LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
May 15/12
Bible Quotation for today/Our
Resurrection
01 Corinthians 15/12-19/2 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised
from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? If
that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; and if Christ has not been
raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to
believe. More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said
that he raised Christ from death—but if it is true that the dead are not raised
to life, then he did not raise Christ. For if the dead are not raised, neither
has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a
delusion and you are still lost in your sins. It would also mean that the
believers in Christ who have died are lost. If our hope in Christ is good for
this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all
the world.
Latest analysis, editorials, studies,
reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
The Gulf Union and
those who harbor reservations/By Tariq
Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 14/12
Iran: Just like Al
Qaeda/By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 14/12
Palestinians and Assad: It’s complicated/By: Alex
Rowell and Luna Safwan/May 14/12
My apprehensions about the Gulf Union/By
Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat/May 14/12
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for
May 14/12
IDF
official: Iran could order Hezbollah hit on Israel
Tripoli clashes after direct
orders from Assad to Lebanese army
Israel fears nuclear deal between Iran, world powers as Baghdad talks draw near
Canada Remains Concerned by Iran’s Continued Persecution of Bahá’ís and Other
Religious Minorities
Heavy clashes
between Syrian army, rebels in Rastan
More than 60 nuclear experts at
work building Iranian nuclear bomb
New image reportedly depicts Iran's secret military nuclear testing site
Clashes Renew, Army Deploys after 4 Die in Rival Tripoli Districts Fighting
Al-Mustaqbal Urges Miqati to Resign and Tripoli MPs to Boycott Parliamentary
Sessions
Mikati
says Tripoli’s security is a “red line”
Future
bloc MPs criticize Nasrallah’s speech
Jumblatt wants “political solution” for Tripoli events
Higher
Defense Council’s decisions on Tripoli to remain “confidential”
Islamists end Tripoli protest, clashes subside
Lebanese army deploys in Tripoli
Hezbollah official Nabil Qawouk: March 14 participating in aggression against
Syria
Grand
Mufti condemns Tripoli clashes; children spotted carrying weapons
Minieh-Donniyeh MPs condemn Tripoli clashes
March
14 delegation visits Syrian refugees in Aarsal
Future
bloc MP Khaled al-Daher: Arresting Mawlawi from Safadi’s office, an ‘insult’ to
premier
Jumblat Warns of 'Traps Set by Syrian Regime to Deviate Attention from its
Crisis'
Defense Council Urges Heeding Needs of Army, Security Forces, Safadi to Sue
General Security
Syrian
opposition chief ready to hand over leadership
Syria troops seize Sunni village, kill seven: activists
Tripoli clashes after direct
orders from Assad to Lebanese army
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report
May 14, 2012/Syrian ruler Bashar Assad is no longer relying on Iranian agents in
Lebanon and Hizballah to lead the covert war against his Western and Arab foes.
debkafile’s military sources disclose that he is now issuing direct instructions
to the Lebanese army (56,000 men) on their roles in operations for suppressing
the Syrian uprising.
The immediate result was a flare-up of armed hostilities in the mixed northern
Lebanese city of Tripoli. Since Saturday, May 12, the various armed groups and
sects have been at each other’s throats: the local Alawites who side with the
Syrian ruler and the Lebanese Army on the one side, but separate, and Sunni
groups led by former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, his Al-Mustaqbal and
Salafite militias, on the other. The Lebanese army is
keeping the numbers of fatalities quiet, admitting to only three, hoping to keep
the unrest in the sectarian war-prone country under control. But Monday, one
person was killed and 10 injured in early morning fighting.Our military sources
report that the clashes in Tripoli are an offshoot of the six-month bloody
contest between Assad’s tanks and rebel forces in the Syrian city of Homs.
Lebanese Sunni elements have been pumping fighters, arms, money, medicines and
food to beleaguered rebel forces in Homs.
Saad Hariri, a Sunni leader, has sworn to topple Assad whose agents assassinated
his father, the former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, in 2005. His Al-Mustaqbal
group has established a forward command in Tripoli to provide the Syrian rebels
with logistical backing.Then, there are the Salafist militias commanded by
Sheikh Shadi Al-Mawlawi which aid Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda elements in
Syria. They distribute the arms, ammunition, money and inside intelligence
supplied them by Saudi and Qatari security agencies.
To cut the Syrian rebels’ lifeline at source, the Syrian General Staff in
Damascus last week sent the Lebanese Chief of Staff Gen. Jean Kahwagi a crude
ultimatum: Take care of the Syrian rebels’ helpers in Tripoli, or else the
Syrian army will enter Lebanon and do the job itself.
In response, the Lebanese General Security Department began rounding up key
Sunni figures actively supporting Syrian rebels. Saturday, the Salafist sheikh
Al-Mawlawi was placed in custody on charges of “terrorist operations.”
The Sunni militias, aware that the Lebanese security officers had acted
on orders from Damascus rather than Beirut, then turned on Assad’s Alawite
sympathizers in Tripoli force an end to the arrests and the release of
detainees.Sunday, Hariri’s outfit demanded that Prime Minister Nabil Miqati
resign for failing to stop the bloodshed in Tripoli – and indirectly implying
that he must stop playing ball with Damascus. He rejected Miqati statement that
a decision was taken by national government in Beirut “not to provide political
cover for any security violator in the northern city of Tripoli.”
To stem the flow of war materiel to the rebels, Assad’s border units are also
subjecting Lebanese border villages to frequent cross-border shelling, supported
on the other side by Hizballah under joint Syrian command.
IDF official: Iran could order
Hezbollah hit on Israel
AFP 05.14.12/Ynetnews
Any new confrontation with Shiite terror group would likely be over much faster
than 34-day war in 2006, army official says, adding 'Nasrallah still licking his
wounds'
Lebanon’s Hezbollah may not want a new war with Israel but an order to attack
would come from Tehran in the event of a strike on Iran, a senior military
official in Israel’s northern command told AFP. And should another conflict
break out between Israel and the Shiite terrorist group, it would be “much
faster” than the 34-day war of 2006, said the official, who asked not to be
identified.
Any military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would likely spark a deadly
response from its ally Hezbollah, whose leader Hassan Nasrallah warned on Friday
that its missiles could strike anywhere inside the Jewish state.
But senior military officials do not believe Nasrallah wants another war
with Israel and would only attack as a direct result of orders from Tehran.
“The biggest spending of Iran in 30 years has been on the nuclear program, and
Hezbollah is the second,” the Israeli official told AFP, adding that Tehran’s
aim was to create “Iranian footprints near the border with Israel.” “If
something would happen in Iran, it’s a tool that they can use in all kinds of
scenarios,” he said.“They (Iran) have so many high-ranking officials in Lebanon.
I don’t think this is a decision of Nasrallah -- he will get orders. That’s why
he was created,” said the official.
“If you ask Nasrallah today, he would say ‘no’ (to a new war with Israel) but I
don’t think that’s his call,” he said. “Nasrallah understood the power of Israel
and he is still licking his wounds.”
He said other scenarios which could spark a new conflict between Israel and
Hezbollah include an attack on Israelis abroad or the transfer to Hezbollah of
chemical weapons from Syria, in the midst of its brutal crackdown on protests.
Any new confrontation would likely be over much faster than the 34-day
conflict which erupted in July 2006, said the military official for the northern
region which borders Israel. “This will be much
shorter, much faster than the month” it took last time, he said. “The most
important mission today is to win decisively in any kind of war in Lebanon. If
you win, you win -- everybody sees it.”He said Israel’s biggest challenge in any
new conflict would be Hezbollah’s positioning of weapons in the heart of
civilian areas in around 100 Lebanese towns and villages along the border.
