for the Middle East. Aoun said there were several reasons behind the exodus of Christians. "The exodus is not only because of Islamic extremism, but because of World War II, the establishment of Israel, the partition of Palestine, pressure on them, as well as for economic reasons," he explained. "Work on the Jewish state of Israel will lead to woes and tragedies and the Pope should pressure Israel to stop Judaizing Jerusalem and seek peace. Addressing the Pope, Aoun said "it is a mistake to approach the current reality to minorities and majorities." Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 12:04

Sayyed: Wissam al-Hasan Was Supposed to be in Hariri's Car on Assassination Day
Naharnet/Brig. Gen. Jamil Sayyed uncovered that police intelligence chief Col. Wissam al-Hasan was supposed to be in former-PM Rafik Hariri's car on the day of the assassination Feb. 14, 2005.Hasan "excused himself by saying that he has an exam, only to call asking to visit him (Hariri)," Sayyed told OTV. He attacked Prime Minister Saad Hariri, describing as "shameful" his comments during Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 07:00

Jumblat: Controlling the Situation is Nasrallah's, Hariri's Responsibility
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat said committing to calm media rhetoric was essential for the fight against issues like the false witnesses and indictments to be issued by the International Tribunal possibly against Hizbullah members. "It is important to adhere to a calm rhetoric as a gateway to engage into political debate in a calm atmosphere on how to organize a joint confrontation to the issues of false witnesses and the indictment," Jumblat said in remarks published Thursday by As-Safir newspaper. "Controlling the situation is primarily the responsibility of Mr. Hassan Nasrallah and Premier Saad Hariri," Jumblat stressed. He said it was now the responsibility of Lebanese judicial authorities to hold the false witnesses accountable and take this case "until the end." Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 10:46

Opposition, Regional Officials Upset by Jumblat
Naharnet/Hizbullah and its allies as well as regional officials were disturbed by Druze leader Walid Jumblat, Ad-Diyar newspaper reported on Thursday.
It owed this to Jumblat's remarks during Thursday's interview with LBC's Kalam el-Nass. Jumblat confirmed that he would not back down on his testimony before the International Tribunal despite promises he gave to these officials that he will back off testimony. Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 10:19

Lavrov Stresses Importance of Peace Talks on Syrian, Lebanese Tracks
Naharnet/Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hoped on Thursday that peace talks would resume on the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese tracks. In an interview with the Egyptian al-Ahram daily, Lavrov said Moscow holds onto its stance of the need to resume negotiations on all tracks. He said Russia is still planning to hold a peace conference on the Middle East.
Lavrov also expressed frustration for not being invited to the direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 10:33

Report: Chicago's Lebanese Bomb Suspect Wanted Quick Fame
Naharnet/A 22-year-old Lebanese immigrant accused of placing a backpack he thought contained a bomb near Chicago's Wrigley Field is no terrorist, just someone seeking quick fortune and fame in America, his attorney and a friend said Wednesday.
But a federal judge denied bail for Sami Samir Hassoun, determining he is dangerous and a flight risk.
"It's hard to imagine a more serious crime ... Although it was thwarted, it had the potential to kill many people," U.S. District Judge Susan Cox said Wednesday afternoon at Hassoun's detention hearing.
Prosecutors allege Hassoun took a fake bomb given to him by undercover FBI agents and dropped it Sunday in a trash bin near the historic home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. While harmless, the device appeared ominous — a paint can fitted with blasting caps and a timer.
Earlier Wednesday, restaurant owner Joseph Abraham told The Associated Press that Hassoun is well educated but also prone to big boasts, lies and bluffs. Those may have led his friend of more than a year to plant the bogus bomb, Abraham said.
"Half of the stuff he told you you couldn't believe — lies to show people he was a big shot," said Abraham, 49. "I think what got him into trouble was he was bluffing, and he got caught in a bluff."
Outside the courtroom, attorney Myron Auerbach also described his client as prone to embellish. He said Hassoun had difficulty backing away from dangerous situations but insisted, "My client is not a terrorist."
Auerbach said Hassoun was born in Beirut but spent much of his childhood in the west African nation of Ivory Coast, where his father had a business. The family was forced to flee for their lives as fighting broke out among various factions, he said.
"He saw death, mayhem and destruction as a small child," said Auerbach, who contends the trauma may have affected Hassoun's development.
The judge set Hassoun's next court date for Sept. 30. Auerbach is seeking a psychological evaluation for Hassoun, although he told the judge he believes his client is competent to stand trial.
Hassoun wore an orange jumpsuit over his slight frame at Wednesday's hearing, hunching his shoulders as he stood next to his attorney.
When a marshal removed his handcuffs, Hassoun nodded at relatives seated in the courtroom. One responded by appearing to blow a kiss at the defendant.
Hassoun was charged Monday with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and of an explosive device. If convicted of the first charge, he could face life in prison.
An informant tipped off authorities about Hassoun and befriended him for more than a year. At least two FBI undercover agents then got in touch, posing as co-plotters.
The complaint also says Hassoun waffled about his plans and motivations, talking about profiting monetarily. He also discussed wanting to spark revolution in Chicago, and he spoke of poisoning Lake Michigan or assassinating Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Prosecutors told the judge Wednesday that Hassoun was deadly serious about the plot.
"This is not a matter of talk or bravado," prosecutor Joel Hammerman said. "When the moment of action arrived ... he did so without hesitation."
But Auerbach raised the possibility that authorities tried to entice his client into committing the crime. He said he was weighing a possible entrapment defense.
"The reality is he wanted to make his confidential source happy," said Auerbach, arguing Hassoun was incapable of staging the incident on his own.
Hassoun, who immigrated with his parents and a younger brother nearly three years ago from Lebanon, speaks fluent Arabic, English and French, Abraham said. He also attended private school and at one point aspired to study medicine, Abraham recalled.
His version of the American dream, Abraham said, was "to make fast money" — and fast fame.
"The guy was starving for attention — any way he can get attention," said Abraham, who recalled first meeting Hassoun when the suspect worked at a nearby bakery and delivered baklava to Abraham's Lebanese restaurant in Chicago.
Abraham said Hassoun did not appear to have any affiliation with extremists. Although Hassoun came from a region in Lebanon where most people are Shiites, Abraham said, he wasn't religious himself — drinking and often going to nightclubs.
"He thought of himself as a ladies man," Abraham said. "He was from one girl to another — breaking up with people really fast. He was having problems."(AP) Beirut, 23 Sep 10, 07:41

