LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
October 25/12

Bible Quotation for today/the parable of the sower.
Matthew 13/18-23: "‘Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’

Latest analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases from miscellaneous sources
Will the Wissam Hassan assassination topple al-Assad/By Abdul Rahman al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat/October 24/12
The gift of a ceasefire for al-Assad/By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 24/12
The Missing Obama-Romney Debate on Egypt/By: Eric Trager/The Atlantic/ October 24/12

Jennifer Forgives Killer in Ashrafiyeh Bombing
Naharnet /From her hospital bed at the Lebanese Canadian Hospital in Horch Tabet, 10-year old Jennifer Chedid called for forgiveness for her killer, reported Future television Tuesday.
Jennifer survived the bombing of Ashrafiyeh in Beirut on Friday that killed three people and wounded and maimed more than a 100 people. The blast targeted Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan. Despite the immense pain she was under and the 640 stitches in her frail body, Jennifer decided to forgive her killer as her mother told Future TV.
“Jennifer at this young age is a big believer in Jesus Christ and Saint Charbel,” said the report. She told her mother that Jesus had appeared to her and will help her healing, it added.
Despite the pain and the heavy sedation she is still able to smile and not utter any complaint about her condition. Jennifer was back home from school when the explosion rocked Ashrafiyeh at 2:45 p.m. on Friday. She was admitted unconscious to the Lebanese Canadian hospital with severe wounds to her skull and body, but returned to consciousness 48 hours after a head surgery.

Lebanon: March 14 Holds onto 'Peaceful' Protests Until Cabinet Steps Down
Naharnet/The March 14 General Secretariat said on Wednesday that the “peaceful protests” that the youth groups affiliated with the alliance had called for after the Beirut bombing in Ashrafiyeh district will continue until the cabinet steps down.“We are committed to the peaceful struggle through all the democratic and popular means,” March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soaid told reporters after the general secretariat's weekly meeting. The March 14 youth groups had erected tents near the Grand Serail on Sunday, demanding Prime Minister Najib Miqati to resign after clashes broke out between mourners, mainly March 14 supporters, and the security forces near the premier's office after the funeral of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on Sunday.
Police fired in the air and used tear gas to drive back protesters who tried to storm the premier's office. The March 14 General Secretariat pointed out that the Lebanese people are capable of safeguarding the state. It considered that the Syrian regime is “insisting” on violating Lebanon's sovereignty by assassinating Hasan in Ashrafiyeh along with two others. “This crime will only make us more determined to continue the struggle for a free, independent, and Arab Lebanon,” the statement said. The March 14 alliance held Miqati and his cabinet responsible for “facilitating (President Bashar) Assad's regime criminal plot.” Miqati said over the weekend in the wake of Hasan's assassination that he doesn't “want to jump to conclusions in the case, but we cannot separate Hasan's murder to that of the arrest of former Minister Michel Samaha.”The General Secretariat said that that the resignation of the cabinet is a key condition to any efforts exerted to foil threats surrounding the country and maintaining stability.
Friday's bombing has raised fears about unrest in the country, which is divided between supporters and opponents of Assad, whose country supervised its small neighbor for nearly 30 years.
Under Hasan, the ISF played a central role in the August arrest of Samaha, who has close links to Damascus. He was charged in August with planning attacks to spark sectarian strife in Lebanon.
The agency was also deeply involved in seeking the arrest of those responsible for a host of attacks and assassinations between 2005 and 2008, starting with former Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination, for which Hasan blamed Damascus. In October 2010, the Syrian courts issued arrest warrants against 33 Lebanese figures, including Hasan, for perjury in the case of the Hariri assassination.