“In the villages there are three-story houses: on one floor there are rockets,
then there is a family on the next floor, then a (military) headquarters then
another family. The people that live there are human shields,” he said.
“Every Shiite village has become such a compound. The great challenge
will be to deal with all these compounds.”
Canada Remains Concerned by
Iran’s Continued Persecution of Bahá’ís and Other Religious Minorities
May 14, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following
statement:
“Canada remains deeply concerned by Iran’s ongoing, persistent and pervasive
persecution of religious minorities.
“Today, on the fourth anniversary of the arbitrary arrest and detention of seven
Iranian Bahá'í community leaders, we are again reminded of the troubling state
of human rights in Iran.
“Iranian authorities continually undermine the right to freedom of religion by
tolerating and even encouraging persecution of Baha'is, Christians and members
of other minority religious communities. Freedom of religion is a universal
human right.“Canada is a vigorous defender of freedom, democracy, human rights
and the rule of law around the world.
“We urge Iran to uphold its international obligations and allow for freedom of
religion, and to respect the fundamental rights of its people.”
Tonight, May 14, 2012, members of Parliament from all parties will participate
in a debate in the House of Commons on Iran’s horrific human-rights record.
Israel fears nuclear deal between
Iran, world powers as Baghdad talks draw near
By Reuters | May.14,2012/ Seven days before the opening of the next round of
Iran nuclear talks, the pressure is on, as the media spins every trickle of
information leaked about Iran. Troubled by a possible deal between Iran and the
world powers, Israel views the talks, set to take place on May 23 in Baghdad,
with some bitterness, perhaps even with hopes that they will fail completely.
The leak concerning the facilities for nuclear fuse testing at the Parchin
military base, published by the Associated Press on Sunday, added to the tension
surrounding negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program between the six powers – the
U.S., Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain – and the Islamic Republic..
The interest behind leaking the information could belong to one of the powers
who wishes to push Iran further into a corner and force the Islamic Republic
into making more concessions in the negotiations.
Alternatively, the leak could benefit Israel, as Israel tries to make it clear
to the world powers that only partial demands on Iran will not put a stop to the
county’s military nuclear program.
Added to all of the leaks of information about Parchin was a message from the
Iranian opposition group, People's Mujahedin of Iran, which was issued over the
weekend. The organization, which was first to uncover Iran’s Natanz facility in
2002 and has connections with various western intelligence organizations,
released a statement claiming that 60 Iranian nuclear scientists are working as
part of a secret Iranian Defense Ministry unit, charged solely with the task of
producing a nuclear bomb.
As the date of the Baghdad talks approaches, the feeling in Jerusalem is that
Iran and the world powers are striving to reach a preliminary agreement
concerning the nuclear program, which could forge a base for a permanent
agreement between Iran, the U.S. and the other powers.
Wednesday's visit to Jerusalem by Catherine Ashton, European Union High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, which included a long
meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials in his
cabinet, only enhanced that feeling. Ashton, who led the negotiations on behalf
of the six world powers, said to Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign
Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and Vice Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz that she is not
naïve about Iran’s intentions.
When she returned to Brussels, however, Ashton told reporters that she hoped
that the upcoming round of talks in Baghdad will be the “beginning of the end”
of Iran’s military nuclear program.
According to the evidence, Iran and the world powers are on their way to an
“intermediate agreement.” Such an agreement would allow Iran to enrich uranium
to the high level of 20%, approaching the levels for a nuclear weapon. Iran
however, would be forced to stop enriching the uranium at the underground,
fortified facility at Fordo, near the city of Qom, as part of the agreement.
Iran would also have to rid itself of 100 kilograms of enriched uranium already
it already possesses.
In return, the world powers will suspend some of the sanctions already leveled
on Iran. The EU oil embargoes as well as the American sanction against Iran’s
central bank are set to go into effect on July 1; however no further sanctions
will be implemented. Iran will also receive a shipment of nuclear fuel rods to
power its nuclear reactors. The U.S. and the other powers explain that such an
intermediate agreement would effectively halt Iranian progress toward a nuclear
weapon, even if it will not completely solve the Iranian nuclear issue. Such an
agreement will buy time for more talks, and tie Israel’s hands in terms of
carrying out a unilateral strike.Israel completely rejects any kind of
intermediate agreement. Up until this point, the Israeli position has not held
even an inch of flexibility on the subject. Most likely, any outcome from the
next round of talks, save for failure, will garner furious reactions from
Jerusalem.
It was enough to listen to Ehud Barak’s remarks this morning, to understand just
how much Israel dreads such an agreement. “The powers must demand that any deal
accepted by Iran will include a stop in progress on Iran’s nuclear capability,”
said Barak in an interview with Army Radio. “If the demands are expressed in the
minimalistic manner which we suspect, Iran could agree to all of them, and still
be able to continue progressing toward a nuclear weapon. In such a case these
talks will not help in stopping Iran,” said Barak.
A few weeks ago, however, Barak demonstrated willingness to allow Iran to
continue enriching Uranium at the low level of 3.5%. On Monday morning, Barak
fell in line with Netanyahu, and pointed out that Israel made it clear to
Ashton, the U.S., Germany, France, and Britain that the demand on Iran must be
to stop all enrichment of uranium, not just enrichment to 20%.
“Enrichment to 3.5% must be stopped, and all uranium, or almost all uranium
already enriched to 3.5% must be taken out of Iran, so that after the talks,
Iran will not be able to continue toward its goal of a nuclear weapon,” said
Barak on Monday morning. “If less than those demands are made at the start,
China and Russia will dilute them further… the result would be too little, and
won’t accomplish the goal, leaving the issue completely unresolved. I’m afraid
that that’s the situation,” said Barak.
A senior Israel official involved in the Iran issue summed up the issue.
“Israel’s main concern is if the talks lead to the stop of Iran’s nuclear
program, or create a platform that buys Iran time, while eroding sanctions, said
the official. “As far as we know, there has been no strategic decision among
Iranian leadership to change directions on the nuclear program. The recent
positive statements made by Iran are meant to create an impression of moderation
and a bolster relations with the world powers, but there is no real fundamental
change in Teheran,” continued the official.
The Gulf Union and those who
harbor reservations
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
There are two things I do not understand at all: Firstly, why do the Gulf States
which are eager to create a Gulf Union not explain their reasons, and secondly
why do those who have reservations not explain their reasons? Both parties are
committed to silence, while we are involved in a cultural and media debate. It
may be that this debate reflects the points of view of the supporters and the
opposition, but we have not heard any official talk to clarify matters. The Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) becoming a union is not a political or financial
luxury; rather there are many factors to justify it. There is the conspiring
Iranian regime, which does not hesitate to use all its capabilities to undermine
the region, specifically the Gulf States. In contrast, the Gulf States use their
finances to build and improve their own countries, and hence each state has its
own policies, military budgets and so on, which can in turn be a drain on the
unity of the region. The story does not only involve Iran, the conditions of the
Arab world as a whole are conflicting with many unknown features. It is the
belief of many specialists and research centers, and even some international
organizations, that the Arab region will be engulfed in chaos for approximately
the next ten years! Anyone contemplating the reality of Yemen, Iraq or Syria,
will be aware of the undoubted danger of the situation.