Reactivating the Syrian track
Tony Badran, September 23, 2010
Now Lebanon/Last week, US officials came out with statements assuring that the Obama administration is committed to achieving “comprehensive peace,” which means at some point reactivating the Syrian track (and presumably the Lebanese one as well). However, there are questions regarding the prospects for such talks, and the assumptions behind them are equally shaky, fraught with problems and potential traps.
The statements came during a visit to Damascus by Special Envoy George Mitchell, barely two weeks after the resumption of direct talks on the Palestinian track. After meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mitchell laid down the administration’s line that the “effort to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in no way contradicts or conflicts with our goal of comprehensive peace, including peace between Israel and Syria.” However, he added, the foundation that supports this “comprehensive peace” was “good faith” negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, which had to be established first. Absent that, “anything that we would try to build with others in the region would not stand.”
The idea, therefore, seems to be to protect the fragile Palestinian track from outside sabotage by elements known for their spoiler role, namely Syria. This was made explicit by an anonymous US official who told the Christian Science Monitor: “If Hamas succeeds [in scuttling the talks], the prospects for eventual Syria-Israel talks are zero.”
This was not the first time that such a demand was made of the Syrians. When the Arab League follow-up committee met to support a Palestinian return to direct talks, the Syrians were asked to go along, but they have consistently refused to do so.
Mitchell then made a specific statement regarding the meaning of this “comprehensive peace” as being “the full normalization of relations between Israel and its neighbors.” It was curious that Mitchell chose to define “comprehensive peace” as “full normalization,” for it could be argued that nobody has played a more active role in fighting that concept than Bashar al-Assad. It was Assad who pushed for the watering down of that term in the Arab Peace initiative, and since then he has constantly and consistently dismissed it, calling it a “Western concoction” which “doesn’t exist” as far as Syria is concerned.
In fact, he has even downgraded the nature of a peace agreement to a mere “ceasefire” or “a piece of paper you sign,” but which precludes any notion of “trade, or normal relations, or borders, or otherwise.” In other words, as Assad had put it so succinctly, “They cannot expect me to give them the peace they expect.”
There are other, tactical reasons for skepticism, having to do with Assad’s numerous preconditions. For one, Assad insists that negotiations should resume where the Turkish-mediated talks with the Ehud Olmert government left off, and that there would be “no return to square one.”
Ever since those indirect talks, Assad has tried to create the perception of a new, Syrian-defined “deposit” – à la the infamous “Rabin deposit.” And so, Syrian sources told the Lebanese As-Safir that “Syria would not cooperate with any efforts that preclude a public Israeli acknowledgment to return the entire occupied Golan to Syria,” along with conditions guaranteeing such a return.
Similarly, immediately after Mitchell’s visit, Syrian sources told As-Sharq al-Awsat that “territory is not up for negotiation, and that it will be defined according to the border on June 4, 1967 as well as the six points Damascus presented in the indirect Israel-Syria talks through Turkish mediation.” Another report claimed a variant of this precondition, namely that the Americans should declare their commitment to the “Rabin deposit.” In other words, if Assad can’t get the Israelis to accept his condition, then he will try to obtain an American commitment with which to pressure Israel.
Additional preconditions are designed to boost Hamas’ and Syria’s position. One Syrian mouthpiece explained to the LA Times: “Before talks can take place, the siege on Gaza must be lifted, and there needs to be reconciliation between the Palestinian groups” – doubtless on Hamas’ terms.
Then there is Turkey. Turkish-Israeli relations remain tense, as evident from the recent refusal of the Turkish president to meet with his Israeli counterpart unless the latter offered a public apology for the flotilla incident.
So, in order to re-launch the Syrian track, the US would have to convince Israel to accept a host of preconditions, which seems rather unlikely given the concessions it is being asked to make on the Palestinian track, and on an issue over which Israeli public opinion is decidedly unenthusiastic.
Far more important is what the administration will do about the outstanding problem of Syrian arms transfers to Hezbollah, especially in light of the latest Russian announcement of the delivery of P-800 anti-ship missiles to Syria. A cause for concern in its own right, it’s all the more so given Syrian and Hezbollah threats about targeting Israeli ships in a future conflict. Back in May, the Syrian al-Watan revealed Damascus’ intent by providing exclusive details, such as the range of the “new” missiles to be used by Hezbollah, which fit the P-800’s profile.
The US position on Syrian arms transfers has been inconsistent, with some officials coming close to saying that the resolution of the problem should be expected to come only with a peace agreement, which plays well into the Syrians’ hands, affording them continued exceptionalism.
Israel, meanwhile, has given signals that Syria might not be immune to military retaliation in a future conflict. So the question becomes, will the US, eager to maintain the process, ignore the arms issue, and de facto deter Israel against such action?
As it pursues its tactic of coaxing Assad in order to shield the Palestinian track, the administration has to be very careful with its unilateral “goodwill” gestures as well. News reports claimed this week that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem will be meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York in a few days, which would be the highest-level meeting so far. The Syrians have long demanded such an upgrade, and have specifically asked for a visit by Clinton to Damascus (which is clearly not on the agenda).
At the same time, it was reported that the Italian authorities intercepted a shipment of military-grade explosives from Iran to Syria. Will the US proceed with the alleged meeting and allow the Syrians to frame its optics? Much will depend on how important the fate of the process is allowed to become to Washington. The emerging signs are not encouraging. One US official actually found it hopeful that, unlike Iran, "We don't hear negative statements from Syria." If that is the criterion, then good luck.
According to Mitchell, the administration expects that “comprehensive peace will travel the full distance from hope to reality.” If the statement of the above-mentioned official is any indication, it seems the ratio of woolly-eyed optimism to realism is severely on the side of the former.
**Tony Badran is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies

The US looks the other way as Lebanon slides towards chaos
Michael Young
The National/
Last Updated: September 22. 2010
Lebanon was tense last week, as Hizbollah continued to try to intimidate Prime Minister Saad Hariri into ending all Lebanese co-operation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which must judge those responsible for assassinating Rafiq Hariri, his father. So it was no surprise that many missed the visit to Beirut of the American special envoy for Middle East peace negotiations, George Mitchell. This was a fitting sign of Washington’s limitations in Lebanon.
The Obama administration has just appointed a new ambassador, Maura Connelly, one well experienced in regional affairs. Ms Connelly replaces a colleague never considered a powerhouse on the Lebanese scene, with some seeing in her a return to more assertive diplomacy. Not surprisingly, perhaps, the new ambassador served as a deputy to Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, himself the most assertive of ambassadors in Beirut when he served there around the time of the Hariri killing and afterward.
However, it will take more than a strong personality to reverse American difficulties in Lebanon. The country is hardly an administration priority, even less so when Barack Obama’s major preoccupations are domestic. Ms Connelly will struggle to place Lebanon higher up in Washington’s attentions. The task was made no easier when the Lebanese told Mr Mitchell that they would not now participate in direct peace talks with Israel.
Lebanon may not be important to Mr Obama, but to quote the title of a recent book on the country by journalist David Hirst, one should beware of small states (a phrase borrowed from Mikhail Bakunin, the Russian anarchist). Lebanon is the most likely venue for an Arab-Israeli war; it is a frontline in the conflict between the Arab world and Iran; the Lebanese state, over which Hizbollah has widespread control, is close to becoming the mere husk of a state, its sovereignty and independence fictitious; and, most worryingly, relations between Sunnis and Shiites in the country are worse than ever before, with chilling ramifications for the Middle East if they turn violent.
American policy towards Lebanon is handicapped by several failings. The US has no commanding presence on the ground in the country, with most senior political, security and intelligence posts controlled by Hizbollah or Syria. There are also fresh policy divergences in Washington specifically over military aid to the Lebanese army, especially after the exchange of fire along the Lebanese-Israeli border last month, which led to the death of three Lebanese, including two soldiers, and an Israeli officer. Several members of the US House of Representatives have put a hold on military assistance, arguing that Hizbollah has undue authority over the army.
The Obama administration, quite rightly, intends to carry on supplying the army, but the decision is a case of selecting the least-bad option. Hizbollah indeed has considerable sway over the military establishment, but for Washington to cut off all aid would only play in the party’s favour by delegitimising an institutional counterweight. In other words, it’s better to uphold a flawed Lebanese army that yet symbolises legality and state authority, than to isolate it and cede the terrain on matters of national defence entirely to Hizbollah.
Ongoing Lebanese friction over the Hariri tribunal also highlights American deficiencies. In 2004 and 2005, the Bush administration, along with French president Jacques Chirac, played a key role in shaping the political context for a Syrian military pullout from Lebanon. When Mr Hariri was murdered, Washington was essential in establishing a United Nations commission to investigate the crime, and subsequently provided impetus for the setting up of a mixed Lebanese-international tribunal to punish the guilty.
Today much has changed. Lebanon is deeply divided over the tribunal, with both Hizbollah and Syria pushing for the Lebanese government to torpedo its work by discrediting future indictments, which will reportedly target Hizbollah. It’s fair to say that Lebanese collaboration with the prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare, is under serious threat. Beirut is unlikely to implement his requests, especially the arrest of Hizbollah suspects. There is not much that outside countries can do to reverse the breakdown, since Mr Bellemare’s investigation is independent. However, this collapse is a major setback for those who ardently supported the legal process in the first place. It also imposes tough choices on the Obama administration.
Syria would apparently like to leverage its willingness to calm the antagonism in Beirut and enter regional peace talks in exchange for guarantees that the tribunal will not eventually turn its attention in Damascus’ direction. The US is unlikely to endorse such a quid pro quo, but the growing instability in Lebanon, Sunni-Shiite hostility, and Hizbollah’s domination of the political space are things the Americans have to factor into their calculations. The Syrians are hinting that if the tribunal one day weakens them, there will be no one to contain Hizbollah. It’s the most disingenuous of arguments, but it may gain resonance if Washington is looking for easy solutions in the region, not least in a place seen as being of secondary importance.
American officials would strongly deny any intention of approving a Syrian return to Lebanon, political and military, under the guise of controlling Hizbollah. However, the US has neither the means nor a well-defined policy to offer serious alternatives if Syria manoeuvres to have its way. Instead, the US is destined to remain reactive, with the initiative in the hands of forces in Lebanon and around it – Syria, Iran, Hizbollah, Saudi Arabia, and, indirectly, Israel. Small states can slip through big fingers, which is precisely why the US should beware.
**Michael Young is the opinion editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut and the author of The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle

Michel Aoun
September 22, 2010
On September 21, the Lebanese National News Agency carried the following report:
The head of the Change and Reform Bloc in parliament, Deputy General Michel Aoun, presided over the bloc’s weekly meeting in Rabieh. Following the meeting, General Aoun said:
Let us talk about the heated issues of the hour, which are rendered that way to conceal the wrongful practices and the violation of the laws and the constitution. We were accused of conducting a coup, and by the way let no one ask us to remain calm. We are very calm and are demanding a political, intellectual, cultural and peaceful revolution to improve the situation in the country and contain the governmental practices within the legal and constitutional frameworks. Does this necessitate calm? You must be the ones conducting this revolution with us instead of requesting calm which implies the disregarding of the violations and letting them proceed with their practices and their assaults against the citizens and their rights. This is what calm means. There is no calm in our battle for reform and change. This is the main headline and we want to reform the republic. As for those who do not want this reform, let them assume the responsibility because there is no immunity for any official in whichever position, to protect him from fcriticism when he violated the law which maintains his position…

Why do the false witnesses not stand before the judge? The politician preventing the witnesses from standing before the investigation judges – and we are not talking about standing trial – to see if they are guilty or not and the judge who issued a decision prohibiting their questioning are suspects. The judge and the politician who use their authority and positions to prevent the false witnesses from reaching an investigation judge are the objects of suspicion and the first ones accused. Who has an interest in manipulating the witnesses and the investigations? I call on the Lebanese people to wake up and stop following those who are taking them to the slaughter house, not to the path of salvation. We all want to know the truth and see those who committed the crime tried in court. However, we do not want the crime to be pinned on people who had nothing to do with it. We want the sanctioning of the criminal, the planner and the executor, as well as any person connected to the crime. Nonetheless, based on the law and the judiciary, if during a trial it turns out there is even one false witness, the sentence is postponed until this false witness is interrogated, so that he either recants his testimony and is held accountable for his recanting, or he is interrogated, tried in court and sentenced.
We cannot issue a sentence in a case where there were false witnesses during the interrogations or the hearings. All we are asking is for a respect for the law. We are not begging for anything.
Whether you like it or not, the false witnesses must be interrogated before the resumption of the investigations and the issuance of the indictment in The Hague… This week, we heard many speeches calling for the awakening of the Sunnis of Lebanon. For our part, we call on them to stand on our side and correct this twisted state and not to follow the sectarianism that is being instigated in them, because their security, interests and common life with the other Lebanese require the state to be sound.
Those who are yelling are the ones mostly benefiting from this odd situation, from the falsification, the waste of money and corruption.
We are not targeting the Sunnis. This episode of the series started in Nabieh. We asked questions of the president of the republic and two Christian ministers. When they did not answer, we said they were responsible and now they are guilty. Afterwards, we stirred the wound.
The head of the Internal Security Forces has become more important than the president of the republic and four ministers, including the interior minister, the boss of Ashraf Rifi and Wissam al- Hassan. The issue has truly exceeded all limits. We did not target the Sunnis and wish to reach an understanding with Islam as a whole and not just the Sunnis. Whoever will follow us on Thursday will know what we think about Islam and how much we work for the sake of Islam and for the sake of the Christians in this East. No one – under any circumstances – has the right to say what was said in Tripoli. How can the people in Tripoli take to the streets while carrying arms to demonstrate in support of the head of the International Security Forces who is supposed to suppress armed demonstrations? Who is causing riots? He is confirming our talk about the fact that he is violating the law when he speaks and instigates the people…
We respect the believers and the pious but are not afraid of the bigots. We confront the bigots and let no one blackmail us or try to scare us… This is our history, our culture and our religion. We are the religion of sacrifice and resurrection. Christianity is not scared to confront any injustice, so I hope that everyone will control their tongues and minds…