Suleiman Seeks to Bridge Gap between Foes, Meets with Raad
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman carried on his consultations on Wednesday with Lebanese foes over the deteriorating situation in the country and the possibility of resuming the national dialogue sessions as soon as possible. Suleiman held talks on Wednesday with Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc head MP Mohammed Raad at the Baabda Palace. The president will also hold separate meetings with Speaker Nabih Berri, Progressive Socialist Partly leader MP Walid Jumblat, and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in the next few days. Suleiman held talks on Tuesday with al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc head MP Fouad Saniora and Berri's advisor Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. On Sunday, he met with Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel to persuade him to resume the national dialogue. The president also met separately on Monday with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and National Struggle Front Minister Wael Abou Faour.
Sources told An Nahar newspaper that Suleiman's meeting with Saniora didn't reach any agreement as the latter held on to the March 14 alliance's decision to boycott any official activity until the current cabinet led by Miqati resigns. The daily reported that Saniora will hold talks soon with European and Arab ambassadors to Lebanon to “clear” the stances undertaken by the opposition.
An Nahar also said that Saniora held talks on Monday night with National Struggle Front Minister Ghazi al-Aridi to continue the contacts with Jumblat.
Saniora held the cabinet responsible for the security and political situation in the country, during the meeting with Suleiman, sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper.
Meanwhile, the daily reported that the meeting between the president and Khalil tackled the latest developments. Khalil briefed Suleiman on the stances of the March 8 forces from the developments, noting that it will resume the national dialogue sessions and discuss the demands of the March 14 alliance if no previous conditions were set.The upcoming all-party talks are expected to be held on November 12.

Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Oct. 24, 2012 October 24, 2012/he Daily Star
Lebanon's Arabic press digest.
Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Wednesday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
An-Nahar
U.S. supports formation of new government
Jumblatt: I’m ready if right conditions are met
Siniora won’t participate in Dialogue, to meet Arab and EU ambassadors
Berri: Opposition taking unpleasant path
Global fears mounted that Syria’s crisis could spread to Lebanon and additional warnings were issued that cautioned Lebanon against being pulled into a power vacuum, in signs that had been confirmed by several European sides.
But what drew interest Tuesday was the U.S.’ position that it supports "the ongoing process for the formation of a new government that meets the requirements of the Lebanese people."
This position, announced by U.S. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland, contradicts rumors in recent days that the U.S. and Europe support the survival of the current Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
An-Nahar has learned that former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora informed President Michel Sleiman of the Future Movement’s decision not to participate in National Dialogue or Parliament meetings until the departure of the Mikati government.
Siniora stressed the formation of a neutral government.
An-Nahar has also learned that Siniora plans to meet Arab and foreign ambassadors to convey the opposition’s stance.
Meanwhile, head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblatt told An-Nahar: "My message is clear to all, primarily to Lebanese, that I will not allow the country to fall into a [political] void."
On the possibility of the formation of a new government, Jumblatt said: "Personally, I'm ready if the right conditions are met for this proposal, which is up to the Lebanese political forces."
As-Safir
Washington supports ministerial change and warns of vacuum ... EU supports government
Opposition headed toward “political suicide:” boycott ... in the interest of the people
After the “public suicide” at the doors of the government’s headquarters, after failure to storm the Grand Serail, the opposition has apparently decided to commit "political suicide" by boycotting any parliamentary or political activity involving the government.
In addition, the opposition has also refused to take part in any National Dialogue session before the resignation of Mikati’s government, a stance conveyed by Siniora to Sleiman.
If the March 14 forces believe that through this dual boycott it will pressure the government into resigning, Mikati responded by resuming activity at the Grand Serail.
The opposition’s stance hurts citizens more than it affects the government on issues like the salary raise, election law, and other draft laws.
And as March 14 escalated its campaign against the government, the Cabinet received an additional dose of support from the European Union through Catherine Ashton who conveyed to Lebanese officials the need for the government to carry on with its work and warned against a power vacuum.
In parallel and in a significant stance, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that the U.S. “believes that the time has come for the Lebanese people to choose a government that protects them from the dangers of the spread of the Syrian civil war, as happened last Friday."
Al-Mustaqbal
Parliament without March 14 ... youth march in Ashrafieh today
Washington changes its position regarding Mikati
Prime Minister Najib Mikati traveled to Mecca for Hajj with a "clear conscience" while he continues to head a government that “provided a cover for the assassination of Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan,” according to a statement from the Future parliamentary bloc.
Contrary to Mikati’s attempts to make the positions by the ambassadors of major powers – who supported the survival of the current government – work in his favor, the U.S. position came in support of "the creation of a new government to meet the needs of the Lebanese people.”
The U.S.’ stance was a crystal-clear message of a change in the U.S. position toward Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his government.
Ad-Diyar
Salafists, fundamentalists are in control of the streets, [authorities] on alert to find out who is leading them
Global intelligence present in Lebanon, Ashton conveys to Sleiman [EU’s support] for Mikati
The flow of arms to Beirut has increased without knowing which side is behind these weapons.
A real intelligence war is taking place [in Lebanon] to determine the third party that attacked the Lebanese Army in Beirut. It was clear that Saudi Arabia does not want war in Beirut. It was also clear that neither Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah nor Speaker Nabih Berri want war in Beirut.
It seems that the leadership of the armed group is located in Sabra and Shatila and that a large number of Salafists and fundamentalists are in control of the streets and do not lend their ear to the Future Movement or Sunni preachers.
The number of Salafists and fundamentalists was estimated at 2,000 fighters who are in control of Tariq al-Jadideh and Qasqas. A number of them are present in Sabra and Shatila.
Information has it that battles will take place and that the Salafists and fundamentalists will not take orders from Saad Hariri or the Future Movement.