The story does not stop here. When the Gulf States see what is happening in
Syria, for example, with the systematic killings at the hands of the al-Assad
regime, and the international community continuing to stand by despite the
Syrian death toll nearing 12,000, we should ask ourselves a specific question:
What if Iran occupied, or struck one of the Gulf States, could we expect any
real action to deter Iran from the West? Regardless of Iran, it is well known
that the new generation of GCC representatives has bold ambitions to upgrade
from the idea of Gulf cooperation to a form of union. We all know – and this has
been well documented – that with each GCC summit meeting, elites and
intellectuals emerge criticizing the current format of the council. They say
look what the Europeans are doing and look at our own council. Yet today, when
the GCC intends to move on to a union, these same critics have begun to bicker
again! It is truly amazing.
If some people fear the intervention of one state into the affairs of another,
this would be unthinkable and unacceptable, and no one is calling for this. If
there are those who are afraid of an imbalance in the population demographics of
a potential union, then this is the reality in many Gulf States, and this
imbalance would serve as a source of moderation rather than harm. If some fear
the “big sister” Saudi Arabia monopolizing the arena, well we have all heard the
other Gulf States whispering behind closed doors, criticizing Saudi Arabia’s
sluggish response to some political issues, and saying how can we mobilize
without its weight? How can some be scared today of the big sister, especially
if we remember that Saudi Arabia has traditionally been capable of addressing
every threat looming over the GCC, the most prominent example being the
liberation of Kuwait, in addition to its response to terrorism, Iran and other
issues? Saudi Arabia will always come under fire, whether the GCC turns into a
union or not, such is the magnitude of Riyadh.Therefore I am saying that the
Gulf Union is a necessity and not a luxury, and it is the duty of all members to
make it a success and turn it into a reality. What brings the Gulf States
together is far greater than what divides them.
Iran: Just like Al Qaeda
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
Al Qaeda only operates in separatist regions or areas beset by tribal conflict;
whilst it thrives wherever there is a sectarian atmosphere. The same applies to
Iranian policy in our region, for Tehran is supporting the Baathist, secular and
Alawite al-Assad, whilst at the same time supporting the extremist Sunni Al
Qaeda organization, which – for its part – is coexisting with the [Shiite] Huthi
movement in Yemen! Yesterday, Asharq Al-Awsat published an astonishing report in
cooperation with Britain’s The Guardian newspaper, revealing the frenetic
Iranian movement to support the southern separatists in Yemen. This report
clearly indicates the danger of what Iran is doing in our region, whether in
Yemen, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria or the Gaza Strip with regards to
distributing funds and arms, establishing poisonous media outlets – whether we
are talking about television or newspapers or the internet – whose sole
objective is to allow Iran to infiltrate our countries, including Egypt and the
Arab Maghreb. The Guardian report sheds light on the manner in which the
Iranians are operating, and this is similar to the way that Al Qaeda operates,
as we see Tehran is active in separatist or sectarian regions. This is not to
mention the Iranian’s presence amongst those who have been deceived by Tehran,
sometimes in the name of “resistance”, and this is a lie that has been
publically exposed, or at other times in the name of revolution. Indeed, here we
see a senior member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp [IRGC] protesting
against the term “Arab Spring”, saying this phenomenon should instead be called
the “Islamic Awakening”, however does this then apply to what is happening in
Syria and Bahrain? If this is the case, then why does Iran stand with al-Assad
against the people of Syria? Why then does the Iranian-backed Shiite opposition
in Bahrain call for democracy? This is truly confusing!
Therefore the importance of The Guardian report, which was also published in
Asharq Al-Awsat, is that it clearly shows Iran’s relationship with the Huthis,
and its desire to infiltrate southern Yemen, particularly as Iran stipulated
that the southern Yemenis could only be armed via the Huthis! The importance of
this report is also revealed in the information regarding the 15 Yemenis who
travelled to Tehran and who, upon their arrival, were dealt with as if they were
detainees; this is also what happened with the Al Qaeda elements present in
Iran, and this includes some of Osama Bin Laden’s children. The Yemeni sources
who travelled to Tehran also revealed that the Iranian officials they met there
were using aliases. The report also revealed that the Iranians had informed the
southerners that Tehran was interested in investing in infrastructure programs
in southern Yemen, including building a hospital and paying the salaries of
activists. The source added “most importantly, they said they would send us
weapons and train people.” This is what Iran is doing in our region, in Iraq,
Lebanon and Syria, and this is what Al Qaeda did previously in Afghanistan, and
indeed what it is doing today in Yemen. In addition to this, they are also
providing some regions of Yemen with free water and electricity, and so the
situation has reached the point where we can no longer see any difference
between the behavior of Al Qaeda and that of Iran! To further clarify the
picture, it is enough to consider the following…whilst the world discovered that
the Saudi security apparatus was responsible for foiling the Al Qaeda terrorist
plot targeting a civilian airplane travelling from Yemen, it has also been
revealed that Iran today is trying to arm and train the southern Yemenis, in the
same manner that it does with the Huthis, Sadrists, Hezbollah and al-Assad…so
can we say that there is any difference between Al Qaeda and Iran? Of course
not!
Therefore, Iran represents no less grave a threat to our region than Al Qaeda,
and they both use the same methods, in a blatant manner.
More than 60 nuclear experts
at work building Iranian nuclear bomb
DEBKAfile Special Report May 13, 2012/ The names and addresses of 60 Iranian
experts employed by 11 different Iranian agencies under the control of the
Iranian Defense Ministry were revealed Saturday, May 12, by the main Iranian
opposition Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK/PMOI). This is the first time an extensive,
highly secret, central organizational structure dedicated to building a nuclear
weapon has been revealed in detail – specifically the Ministry of Defense under
the command of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which also runs the Fordow Fuel
Enrichment Plant.
The information updated to April 2012 was provided by “sources within the
Iranian regime’s agencies, including military institutions.”
It contradicts the fundamental conclusion reached by the US and five world
powers and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - that Iran’s nuclear
program is not run by a single organization - on the basis of which they entered
into negotiation with Tehran. Most of all, it refutes another key argument heard
in the West that Iran has not yet decided to actually build a weapon because
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s said it would be a “sin.”
The Mujahedin-e Khalq, which Tehran accuses of collaborating with US and Israeli
intelligence to assassinate its nuclear scientists, clearly timed the
publication of its findings for 11 days before the Six Powers were due to hold a
second round of nuclear talks with Iran in Baghdad on May 23, debkafile’s
intelligence and Iranian sources report.
Ahead of the meeting, US administration sources put about word that a compromise
deal developed in the direct backdoor channel between Washington and Tehran had
a good chance of coming before the meeting. It was said to consist of three
points of accord: Allowing uranium enrichment up to 5 percent purity to
continue; barring enrichment up to 20 percent (effectively discontinuing work at
Fordow); and exporting Iran’s entire 20 percent in stock to prevent its use for
bomb production.
According to debkafile’s Iranian intelligence sources, there is no such deal:
Tehran is not willing either to stop 20 percent uranium enrichment or shut down
the Fordow plant. Just the opposite: DEBKA-Net-Weekly, the only Western
publication following the secret US-Iranian negotiations, last week quoted a
message from Khamenei to President Barack Obama flatly refusing to close Fordow,
whose sole purpose is the production of 20 percent grade uranium which brings
the fuel a short step before weapons grade.
After procuring Washington’s consent to 5 percent enrichment – over strong
Israeli protests – Tehran has been encouraged to fight for 20 percent as well.
The probable point of accord would be a ceiling on quantity.