Sharia & The Constitution: Never the Twain Shall Meet
by Major Gen. Jerry Curry
09/21/2010/Human Events
Let me begin by saying something some may find quite controversial. To assume that Muslims appreciate and accept the same moral values as those cherished by our Founders is insanity bordering on stupidity. Consider that Islamic cultures embrace and institutionalize such things as the murder of innocents, mutilating little girls, men beating women, and parents training their four year old children to become suicide bombers.
Then consider that we Americans are governed by a Constitution that was designed to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. On the other hand, Muslims are governed by a constitutional substitute called sharia law. The two are mutually exclusive. You can follow one and not follow the other, but you cannot follow both at the same time.
America’s Declaration of Independence proclaims that governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. In this nation all power comes from the people not from Allah or the Koran. No nation can be governed by two Constitutions; the people will come to respect one and to despise the other.
According to the US Constitution man’s rights are unalienable and come from God. Islam does not believe in self-evident truths, natural law, or personal responsibility. Islam does not advance morality as a concept, for under Islam there is no such thing as objective right or wrong and man’s rights are only government handouts.
Islam is in the process of deconstructing the western world’s traditional freedoms and values because Islam is concerned with license not freedom. It is concerned with establishing a new world order based on sharia law, not justice. That is why there is such a titanic struggle taking place in the world today as to whether future civilizations will be built upon freedom, justice and the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God, or the capriciousness of Islam.
It is true that we are not at war with Islam, but it is equally true that Islam is at war with us.
Complicating things further no Muslim, including so-called Muslim Moderates, can or will dispute that the Koran approves of deliberately deceiving non-Muslims and telling them lies whenever it advances the Muslim cause. So is it possible to believe and rely on anything that a Muslim says or a Muslim state agrees to? Not hardly! That is why today the world stands at the brink of a cultural and religious abyss.
For example, Muslims declare Islam to be a “religion of peace.” Yet the facts are that according to Islam there can be no peace until all nations accept Islam as the one and only religion. That is, Islam says peace comes to the earth only when all the world’s nations surrender their sovereignty to serving Islam. That will never happen.
So as a practical matter, how can Israel enter into and honor a peace treaty with the Palestinians when that treaty may be based on deliberate lies? How can the United Nations believe that Iran will not further develop and increase its nuclear arsenal just because it signs an agreement saying that it will not?
Our Founders believed that American citizens had a God given right, rooted in self-government, to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Muslims do not share such beliefs. They see man’s rights not as self-evident, but as entitlements from Allah and as the poet said, “East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet.”
**Major Gen. Jerry R. Curry (US Army Ret.) Ph.D. is a decorated combat veteran, Army Aviator, Paratrooper and Ranger who has served his country both in the military and as a Presidential appointee in three administrations. He is also the author of "From Private to General" (Believe Books)


What price for Bashar Assad's backing?
By Michael Young
Commentary by
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Walid Jumblatt has been apocalyptic in predicting what lies ahead for Lebanon. The Druze leader may be overstating things, but is legitimately worried about a Sunni-Shiite conflict over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He is also apparently defining a new role for himself: that of midwife to a Syrian military return to Lebanon.
“We’re heading toward civil war if things remain as they are,” Jumblatt told me this week.
“What about the Syrians?” I asked. “We should stop this fixation on the Syrians. They can’t do anything if the situation begins deteriorating; they don’t have troops on the ground,” he replied. “But they would like to,” I said.
“And why not, I would support this,” Jumblatt interjected; “This is not a nation but a collection of tribes. You can quote me.”
When Jumblatt makes such statements, there is usually something behind it. After the Burj Abi Haidar clashes, Wi’am Wahhab, a faithful conveyor of the Syrian mindset, warned that Damascus would intervene using all possible means to prevent a Sunni-Shiite conflict in Lebanon. At the time Jumblatt and the parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, also played up the sectarian nature of the fighting, implying that foreign, read Syrian, intercession might one day be required.
That the Syrians never abandoned the idea of returning to Lebanon militarily after 2005 is and always was evident. But it’s not easy, because those with the most to lose from Syria’s comeback are Iran and Hizbullah. Neither Damascus nor Tehran will enter into open conflict over Lebanon, since their interests coincide on many fronts. However, after five years during which Hizbullah took hold of the commanding heights of the Lebanese state, transforming it into an Iranian card in the Levant, the party has no desire, and Iran no intention, of reverting to the time when Hizbullah hewed to Syrian priorities.
Where is Syria today? The elusiveness of an answer has confused both Hizbullah and Saad Hariri, with his Saudi sponsors. It appears the Saudis are angry with Syria’s President Bashar Assad for allowing Hizbullah, through General Jamil al-Sayyed, and Michel Aoun to attack the prime minister as they have. More important, the Saudis are unhappy that their agreement with Syria over Iraq is unraveling, now that Assad appears to have embraced the Iranian and American view that Nouri al-Maliki must be reappointed prime minister in Baghdad. The Saudis had hoped that, with Syrian backing, they could derail that project, but Assad has little leverage in Iraq, other than violence, to oppose a tacit American-Iranian understanding.
That is why Hariri arrived from Saudi Arabia this week raising the ante, declaring that he would continue to support the special tribunal. A report on MTV Tuesday suggested that a Saudi envoy (unnamed, but presumably King Abdullah’s son Abdel-Aziz) visited Damascus and told the Syrians that they were not respecting the agreement reached in Beirut last month between Assad and King Abdullah. The agreement held that all disputes would be settled within the national unity government, and that stability in Lebanon would prevail.
If the report is correct, the envoy was engaged in a preemptive move, because until now Syria has held up its end of the bargain. While the ramifications of the Burj Abi Haidar incident are still obscure, the bottom line of that confrontation was that in the future if Hizbullah decides on a military operation in western Beirut to intimidate Hariri, it might find itself fighting pro-Syrian Sunni armed groups.
As for bringing down the government, the recent arrest by the Internal Security Forces’ Information Branch of Fayez Karam, an adviser to Michel Aoun, for allegedly being an Israeli spy, is a convenient deterrent to Aoun. The general may discover that if he were to follow Hizbullah out of the government, others in his entourage might suddenly be accused of Israeli ties. And as Aoun knows, the Information Branch has been coordinating with the former head of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon, Rustom Ghazaleh. The Karam arrest may well have been concocted in Beirut and Damascus.
What worries the Saudis is that Assad will give up on the Beirut agreement once he faces Hizbullah and Iranian determination to undermine the Hariri tribunal. When the Hizbullah parliamentarian Nawaf al-Musawi describes an indictment against Hizbullah as “a new May 17 agreement,” in reference to the Israeli-Lebanese withdrawal agreement of 1983; when the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, plans to visit Beirut in mid-October largely to reassert his stake in Lebanon’s future; when those things occur, it is understandable that the Saudis doubt Syrian resolve, above and beyond their natural fear of Syrian duplicity.
Hizbullah is putting out word that it may soon strike a debilitating blow against the tribunal. Perhaps, but what would the consequences be? Assad spent years patiently bringing Saad Hariri and the Sunnis back to Syria’s door. He managed to get Hariri to declare Syria innocent of Rafik Hariri’s murder. Assad also reintegrated Syria into the Arab fold through his reconciliation with the Saudis, while avoiding a divorce with Iran. It’s doubtful that Syria would surrender these gains by allowing Hizbullah to devastate the Sunnis, now once again allies of Damascus, unless of course Assad can take advantage of the ensuing sectarian conflagration to bring Syrian soldiers back to Lebanon.
That’s a long shot. Hariri is playing for time, awaiting the tribunal’s indictment, after which he possibly imagines that he can bargain with Hizbullah over the party’s weapons. That is terribly optimistic, especially as Syria will have demands of its own. But Syria’s ambiguity on the tribunal and on stability in Lebanon will persist – its playing both sides of the Lebanese coin. This worries everyone, and Assad is delighted. Worrying everyone makes him more valuable, and it means he can raise his price on all comers, Iranian and Saudi.
**Michael Young is opinion editor of THE DAILY STAR and author of “The Ghosts of Martyrs Square: An Eyewitness Account of Lebanon’s Life Struggle” (Simon & Schuster).