U.S. backs forming new government in Lebanon
October 24, 2012/By Hussein Abdallah The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The United States threw its support Tuesday behind calls for a new government in Lebanon in the aftermath of last week’s deadly car bombing in Beirut that many blame on Syria.
The State Department said the U.S. believes it is time for the Lebanese people to choose a government that will counter the threat posed by the civil war in Syria, like Friday’s bombing that killed the country’s top intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan.
But it also warned against any leadership changes leaving the country with a power vacuum.
“The export of instability from Syria threatens the security of Lebanon now more than ever,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters.
She said U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly is meeting with Lebanese politicians this week to get a sense of what might be possible as President Michel Sleiman weighs his options.
“We’ve been making clear that we support the efforts of President Sleiman and other responsible leaders in Lebanon to build an effective government and to take the necessary next steps in the wake of the Oct. 19 terrorist attack,” Nuland said.
Meanwhile, the Future Movement said it will not participate in National Dialogue and will boycott Parliament sessions until the government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigns.
Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora informed President Michel Sleiman of the party’s decision during a meeting at the Baabda Palace, a party source told The Daily Star.
A March 8 political source said the boycott will result in suspending next year’s parliamentary elections.
“The Future bloc which has called for the departure of the present government announces that it will not take part in any activities, National Dialogue, parliamentary sessions or political meetings with any connection to the Cabinet and officials in it until it resigns,” a statement from the opposition bloc said.
The bloc also called for the establishment of a “neutral salvation government – whose members won’t be from the March 14 or 8 coalitions – that will work to shift the nation from a state of simmering tension to a state of stability in a step toward restoring the balance to national partnership in Lebanon.”
According to the National News Agency, Siniora was at odds with Sleiman after the latter urged a speedy resumption of the all-party talks.
The agency said that during the meeting, Sleiman suggested bringing forward the dialogue date in the wake of Hasan’s assassination.
Siniora, however, disagreed, according to the NNA, and informed Sleiman that such a decision would have to be made after consultations with the March 14 coalition.
During Hasan’s funeral Sunday, Siniora vowed not to return to the dialogue table before Prime Minister Najib Mikati resigned.
“No talks before the departure of this government, no dialogue on the blood of the martyrs,” Siniora said in his speech during the funeral.
Following Siniora’s speech and a fiery address by a March 14 activist, protesters tried to break into the Grand Serail but were confronted by security forces and calls by March 14 leaders demanding that the anti-government protest not turn violent.
Violence, however, soon spread to different areas of Beirut with March 14 supporters blocking roads and clashing with the Lebanese Army, which launched a crackdown on gunmen and eventually curbed the violence.
The northern city of Tripoli also witnessed deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad, leaving at least 10 people dead. The March 8 source told The Daily Star the situation has been contained as a result of great pressure by outside states to preserve stability in Lebanon, adding that Mikati will resume Cabinet session as soon as he returns from Saudi Arabia, where he headed Tuesday afternoon for the hajj.
In its statement Tuesday, the Future parliamentary bloc described the car bombing in Beirut as a “major crime that constitutes a continuation to the crime that targeted [former] Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.”
Hasan was known for his pivotal role in major security investigations, including the probe into Hariri’s assassination and the recent terrorism charges brought against former Information Minister Michel Samaha.
The parliamentary bloc said Hassan’s killing “comes as a clear political and security context,” particularly given his accomplishments such as “discovering the conspiracy by the Syrian regime to employ the criminal Michel Samaha to transport weapons to Lebanon.”
The bloc reiterated its accusation that the Syrian regime was behind the assassination of Hasan.
Sleiman initially set Nov. 12 as the date for a new round of National Dialogue and since the death of Hasan has urged speedy resumption of dialogue. Sources earlier told The Daily Star that he would likely postpone the talks until after Nov. 22 as Siniora was said to have scheduled a visit to the United States.
Separately, Sleiman hailed Tuesday the recent Army crackdown on gunmen who blocked roads and took part in street battles in Beirut in the aftermath of Hasan’s killing.
“The Lebanese Army’s efforts to maintain civil peace, security and stability once again prove that the legitimacy in all its institutions are a safe haven for all the Lebanese who ... should work in a spirit of dialogue and openness to overcome the difficult phase and continue to spare the domestic arena the implications of what is going on in the region,” Sleiman said in a statement released by his office Tuesday.
Both Sleiman and Mikati signed Tuesday a decision by the Cabinet to refer Hasan’s case to the Judicial Council.
Hezbollah rejected calls to refer the case of slain Hasan to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
“The Cabinet decided to refer Hasan’s case to the Judicial Council, which is the supreme judicial authority in the country ... Giving an international dimension to the case will add nothing to it,” Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem told Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency.
The March 14 coalition has been calling for the investigation to be referred to the STL, the U.N.-backed court investigating the 2005 killing of Hariri.
Qassem also said the Lebanese authorities should conduct a serious investigation into Hasan’s killing to reveal the perpetrators of the crime.
Free Patriotic Movement Leader MP Michel Aoun took a swipe at the March 14 coalition for “making political accusations” in Hasan’s case and said a political position on the issue can only be made following the outcome of investigations.
Aoun also accused March 14 of using the assassination as a pretext to “paralyze” Parliament by boycotting sessions designed to discuss a new electoral law for next year’s polls.
Aoun said that there is no relationship between the fate of Mikati’s government and Hasan’s assassination.
“They are being stubborn. There is no relation whatsoever between the crime and the fate of the government ... several crimes took place when Siniora was prime minister, so why did he not step down back then?” Aoun told reporters after a meeting of his Reform and Change parliamentary bloc.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the March 14 coalition is not seeking a political vacuum when it demands the resignation of the government, but is aiming at the formation of a neutral and independent government that can put an end to the “killing machine.”
Geagea, who had boycotted the National Dialogue session called for by Sleiman, said dialogue will not yield any results as Hezbollah is not ready to change its position on any contentious issue.
Kataeb leader former President Amin Gemayel also said his party has not taken a decision on participation in National Dialogue, but does not plan to attend on its own its March 14 allies turn down the invitation. – With AP