Other American sources most recently explained their optimism about a successful
culmination of the secret talks by Tehran’s admission for the first time that it
was engaged in developing a nuclear weapon, which it hitherto denied. This laid
the issue open to negotiation.
All in all, Jerusalem takes issue with US acceptance of the above deal as “bad
for Israel.” It refuses to accept anything less than a complete halt of all
uranium enrichment forthwith, the shutdown of Fordow and the removal of every
scrap of enriched uranium from Iran.
This position was put firmly before the European Union Foreign Executive
Catherine Ashton by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the heads of his unity
government, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and
designated Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, last Wednesday, May 9.
She arrived in Jerusalem the day after the expanded Netanyahu government was
formed to find out where it stood on the Iranian question.
The exhaustively detailed Mujahedin-e Khalq document presents a completely new
picture of a well-advanced and centralized nuclear weapons program, quite
different from the one broadcast by the US and its fellow nuclear negotiators -
and even by some Israeli circles.
Refuting the belief Iran has not actually started building a nuclear warhead or
bomb, the Iranian opposition group provides chapter and verse to demonstrate
that Iran is way past the decision and flying ahead at top speed on its
manufacture.
The project is revealed to be working out of the “headquarters of the Iranian
Defense Ministry’s SPND (New Defense Research Organization) at the Mojdeh site
in the western part of Malek Ashtar University in the Lavizan region.”
(This university was first exposed in 2009 along with its three campuses in
Tehran, Isfahan and Urma.)
Where the document breaks startling new ground is in detailing the SPND’s 7
sub-sections, “each of which conducts research and tests in a specific field:”
1. Working on the main element for the bomb, i.e. enriched uranium and fissile
material.
2. Shaping and molding the required material, including metal elements, to build
a warhead.
3. Producing metals required for building a nuclear warhead.
4. Producing high-explosive material used to detonate a nuclear bomb.
5. Conducting research on advanced chemical material.
6. Blue prints and carrying out electronic calculations required for building a
nuclear warhead.
7. Laser activities applicable in the nuclear field.
To each sub-division, the Mujahedin-e Khalq document has attached diagrams of
its internal structure plus the full names and addresses of its heads, officers,
researchers and the liaison offices among the departments. Some are provided
with their landline and cell phone numbers. The information is said be updated
to April 2012.
In response to these revelations, some official American sources commented that
they could not be confirmed and were skeptical about the document’s credibility.
Our intelligence sources note that all of this Iranian group’s previous
disclosures in the past nine years have proved accurate.
New image reportedly depicts Iran's secret military nuclear testing site
Drawing obtained by Associated Press is said to come from inside the Parchin
military base near Tehran, provided by a country tracking the Islamic Republic's
nuclear program.
By The Associated Press | May.13, 2012
An image said to come from inside an Iranian military site shows an explosives
containment chamber of the type needed for nuclear arms-related tests that UN
inspectors suspect Tehran has conducted at the site. Iran denies such testing
and has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of such a chamber.
The image was provided to The Associated Press by an official of a country
tracking Iran's nuclear program who said the drawing proves the structure
exists, despite Tehran's refusal to acknowledge it.
The official said he could not discuss the drawing's origins beyond that it =was
based on information from a person who had seen the chamber at the Parchin
military site, adding that going into detail would endanger the life of that
informant. His country, a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is
severely critical of Iran's assertions that its nuclear activities are peaceful
and asserts they are a springboard for making atomic arms.
A former senior IAEA official said he believes the drawing is accurate. Olli
Heinonen, until last year the U.N. nuclear agency's deputy director general in
charge of the Iran file, said it was "very similar" to a photo he recently saw
that he believes to be the pressure chamber the IAEA suspects is at Parchin. He
said even the colors of the drawing matched that of the photo.
After months of being rebuffed, IAEA and Iranian officials meet starting Monday
in Vienna, and the IAEA will renew its attempt to gain access to the chamber,
allegedly hidden in a building. Any evidence that Iran is hiding such an
explosives containment tank, and details on how it functions, is significant for
IAEA investigations.
Beyond IAEA hopes of progress, that two-day meeting is being closely watched by
six powers trying to persuade Iran to make nuclear concessions aimed at reducing
fears that it may want to develop atomic arms as a mood-setter for May 23 talks
between the six and Tehran in Baghdad.
Warnings by Israel that it may attack Iran's nuclear facilities eased after Iran
and the six - the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -
met last month and agreed there was enough common will for the Baghdad round.
But with the Jewish state saying it is determined to stop Iran before it
develops the capacity to build nuclear weapons, failure at the Iraq talks could
turn such threats into reality.
The IAEA has been stonewalled by Iran for more than four years in attempts to
probe what it says is intelligence from member states strongly suggesting that
Iran secretly worked on developing nuclear weapons.
It first mentioned the suspected existence of the chamber in a November report
that described "a large explosives containment vessel" for experiments on
triggering a nuclear explosion, adding that it had satellite images "consistent
with this information."
It did not detail what the images showed. But a senior diplomat familiar with
the IAEA's investigation who has also seen the image provided to the AP said
they revealed a cylinder similar to the image at Parchin. Subsequent photos
showed a roof and walls going up around the cylinder that then hid the chamber
from satellite surveillance.
IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said in March that his agency has "credible information
that indicates that Iran engaged in activities relevant to the development of
nuclear explosive devices" at the site. Diplomats subsequently told the AP that
the experiments also appear to have involved a small prototype neutron device
used to spark a nuclear explosion - equipment that would be tested only if a
country was trying to develop atomic weapons.
Iran has strenuously denied conducting such work … and any intentions to build
nuclear weapons … but has been less clear on whether the structure where it
allegedly took place exists.
The senior diplomat familiar with the IAEA investigations said the Iranians have
refused to comment "one way or the other" on that issue to agency experts. He
and others interviewed by the AP demanded anonymity because their information
was privileged, and the official providing the drawing and other details on the
structure also demanded that he and his country not be identified in return for
sharing classified intelligence.
Attempts to get Iranian comment were unsuccessful. A copy of the diagram was
attached to an email sent to Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's chief delegate to the
IAEA, with a note that the AP would be asking for reaction. Subsequent phone
calls over the weekend went to his voice mail.
The technology used for the suspected multipoint explosives trigger experiments
is similar to that employed in manufacturing tiny industrialized diamonds, and
the IAEA believes former Soviet scientist Vyacheslav Danilenko - an expert in
such diamond-making - helped Iran with designing the chamber.
Diplomats say Danilenko has told the agency that he did not work on such a
chamber, but his son in law, identified by the diplomats as Vladimir Padalko,
told the IAEA that the container was built under Danilenko's direct supervision.
Repeated attempts by the AP and other media organizations to contact the two men
have been unsuccessful since the IAEA revealed Danilenko's suspected involvement
in November.
The official who provided the drawing also shared the following information on
the chamber:
Origins
Built in the early 2000s by Azar AB Industries Co. in the city of Arak and then
transported to Parchin. Both the senior diplomat familiar with the IAEA
investigations and Heinonen, the former senior IAEA official, confirmed this.
Company officials did not answer calls seeking comment.
Size
Volume: 300 cubic meters, or about 10,600 feet. Diameter: 4.6 meters, or 15.09
feet. Length: 18. 8 meters, or 61.68 feet. The senior diplomat confirmed the
measurements.