Algeria: Christians on trial for breaking Ramadan fast
By Robert Spencer/on Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Here is yet another example of how non-Muslims are compelled to observe Islamic rules and mores when in Muslim countries. And of course we see increasingly that when in non-Muslim countries, Muslims demand special privileges and accommodation for their practices. At no point is there ever any concession or gesture of good will from the Muslim side. Yet this unilateral intransigence is persistently ignored, downplayed or mischaracterized by Western observers. "Algerian Christians under trial for breaking Ramzan fast," from AFP, September 21 (thanks to Mukund):AIN EL HAMMAM: Two Algerian Christians were tried on Tuesday for breaking Ramadan fasting rules, with hundreds of people protesting outside the courtroom against judicial authorities. Hocine Hocini and Salem Fellak were arrested on August 13 on the building site where they worked in the northern region of Kabylie after they were spotted eating lunch, which they admit to doing but insist happened in a discreet place. Muslims are not allowed to eat during daylight hours during the Ramadan holy month, and in Algeria breaking the fast can be punished with three months in jail. "I am optimistic," Hocini, who is a Protestant, said as he left the courtroom in Ain el Hammam after the hearing. The verdict is due on October 5. "We are innocent, and we haven't done any harm to anyone," he said. "We are Christians and we have not eaten in a public place," he said. Hundreds of people supporting the two accused gathered outside the court and shouted slogans against the judiciary....

Government of Canada Publishes Ninth Quarterly Report on Canada’s Engagement in Afghanistan
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2010/308.aspx
(No. 308 - September 22, 2010 - 4:10 p.m.) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan, today released the Government of Canada’s ninth quarterly report on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan. This report covers the period from April 1 to June 30, 2010, and highlights Canada’s efforts to increase the Government of Afghanistan’s capacity to deliver basic services to Afghans.
“We should be proud of the contributions made by the Canadian Forces and Canadian civilians working to achieve progress in Afghanistan,” said Minister Cannon. “Every advancement is significant to the lives of Afghans, particularly given the complex and challenging environment in which positive changes are taking place.”
In this quarter, Canada achieved two more of its 2011 targets. To date, 574 square kilometres of land have been released to Afghans as free of mines and remnants of war. Canada also met its target for the completion of planned infrastructure projects. The two remaining infrastructure projects were completed at Sarpoza Prison, such as repairs to security infrastructure and refurbishment of prisoner quarters, in keeping with international standards and best practices. Improved infrastructure, as well as Canada’s efforts in training and mentoring Afghan corrections officials, are contributing to the improvement of law and order in Kandahar Province. Canada’s efforts at Sarpoza Prison are also seen as an example of progress.
Other achievements this quarter include:
Canada completed three more schools, for a total of 19, with another 24 under construction.
Over 52,000 cubic metres of silt were removed as part of the repair of the Dahla Dam and its irrigation system to provide a secure supply of irrigation water to Kandaharis.
More than 390,000 children in Kandahar province received polio vaccinations in each of two campaigns.
Advancements were also made in training and mentoring Afghan forces:
Basic training was provided to 87 Afghan National Police officers.
The Afghan National Army Junior Staff Officer Course graduated 47 students.
Another 45 students graduated from the Afghan National Customs Academy.
The new Afghan Border Police Faculty was inaugurated in June.
Canada is in Afghanistan with over 60 other nations and international organizations, at the request of the Afghan government and as part of a UN-mandated, NATO-led mission.
The ninth quarterly report on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan is available at: Canada’s Engagement in Afghanistan, Report to Parliament, April 1 to June 30, 2010.
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Melissa Lantsman
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
613-995-1851
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874