Israel chief beneficiary of Hasan’s killing: Abadi
October 23, 2012 /The Daily Star
BEIRUT: Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi said Tuesday Israel is the chief beneficiary of Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan's killing. “The biggest beneficiary of such operation is the Zionist enemy,” said Roknabadi following a meeting with Interior minister Marwan Charbel. A statement issued by Charbel’s press office said Roknabadi paid him a visit at his office in the ministry to offer him condolences over Hasan’s death. “I offered condolences over Hasan’s killing on behalf of the Iranian republic which fiercely condemns such a terrorist attack,” Roknabadi said.
Asked if Iran and Syria also benefit from Hasan’s killing, Roknabadi said “Hasan played a key role in uncovering Israel’s spy network in Lebanon, and thus he was a milestone to the resistance.”
Roknabadi also said he hoped the situation in the country situation will return to normal after recent events. “We thank God for the presence of wise leadership in Lebanon that can pass this stage as soon as possible,” said Roknabadi. Also asked if Syria had an interest in killing Hasan after he uncovered the Samaha-Mamlouk plot to carry in explosives to Lebanon, Roknabadi said “these charges are not sure yet, and let us not rush into things.” ISF Information Branch chief Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan, one of Lebanon’s most important security figures, was assassinated in a car bomb blast Friday that ripped through the crowded neighborhood of Ashrafieh. Hasan, 47, was known for his pivotal role in major security investigations Lebanon, including the probe into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the recent terrorism charges brought against former Information Minister Michel Samaha. Appointed head of the ISF Information Branch in 2006, Hasan was instrumental in building the department and spearheaded its major cases, which also included a massive operation to dismantle Israel’s spy networks in Lebanon.