Equipped with
A vacuum pump used to remove air from the chamber to minimize pressure that
could damage the structure during an explosion; a compressor that shoots water
into the chamber after testing to flood and clean it; a septic tank that
receives the waste; an elevation system to suspend the explosives in the upper
part of the chamber during testing; and a neutron detection system outside the
explosion chamber to measure neutron emissions. The senior diplomat said these
features would make sense, or such testing, but could not verify they existed,
suggesting they may have been added after the Iranians put up the superstructure
shielding the chamber from satellite surveillance.
Time frame
The official said the chamber was used for detonation experiments in 2003, 2005
and 2006. Two officials familiar with the investigations said the first date
appeared to be valid but they had no information of subsequent experiments. The
United States believes Iran stopped working on a concerted nuclear weapons
program at various sites after 2003, while the IAEA suspects Tehran is
continuing some work but in a much less organized way than before 2003.
The scientists
Seyed Ashgar Hashemi-Tabar, described as "an expert in measuring detonation
phenomena" and not previously identified. Acting on information from the same
official, the AP previously named other scientists allegedly involved as
Fereydoun Abbasi, the current head of Iran's nuclear agency, who escaped an
assassination attempt in 2010; Darious Rezainejad, who was killed by a car bomb
last year; and Reza Ibrahimi.
Inspecting the site at Parchin, southeast of the capital, Tehran, was a key
request made by senior IAEA teams that visited Tehran in January and February.
Iran rebuffed those demands and subsequent ones — the most recent within the
last two weeks — as well as attempts by the nuclear agency to question Iranian
officials and secure other information linked to the allegations of secret
weapons work.
At the same time, the IAEA has voiced alarm at unexplained "activity" at the
site — a term diplomats familiar with the agency's concerns say stands for
attempts to clean up any evidence of the kinds of experiments the agency
suspects were carried out.
A second senior diplomat familiar with the investigation recently told the AP
that spy satellite images shared with the agency show what seems to be water
streaming from the building housing the chamber. He said it also depicts workers
removing bags of material from that building and put on vehicles outside.
A third senior diplomat said that the apparent cleanup was continuing in early
May, the last time he had seen the images.
Iran has scoffed at suggestions of a cleanup in general and of testing a neutron
device in particular, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mahmanparast
asserting that nuclear contamination cannot be washed away. But experts
challenge that assertion.
A cleanup "could involve grinding down the surfaces inside the building,
collecting the dust and then washing the area thoroughly," said David Albright,
whose Institute for Science and International Security in Washington looks for
signs of nuclear proliferation. "This could be followed with new building
materials and paint.
"It could also involve removing any dirt around the building thought to contain
contaminants," Albright said in a statement emailed to selected recipients.
"These types of activities could be effective in defeating environmental
sampling."
Clashes Renew, Army Deploys after 4 Die in Rival Tripoli Districts Fighting
Naharnet /13 May 2012/Four people, including a Lebanese soldier, were killed and
at least 25 injured on Sunday in a gunfight between the residents of rival
neighborhoods in the northern port city of Tripoli as the area witnessed
intermittent clashes, the army and media reports said.
"The Tripoli clashes left at least four people dead and 25 wounded, most of them
civilians," reported al-Manar television.
State-run National News Agency said clashes renewed between Bab al-Tabbaneh and
Jabal Mohsen in a fierce manner at around 10:30 p.m., with Energa-type
rifle-launched anti-tank grenades and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) widely
used.
LBC television said an Energa grenade hit a high school for girls in al-Zahriyeh
area, causing no casualties.
Army troops, mainly from the Commando Regiment, began deploying in the afternoon
in the city's Syria Street and the areas that witnessed clashes at dawn,
state-run National News Agency said.
MTV said a clash erupted between the army and gunmen in Bab al-Tabbaneh after
troops entered one of its neighborhoods.
NNA reported later that citizens Mustafa Ali Mustafa and Rami Saad Harrouq were
wounded by gunfire in Syria Street.
A number of residents blocked the al-Mallouleh roundabout and Syria Street's Abu
Ali roundabout to protest the wounding of the two, said NNA.
Meanwhile, LBC television reported that “Islamists have refused to end their
sit-in at the Abdul Hamid Karami Square in Tripoli,” as MTV reported “the sound
of heavy gunfire coming from Al-Nour Square.”The fighting erupted at 2:00 am
after an Energa-type rocket fell in the area of al-Qobbeh, a largely Sunni
district hostile to the Syrian regime, killing a man identified as Issa Ali, the
National News Agency reported. The rocket attack was followed by a gunbattle
between the mainly Sunni residents of Qobbeh and Bab al-Tabbaneh, and the
Alawites of Jabal Mohsen, who support Syrian President Bashar Assad. The
fighting with Energa rockets and Rocket Propelled Grenades lasted from 4:00 am
till 7:00 am, NNA said, adding that sporadic bursts of rockets machineguns were
heard afterwards.
Lebanese soldier Faisal Hussein Abdullah was killed by sniper fire at the
Mallouleh roundabout of Tripoli as he was heading to his work from the Bekaa to
his hometown in Akkar, the military command said in a communique.
Eighteen-year-old Mahmoud al-Duhaibi’s body was also found on the side of a road
at the northern entrance of the city, NNA said.
The gunbattles and sniper attacks left at least nine people injured, including a
child and two soldiers. Lebanese army commandoes began deploying in Syria street
to stop the fighting which came against the backdrop of the General Security
Department’s arrest on Saturday of Shadi al-Mawlawi for allegedly contacting a
terrorist organization. His seizure drew the condemnation of Islamists who
blocked the northern and southern roads into Tripoli and set up camp at the
city’s southern entrance. The army communique said the military conducted
patrols and set up roadblocks in Tripoli and vowed to “deal firmly with those
who tamper with the city’s security and stability no matter to which side they
belong to.”While conducting patrols in the area of the fighting, two soldiers
were injured in a sniper attack, the army said.Security sources told LBC TV
network on Sunday that the General Security Department handed al-Mawlawi to the
judiciary, which will release him if no evidence was found of his link to any
terrorist organization. But judicial sources denied the report in remarks to
Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).President Michel Suleiman called for an emergency
meeting for the Higher Defense Council on Sunday afternoon.
Mikati says Tripoli’s security is a “red line”
May 13, 2012 /Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Sunday that Tripoli’s security
was a red line, the National News Agency reported. “[I] held meetings with
political, military and religious figures in Tripoli, and I contacted [Future
bloc MPs] Samir al-Jisr and Mohammad Kabbara. We all agree that Tripoli’s
security is a red line,” Mikati said following a meeting held at his residence
in Tripoli. “There will be no political cover for anyone tampering with
security. This is what we agreed on with all political parties. We will take
important measures in the next coming hours,” the premier added.
He also commented on the manner in which Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi was
arrested and said the method was “condemned and rejected.”
“Personally, I am against the manner in which he was detained. As for the
charges brought against him, I leave it for the judiciary to decide. I do not
want to interfere in the judiciary’s work.”