Communique CLDH - General Fayez Karam
Call for the immediate release of retired General Fayez Karam who is arbitrarily detained in a "special prison"
The multiple violations of the detainee's rights, as guaranteed by the Lebanese law and Lebanon’s international commitments, are so serious that his detention is arbitrary. The proceedings against the officer should be immediately canceled and the latter released.
CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights) representatives have tried to visit General Fayez Karam in Roumieh prison this week (building called "Maalumet” managed by the intelligence services of the Internal Security Forces) but could not access the place of detention which the guards themselves qualify as a "special prison" which is not accessible to NGOs contrarily to other areas of the central prison.
This visit attempt was motivated by concerns about the detainee’s physical, psychological and legal conditions.
In fact, since his arrest on August 3, 2010, General Karam has been under the custody of the same security forces which carried out his arrest and interrogation, which impairs his right to defend himself and places him at risk of being subjected to pressures, if not to torture.
Moreover, according to the information available, General Karam has to this day not been granted the right to talk face to face with his lawyers, in contradiction with Article 14 paragraph 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by Lebanon[5] and with the Lebanese Prison Internal Code which states that lawyers' visits can take place "without the presence of a guard if the defendant or the attorney requests it.”
In addition, following his arrest, General Karam was allegedly detained incommunicado and interrogated without the assistance of counsel during eight days before being presented to an investigating judge, in the presence of his lawyer but without having been able to talk with him previously in contradiction with Article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure[6] and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[7].
In addition to these violations of procedure, General Karam was victim of libel on the part of some unscrupulous media, which pretended to make his alleged confession public even before the file was referred to the Justice System. This may constitute a serious violation to the confidentiality of the investigation and the presumption of innocence which the inmate is supposed to benefit from, notably under Article 14 paragraph 2[8] of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
CLDH considers that under these conditions, General Karam is not only subjected to arbitrary detention, but also at risk for his physical and psychological integrity, especially as he is 62 years old and has serious health problems.
The Lebanese Center for Human Rights calls on the Lebanese judicial authorities:
• To order an immediate investigation to determine those responsible for the serious human rights violations perpetrated against General Karam
• To immediately release General Karam pending the results of the investigation on the violations which he seems to have suffered
• Cancel any statement that the defendant has made during his arbitrary detention
CLDH urges the Ministry of Interior to take the necessary measures to place the building called "Maalumet" in Roumieh prison under the direction of the Internal Security Forces and their rules.
CLDH request the bars of Lebanon to take immediate action to put an end to de facto restrictions imposed on lawyers’ practice, and in particular the lack of privacy in meetings.
CLDH also urges the syndicate of journalists to apply Lebanese law and journalistic ethics that journalists must follow so the latter may cease to violate almost systematically the confidentiality of investigations and the presumption of innocence of those arrested.
CLDH holds the Lebanese authorities responsible for the physical and psychological integrity of General Karam and reserves the right to take all necessary measures at the international level to preserve the rights of the detainee.
Beirut, September 23, 2010
Press Contact: Wadih Al-Asmar 70 950 780