Meanwhile, Tripoli’s Sunni Mufti, Sheikh Malek Chaar, said the Islamists’
protest in Abdel Hamid Karami Square will end later on Sunday and that citizens
will return home “within few hours after Mikati promised to [address] their
demands.”About 100 young men, mostly Islamists, blocked the northern and
southern roads into Tripoli on Saturday, demanding the release of Mawlawi – who
according to Lebanese security services was arrested as part of an
"investigation into his ties to a terrorist organization.”Mawlawi was arrested
in Tripoli while he was leaving a social services center that belongs to Finance
Minister Mohammad Safadi. -NOW Lebanon
Islamists end Tripoli protest, clashes subside
May 13, 2012 /Following meetings held in Tripoli on Sunday, Islamists ended
their protest after being promised that their demands will be addressed, the
National News Agency reported. “Protesters began opening the roads they blocked
to protest against the arrest of [Lebanese citizen] Shadi al-Mawlawi and to
demand resolving the issue of Islamist detainees,” the NNA said. “The protesters
announced that officials promised to address their demands as soon as possible,”
the report added. The NNA added that clashes between Tripoli’s neighborhoods of
Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen had decreased.A bloody clash erupted on Sunday
morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods, leaving
three people dead, including an army soldier. Demonstrations in the northern
city erupted on Saturday following the arrest of Mawlawi who was allegedly
detained as part of an "investigation into his ties to a terrorist
organization.”-NOW Lebanon
Hariri arrives in UAE
May 13, 2012 /Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri arrived in the United Arab
Emirates on a work visit, according to a statement issued on Sunday.The
statement, however, did not elaborate any further.-NOW Lebanon
Higher Defense Council’s decisions on Tripoli to remain “confidential”
May 13, 2012 /The Higher Defense Council, which convened earlier on Sunday to
address the situation in Tripoli, said its decisions were to remain
“confidential,” according to a statement issued following a meeting held at the
Baabda Presidential Palace.“ The council also voiced the importance of providing
the army and the security forces with the necessary equipment in order to help
them perform their tasks,” the statement said. The council commended the
security forces’ role in handling security matters, detaining “terrorist cells,”
releasing kidnapped people and addressing arms smuggling issues, adding that it
was concerned about maintaining civil peace. A bloody clash erupted on Sunday
morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods in Tripoli,
which left three people dead, including an army soldier. Demonstrations in the
northern city erupted on Saturday following the arrest of Lebanese citizen Shadi
al-Mawlawi who was allegedly detained as part of an "investigation into his ties
to a terrorist organization.”-NOW Lebanon
Future bloc MPs criticize Nasrallah’s speech
May 13, 2012 /Future bloc MPs Hadi Hobeich and Khaled Zahraman lashed out at
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Friday speech.“The May 7
events would have brought strife upon Lebanon if it had not been for the wisdom
of March 14’s decisions,” Hobeich said.Zahraman also criticized Nasrallah’s
speech saying it was “disappointing.”“We were waiting for Nasrallah to apologize
to Beirut [residents] for the May 7 events, [but he didn’t],” Zahraman
said.Nasrallah said on Friday that May 7 events were “unfortunate,” adding that
the party prevented strife. On May 7, 2008, Hezbollah-led gunmen began a
multi-day operation to storm and seize West Beirut and other areas across
Lebanon. The fighting erupted after the cabinet, at that time led by Fouad
Siniora, made the decision to shut down Hezbollah’s private telecommunication
network.-NOW Lebanon
Grand Mufti condemns Tripoli clashes; children spotted carrying weapons
May 13, 2012 /Grand Mufti of the Lebanese Republic Sheikh Mohammad Rashid
Qabbani condemned the clashes in Tripoli and called on the residents to “stay
alert and avoid being dragged to strife.”
In a statement issued by his office, Qabbani also urged the Lebanese army and
security forces to take the right decision to “put an end to the security defect
and avoid the spread of arms.”
Meanwhile, the National News Agency reported that children, thought to be around
10-years-old, were seen carrying weapons and shooting in one of the city’s
streets.
However, the report did not specify in which street the children were seen.The
NNA also said that an 11-year-old child directed a gun in the direction of one
of the reporters at the scene.
A bloody clash erupted on Sunday morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal
Mohsen neighborhoods in Tripoli, which left three people dead, including an army
soldier.
Clashes between the two neighborhoods are not uncommon. In February, three
people were killed and 21 others wounded during fierce clashes between gunmen in
Jabal Mohsen, loyal to the Hezbollah-led alliance backed by Iran and Syria, and
others in Bab al-Tabbaneh who support the opposition. Lebanon’s political scene
is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the
March 14 pro-Western camp.-NOW Lebanon
Minieh-Donniyeh MPs condemn Tripoli clashes
May 13, 2012 /Minieh-Donniyeh MPs commented on Tripoli clashes and said that it
seemed the decision to incite strife was taken by those fighting their last
battle in Damascus.
“These painful events suggest that the decision to incite strife in Lebanon was
taken by those fighting their last battle in Damascus – which seems will not
last long and will not [defeat] the will of the Syrian people,” the MPs said in
a statement on Sunday. The MPs, Ahmad Fatfat, Qassem Abdel Aziz and Kazem al-Kheir,
also extended their condolences to the families of those who were killed during
the clashes. “[We] call for being wise and calm because what is being planned
for Tripoli must be wisely confronted,” the statement said. A bloody clash
erupted on Sunday morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen
neighborhoods in Tripoli, which left three people dead, including an army
soldier. Demonstrations in the northern city erupted on Saturday following the
arrest of Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi who was allegedly detained as part
of an "investigation into his ties to a terrorist organization.”-NOW Lebanon
Lebanese army deploys in Tripoli
May 13, 2012 /Lebanese army forces began deploying in areas that witnessed
clashes in Tripoli earlier on Sunday, the National News Agency reported. “Army
vehicles deployed in the neighborhoods that armed men had withdrawn from,” the
NNA added. A bloody clash erupted on Sunday morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh
and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods in Tripoli, which left three people dead,
including an army soldier. Demonstrations in the northern city erupted on
Saturday following the arrest of Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi who was
allegedly detained as part of an "investigation into his ties to a terrorist
organization.”-NOW Lebanon
March 14 delegation visits Syrian refugees in Aarsal
May 13, 2012 /A March 14 General Secretariat delegation visited Aarsal on Sunday
to check on Syrian refugees and voiced the importance of aiding them, the
National News Agency reported.
“The visit [aims] to voice solidarity with the residents of Aarsal and with the
Syrian refugees there,” March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid
said. Soueid also called on the cabinet to “immediately” address the affairs of
Aarsal and Bekaa residents as well as the affairs of Syrian refugees in these
areas. He also called on the government to work to end Syrian “violations”
against Lebanon’s sovereignty. Nearly 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have been
killed in Syria since an anti-regime uprising erupted in mid-March last year,
according to a rights group. Thousands have fled to neighboring Lebanon and
Turkey.Lebanon’s political scene is split between supporters of President Bashar
al-Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and the pro-Western March 14 camp.-NOW
Lebanon
Future bloc MP Khaled al-Daher: Arresting Mawlawi from Safadi’s office, an
‘insult’ to premier
May 13, 2012 /Future bloc MP Khaled al-Daher said on Sunday that the arrest of
Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi from Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi’s office
was an insult to the premier.
“Kidnapping Mawlawi from Safadi’s office is an insult to Prime Minister [Najib]
Mikati. Whoever did this was acting in a gang-style manner,” Daher told Future
News television. Addressing Mikati, Daher said: “The people call on you and the
four Tripoli ministers to resign because it is more honorable for those who
cannot maintain the dignity of their city to resign.” A bloody clash erupted on
Sunday morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen neighborhoods in
Tripoli, which left three people dead, including an army soldier. Demonstrations
in the northern city erupted on Saturday following the arrest of Mawlawi who was
allegedly detained as part of an "investigation into his ties to a terrorist
organization.”Mawlawi was arrested in Tripoli while he was leaving a social
services center that belongs to Safadi. -NOW Lebanon
Jumblatt wants “political solution” for Tripoli events
May 13, 2012 /Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said on
Sunday that it was important to reach a political solution for the current
events in Tripoli, according to a statement issued by the PSP’s press office.
“It is important to reach a political solution to the problem while keeping the
army neutral to domestic arguments in order to maintain its role in protecting
civil peace,” Jumblatt said.
He also addressed the arrest of Lebanese citizen Shadi al-Mawlawi and said it
was important to release him. “It is important to release Mawlawi and resolve
the issue according to the legal procedures,” Jumblatt said, adding that it was
not within the General Security’s jurisdiction to detain Mawlawi. The PSP
leader, who contacted President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and
other officials to follow up on the situation in Tripoli, also voiced the
importance of coordination among Lebanese security forces in order to address
the situation.
A bloody clash erupted on Sunday morning between the Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal
Mohsen neighborhoods in Tripoli, which left three people dead, including an army
soldier.
Demonstrations in the northern city erupted on Saturday following the arrest of
Mawlawi who, according to a statement issued by General Security, was detained
as part of an "investigation into his ties to a terrorist organization.”
Jumblatt also said that it was important to “protect the diversity of political
opinions in Lebanon regarding the Syrian crisis,” and warned of “falling into
traps that the Syrian regime may set in an attempt to divert attention from
latest developments.”Nearly 12,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in
Syria since an anti-regime uprising erupted in mid-March last year, according to
a rights group.-NOW Lebanon
Al-Mustaqbal Urges Miqati to Resign and Tripoli MPs to Boycott Parliamentary
Sessions
Naharnet/13 May 2012/Al-Mustaqbal movement urged Prime Minister Najib Miqati and
Tripoli ministers on Sunday to resign after the General Security Department
lured Shadi al-Mawlawi to arrest him on suspicion of contacting a terrorist
organization.Following a meeting held by al-Mustaqbal Coordination Council in
the northern city, the conferees condemned in a statement al-Mawlawi’s arrest
after luring him to Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi’s Social Services Center
under the pretext of granting him a health care benefit. The statement slammed
the “audacity” of the security agency, saying it “disrespected the immunity that
any MP enjoys in a democratic system.” “We urge Prime Minister Najib Miqati and
the city’s ministers to immediately submit their resignations over the violation
of public and personal freedoms in clear contravention of the Lebanese
constitution,” it said.The statement, which was read by al-Mustaqbal official
Mustafa Alloush, also called on Tripoli MPs to boycott parliamentary sessions
and meetings of legislative committees pending the release of al-Mawlawi.
Alloush also demanded a “clear and honest apology from the General Security
Department for harming Tripoli and its citizens.” Al-Mawlawi’s arrest caused
gunbattles between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen
that left three people, including a soldier, dead.
Another meeting was held on Sunday at the house of MP Mohammed Kabbara by
lawmakers Khaled al-Daher, Moeen al-Merehbi and security leaderships.The
conferees agreed to withdraw gunmen from the streets to pave way for the army’s
deployment to contain the fighting.
Hezbollah official Nabil Qawouk: March 14 participating in aggression against
Syria
May 13, 2012 /Hezbollah official Nabil Qawouk said on Sunday that the March 14
coalition had become a part of the aggression against Syria.“Had the power been
in the hands of March 14 parties, they would have taken Lebanon to catastrophe
and to the unknown,” the National News Agency quoted Qawouk as saying. The
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that almost 12,000 people, mostly
civilians, have been killed in Syria since the revolt broke out in March 2011.
Lebanon’s political scene is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and the pro-Western March 14 camp.-NOW
Lebanon
Syrian opposition chief ready to hand over leadership
May 13, 2012 /Syrian opposition leader Burhan Ghalioun on Sunday said he stood
ready to hand over the chairmanship of the Syrian National Council (SNC) to
others to broaden its appeal.
The SNC is supposed to appoint a new chairperson every three months, but
Ghalioun has remained leader since the council was set up in October 2011
because of lack of agreement over a successor.
Ghalioun was last re-appointed chairman on February 15."I might not be confirmed
[again] to the SNC chairmanship. As far as I'm concerned a new leader could be
selected so that everyone can be given a chance to serve the opposition," he
told Italy's ANSA news agency on a trip to Rome. The SNC has been plagued by
internal disputes and criticized by other opposition groups as being too closely
associated to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.-AFP/NOW Lebanon
My apprehensions about the Gulf Union
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat
Leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will meet in Riyadh
tomorrow to discuss the proposal to transform the group into a Gulf Union. I
will be opposed to this proposal if it includes any of the following negative
aspects: I would oppose the Gulf Union if it forces Kuwait to abolish its
parliamentary system and concept of political participation just to appease
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman. I would reject the proposal if it forces Bahrain
or Dubai to implement Kuwaiti and Saudi regulations restricting social freedom,
such as closing down cinemas or curbing tourism and hotel services.
In the same vein, I would not support a Gulf Union that meant that Qatari women
would be banned from driving, in line with Saudi regulations. The same applies
if a particular education system was imposed upon all states. I would side with
the opposition if the Union treated the comparatively free Saudi press as equal
to the restrictive Qatari press, or if the relatively free Kuwaiti media was
restricted to fall in line with similar media organizations in other member
states.
At the same time, we don’t want Kuwait’s political diseases, in terms of tribal
and sectarian factionalism, to spread to other states. Likewise, we don’t want
the Shiite-Sunni conflict in Bahrain to impact upon other GCC members.
We don’t want a Gulf Union that nullifies the features of any Gulf society, or
takes away the right of any state to adopt measures it deems best for its
citizens. We certainly don’t expect the Union to interfere in the internal
political affairs of a member state, or its sovereign decisions.
I have put forward my fears and concerns to those who are discussing the
proposal, and they have informed me that the Union would not impose any
restrictions on member states and would not force them to adhere to the
regulations of other countries. Bahrain would maintain its social character,
while Kuwait would preserve its history and political achievements. The
Sultanate of Oman would continue to follow its educational system and the UAE
would continue to be a federation.
If this is the case, then what is the need for a Gulf Union?
The reason is that the path of cooperation, despite its failures in some
aspects, can no longer accurately describe the current status of the
relationship between the Gulf States. Many countries have bilateral
“cooperation” agreements with the Gulf. The reality of today is closer to a
union, and it would be of no harm to rename it as such. I believe that the word
“union” is frightening to some Gulf citizens, as it brings connotations of
federalism like the United Arab Emirates or the United States of America.
Critics emphasize that a union is inappropriate in this region given the
imbalance of the member states. Saudi Arabia is five times bigger than the
second largest GCC state Oman.
Yet we saw these same fears emerge among the member states when the GCC was
formed in 1981.The main opponents to the GCC were Kuwaiti intellectuals who
feared that it would lead to their large neighbor Saudi Arabia occupying their
small country. But these fears were dispelled when Saudi Arabia came to rescue
Kuwait after it was occupied by Saddam Hussein’s forces in 1990.
During the past 30 years, Kuwait has in fact emerged as a burden for Saudi
Arabia, firstly as a result of Saddam’s occupation and then due to Iran’s
continuous threats. It was at the time of its establishment that the GCC was a
Saudi-American plan, and later we saw the construction of US military bases in
Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. There were also fears that Saudi Arabia would impose
its strict religious views on other member states, but later we learned that
Kuwait was influenced far more by the Iranian revolution than Saudi religious
ideology.