Appel pour la libération immédiate du Général à la retraite Fayez Karam, détenu arbitrairement dans une « prison spéciale »
Les violations multiples des droits du détenu, tels que garantis par la loi libanaise et les engagements internationaux du Liban, sont d’une gravité telle que sa détention est arbitraire. La procédure engagée contre l’officier doit donc être immédiatement annulée et ce dernier libéré.
Des représentants du CLDH (Centre Libanais des Droits Humains) ont essayé cette semaine de rendre visite au Général Fayez Karam à la prison de Roumieh (bâtiment dit « Maalumet », relevant des services de renseignements des Forces de Sécurité Intérieure) mais n’ont pu accéder au lieu de détention que ses gardes qualifient eux-mêmes de « prison spéciale», à laquelle les ONG ne peuvent accéder contrairement aux autres secteurs de la prison centrale.
Cette tentative de visite était motivée par les inquiétudes concernant la situation physique, psychologique et légale du détenu.
En effet, depuis son arrestation le 3 août 2010, le Général Karam est sous la garde des mêmes forces de sécurité ayant procédé à son arrestation, et à son interrogatoire, ce qui altère son droit à se défendre et le place au risque d’être soumis à des pressions sur sa personne, voire à la torture.
Par ailleurs, selon les informations disponibles, le Général Karam n’a à ce jour toujours pas eu le droit de s’entretenir en tête a tête avec ses avocats, ceci en contradiction notamment avec l’article 14 alinéa 3 du Pacte International relatif aux droits civils et politiques ratifié par le Liban [9] et avec le règlement intérieur des prisons libanaises qui stipule que les visites des avocats peuvent se dérouler « sans la présence d’un gardien si le prévenu ou l’avocat en formulent la demande ».
En outre, suite à son arrestation, le Général Karam aurait été détenu au secret et interrogé sans l’assistance de son avocat durant 8 jours, avant d’être présenté à un juge d’instruction, en présence de son avocat mais sans avoir pu s’entretenir préalablement avec ce dernier, en contradiction avec l’article 47 du Code de Procédure Pénale[10] et l’article 14 du Pacte International relatif aux droits civils et politiques[11].
Outre ces violations dans la procédure, le Général Karam aurait été victime de diffamation de la part de certains médias peu scrupuleux, qui auraient prétendu rendre publics ses « aveux », avant même que la Justice n’ait été saisie du dossier. Ceci pourrait constituer une grave atteinte au secret de l’instruction et à la présomption d’innocence dont le détenu est supposé bénéficier, notamment en vertu de l’article 14 alinéa 2[12] du Pacte International relatif aux droits civils et politiques.
Le CLDH considère que dans ces conditions, le Général Karam est non seulement soumis à une détention arbitraire, mais également à des risques pour son intégrité physique et psychologique, d’autant que l’intéressé est âgé de 62 ans et présente de sérieux problèmes de santé.
Le Centre Libanais des Droits Humains demande aux autorités judiciaires libanaises :
•D’ordonner une enquête immédiate pour déterminer les responsables des violations gravissimes des droits humains dont aurait été victime le Général Karam
•De libérer immédiatement le Général Karam en attendant les résultats de l’enquête sur les violations qu’il semble avoir subies
•D’annuler toute déposition que le prévenu aurait faite au cours de sa détention arbitraire
Le CLDH demande au Ministère de l’Intérieur de prendre les mesures qui s’imposent pour que le bâtiment dit « Maalumet » au sein de la prison de Roumieh soit placé sous la direction des prisons des Forces de Sécurité Intérieure et soumis à leur règlement.
Le CLDH demande aux Barreaux du Liban de prendre des mesures immédiates pour mettre un terme aux restrictions imposées de facto aux avocats dans leur exercice, et en particulier l’absence de confidentialité des entretiens.
Le CLDH demande aussi à l’ordre des journalistes de faire appliquer la loi libanaise et la déontologie journalistique auxquels sont soumis les journalistes pour que ces derniers cessent enfin de violer quasi systématiquement le secret des instructions et la présomption d’innocence des personnes arrêtées.
Le CLDH tient les autorités libanaises pour responsables de l’intégrité physique et psychologique du Général Karam et se réserve le droit de prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires au niveau international pour la préservation des droits du détenu.
Beyrouth, le 23 septembre 2010
Contact presse : Wadih Al-Asmar 70 950 780
Marie DAUNAY
President
Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
Bakhos blg. 1st floor, St. Joseph Hospital Street
Dora – Beirut, Lebanon
Tel : 01 24 00 23 / 03 887 108
www.cldh-lebanon.org

[1] لكل متهم بجريمة أن يتمتع أثناء النظر في قضيته [...] أن يعطى من الوقت ومن التسهيلات ما يكفيه لإعداد دفاعه وللاتصال بمحام يختاره بنفسه."
[2] تنصّ المادة 47 من قانون الإجراءات الجزائية على أنّ المتهم يتمتع أثناء احتجازه (بحق) الاتصال بأحد أفراد عائلته (و) بمقابلة محام، وبالتالي لا يمكن لاحتجازه أن يتجاوز مدة الثمانية وأربعين ساعة قابلة للتجديد مرة واحدة.
[3] ينص الدستور اللبناني بوضوح على أسبقية المعاهدات الدولية التي يصدق عليها البلد على القانون المحلي.
[4] "من حق كل متهم بارتكاب جريمة أن يعتبر بريئا إلى أن يثبت عليه الجرم قانونا"
[5] “In the determination of any criminal charge against him, everyone shall be entitled to (…) adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence and to communicate with counsel of his own choosing.”
[6] Article 47 of the Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that during his detention, the suspect has the right to contact a member of his family (and) to meet with a lawyer; moreover custody cannot exceed 48 hours, renewable once.
[7] The Lebanese constitution clearly stipulates the primacy of international treaties ratified by the country over national legislation.
[8] “Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall have the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.”
[9] « Toute personne accusée d’une infraction pénale a droit […] à disposer du temps et des facilites nécessaires a la préparation de sa défense et a communiquer avec le conseil de son choix. »
[10] L’article 47 du Code de Procédure Pénale prévoit que pendant sa garde à vue, le suspect dispose (du) droit de contacter un membre de sa famille (et) de rencontrer un avocat ; par ailleurs la garde à vue ne peut excéder 48h renouvelable une fois.
[11] La Constitution du Liban stipule clairement la primauté des traités internationaux ratifiés par le pays sur le droit national.
[12] « Toute personne accusée d’une infraction pénale est présumée innocente jusqu'à ce que sa culpabilité ait été légalement établie ».