I think the political and social concerns regarding the establishment of the
Gulf Union come from a lack of clarity around the proposed idea. King Abdullah
had in mind the concept of the European Union (EU) when he presented the
proposal during the last GCC summit. It is a concept closer to a confederacy but
not federalism itself. The proposal clearly stated that the new Union would not
interfere in the sovereignty of member states. Hence if we take the proposal
from a positive frame of mind, we can understand that it does not aim to impose
any system, nullify the character of any member state, or marginalize any ethnic
group.
However, those who are concerned about the Union should have the right to
express their fears and set out their conditions. Britain, for example, agreed
to join the EU, and later on became one of its most important members and
advocates, but only under certain conditions as it was keen to preserve its
independent currency and immigration rules.
I am confident that the Gulf Union is the best option for all GCC member states.
Time will prove that it is a good proposal that deserves to be supported with a
positive mindset.
Palestinians and Assad: It’s complicated
Alex Rowell and Luna Safwan,
May 13, 2012/Now Lebanon
Against the overwhelming condemnation directed by the international community at
the Syrian regime for its bloody crackdown on domestic opponents, President
Bashar al-Assad has always had one trump card with which to rally supporters to
his side: his proclaimed devotion to Palestine. “Who, more than Syria, has
offered to the Palestinian cause?” he asked in a speech in January. His allies
in Lebanon also routinely reach for the same defense: “Can anyone say that the
Syrian regime […] did not support the resistance in Palestine?” asked Hezbollah
Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in February. Even British MP George Galloway
recently reiterated his admiration for the regime he describes as “the last
castle of Arab dignity,” praising the government’s “[refusal] to cut their
relationship with the Palestinian revolution and its resistance.”
Many Palestinians in Lebanon, however, appear to remember things a little
differently. NOW traveled to Beirut’s southern suburbs and asked Palestinian
refugees if they thought the Assad regime has been good for Palestinians and how
they view events in Syria today. Several refused to talk – reluctant, perhaps,
to add to the numberless difficulties of life in a camp. But among those who
did, there was little consensus, with some defending the regime, most ambivalent
toward it and some openly supporting the opposition.
Ibrahim, pharmacist: How could I compliment the Assads? When the Syrians entered
Lebanon [in 1976], they massacred Palestinians. Historically, as Palestinians,
we don’t like the Syrian system, and this is known. So I am with democracy in
Syria and with changes for the system, but only in a manner that serves the
interests of Syrians, not the US. There’s a big American project for the Middle
East, and we are against this, whether we like Assad or not.
Abu Tareq, grocer: Yes, Assad has been good for us. What’s happening today is
not a revolution – a revolution is against your enemy, not your own government.
I support every revolution that calls for reforming or improving the system, but
this is not the case in Syria; this is started by Israel and its Arab allies.
They never did anything for Palestine, so what are they going to do for Syria?
This takeover by the Muslim Brotherhood is the biggest victory for Israel,
because now they have more reason to build a Jewish state next to the Islamic
countries.
Abu Jamil, member of prominent Palestinian political party: One has to separate
the social and economic issues from the political ones. In Lebanon, we are
forbidden from working in more than 70 professions, whereas in Syria, a
Palestinian has more rights – he can be a doctor or an engineer; he has economic
freedom. Of all the countries that host Palestinian refugees, Syria offers them
the most social benefits and rights. However, politically, we actually have less
freedom in Syria. Palestinians there cannot hold a march or form a party. The
regime forbids it. So, of course we are for democracy and more rights in Syria,
for both Palestinians and Syrians.
Abu Ahmad, arguileh café owner: No, Assad hasn’t been good for us. Listen, I’ve
been following politics for 30 years. This so-called revolution is just a
conspiracy, not only against Syria but the whole region, and specifically
against Muslims.
Abu Muhammad: Yes, Assad has been good for us. Of all the Arab governments, his
is the only one that kept the resistance alive, and said no to the US, in a way
that protects the Palestinians’ best interests. Of course, no one envies Syrians
for the situation they’re in right now. We all want Syria to be safe and sound,
as a people and a regime. But we shouldn’t talk about Syrian internal affairs
because it’s something for them to decide themselves.
Ramzi, shopkeeper: We Palestinians are against everything that’s happening in
the Arab region. Yes, there is injustice and oppression in Syria, and we are
against that; we are with the people. But this is not an Arab Spring. It’s chaos
and ruin. It’s not only destructive for the regime, because Syria is not only
represented by a regime; it’s destructive for the people.
Abu Daoud, shopkeeper: No, Assad hasn’t been good for Palestinians. Today, I see
this as a revolution, because the regime cannot satisfy the vision of the
people. I hope this situation will soon be resolved for good.
Khaled, shopkeeper: I don’t care about what’s happening in Syria, I’m neutral
toward it. Our situation as Palestinians in Lebanon is more important. What has
any country ever offered us?
Some of the above names have been changed at the respondents’ requests.
Did Muhammad Exist?
A briefing by Robert Spencer
April 24, 2012
http://www.meforum.org/3232/did-muhammad-exist
Audio Recording
Robert Spencer, director of Jihad Watch, has released a new book titled, Did
Muhammad Exist? An Inquiry into Islam's Obscure Origins. On April 24th, Mr.
Spencer spoke on his book at a joint meeting of the Middle East Forum and
Gatestone Institute in New York City.
Did the Prophet Muhammad really exist, or was he a sacred myth fashioned by the
Koran decades after his purported death? Robert Spencer has addressed this
thorny question with a dual intent:
To serve the interests of freedom of expression as a rebellion against the
tyranny of censorship by the likes of the Organization of the Islamic
Cooperation and the leftist idolatry for political correctness, which attempt to
silence any debate on Islamic issues.
To play in the Islamic world the same positive role that non-religious,
scientific research played in Judaism and Christianity, triggering a rational
debate that can lead to the rejection of strict literalism.
Blinded by dogmatic thinking, one could dismiss the question as pure
provocation, ignoring the abundance of historical evidence supporting this
thesis. Particularly intriguing is the absolute absence of a mention whatsoever
of Muhammad, Islam or the Koran, either by the Arab conquerors or the conquered,
in written records, inscriptions, coins, etc. during 630-690, i.e. to the period
of Muslim conquests following the (alleged) death of Muhammad.
Furthermore, the life of Muhammad is shrouded in mystery given that the first
biographies were written no sooner than 125 years after his death, and it is
well acknowledged by Muslim scholars, among others, that many of the hadiths
which hand down sayings and actions of the Prophet are false, artfully created
for political reasons.
Nor is the Koran itself a more reliable source: it is supposed to have been
collected and distributed in its standard edition no later than in 653, but one
cannot find any mention of it until the 690s, and the traces of Aramaic and
Christian traditions inside the text indicate a well established contact with
the conquered territories.
In conclusion, historical evidence tells a very different story from the
traditional one, namely that of political and military events which occurred at
a time when some Arabian tribes expanded at the expense of the "sick men" - the
Persian and Byzantine empires - and which necessitated a glue to bind them
together and to form a central focus of identification. And what could offer a
better nucleus for the nascent Arab empire than religion?
According to Spencer, such a study is of paramount importance because
demonstration of the political circumstances of Islam's birth enables the
contextualization of some of its elements in the framework of a political and
military agenda, thus making possible a distinction between the religion and its
secular, political, violent outcomes. This doesn't infringe on religious
freedoms of Muslims: why aren't writers questioning Jesus' existence branded as
"racist"? The search for the truth is never a provocation.
Summary account by Tommaso Virgili, intern for The Legal Project, an activity of
the Middle East Forum