Wissam al-Hassan investigation “advancing rapidly”
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat - Lebanon’s Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed that the ongoing investigations into the assassination of Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan - the former head of the intelligence branch of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces, who was killed along with his companions in a car bomb last Friday - are “advancing rapidly”. He added that the public prosecutor is now examining “very important new leads”. Meanwhile, security information sources have revealed that the Lebanese authorities have determined the name of the thief who stole the vehicle, which would eventually be used as the car bomb to assassinate al-Hassan, and he is wanted under several arrest warrants.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Lebanese security sources ruled out the direct involvement of the wanted man in the terrorist operation, but noted that speaking to him would be a vital key to tracking down the perpetrators. It is likely that the thief sold the vehicle on to someone else, who then used it in the operation.
The security forces indicated that the car, a Toyota RAV4, was owned by a resident of the town of Qabr Chmoun on Mount Lebanon, but it had been reported stolen about a year ago. The owner of the car reported that someone had contacted him after a period of time to request a sum of money in return for the car, as is the usual practice of some car thieves in Lebanon. The owner refused to comply with the offer, and so the caller told him: “When you decide to pay the amount contact me on the number I called you on”. The caller was speaking from a mobile phone number that appeared on the screen of the owner’s phone, which he subsequently handed over to the authorities.
The Lebanese Central News Agency revealed yesterday that al-Hassan arrived in Beirut at 7pm on Thursday evening, returning from Germany via France after participating in a security conference held in Berlin along with the Director General of the Internal Security Forces and a number of senior officers in the Directorate. Al-Hassan then flew to Paris to meet his family without informing the other members of the delegation about his whereabouts. Upon his arrival in Beirut, al-Hassan contacted the Interior Minister Marwan Charbel to discuss some security matters and to arrange a date to meet. Prior to his trip to Germany, al-Hassan had met with Charbel to put a number of security issues on the table. Al-Hassan then travelled in a rental car from the airport to his apartment in Ashrafiya, whilst he would customarily travel via motorcade to the General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces. On Friday afternoon, al-Hassan decided to travel to his office in the Directorate using the same rental car. However, a car bomb, parked in the district hours before, i.e. after al-Hassan had returned from his trip abroad, exploded the moment that his vehicle approached it.

Will the Wissam Hassan assassination topple al-Assad?
By Abdul Rahman al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat
I do not recall who first put forward the resounding phrase that the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri drove the Syrian forces out of Lebanon, while the assassination of Wissam Hassan will drive al-Assad out of Damascus. This is something that an analyst said regarding the assassination of Wissam Hassan, head of intelligence in Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces. This is a prophecy that is not far from realization. The assassination of this Lebanese security figure – the man who uncovered assassination and bombing plots in his own country planned by neighboring Syria – will convince many that the survival of Bashar Al-Assad in power in Syria will only mean more killing, terrorism and threats to the region. Removing Bashar al-Assad from power is not just a necessity for Syria, but for the region as a whole, as well as the international community. This is a necessity in the same manner that the toppling of Gaddafi was a necessity, particularly as he continued to sow violence and fund terrorist over a period of four decades, resulting in the entire world coming to the unanimous view regarding the necessity of getting rid of him.
It is most likely that this obscene operation, the assassination of Wissam Hassan, was carried out by Hezbollah, as it previously carried out the criminal assassination of Rafik Hariri in 2005. This assassination also undeniably confirms that it was the Syrian regime that was behind the killing of dozens of Lebanese figures over the past 30 years.
The assassination of Wissam Hassan is proof that the wounded al-Assad regime is still dangerous, and does not care about the consequences of its crimes. All of the disasters that are happening today – such as the assassination of Hassan, the bombing of Turkey, the targeting of Lebanese villages and the growing role of Al Qaeda in the Syrian revolution – can all be traced back to the delay in supporting the Syrian revolution. This delay in toppling the al-Assad regime increases its chances of remaining in power in one form or another, or indeed as part of an independent statelet that will continue to terrorize the region and the world. The survival of the al-Assad regime, or indeed it increasing its life-span, in ruling Damascus increases the threat to the region as a whole, particularly if it is able to rehabilitate its security and military apparatus with unlimited support from Russian and Iran, not to mention if it is able to build alliances, such as its relations with the al-Maliki regime.
Those who predicted that the assassination of Wissam Hassan would drive al-Assad out of Damascus were not exaggerating. For when al-Assad failed in his campaign of assassinations and bombings – which Syrian Intelligence chief Ali al-Mamluk assigned to Lebanese Minister Michel Samaha, before this was uncovered – this inspired the belief that the Syrian leader’s claws had been removed and that he no longer posed a threat and we could therefore afford to tolerate him until his regime collapses naturally as part of the civil war that is taking place between the regime and the internal opposition. However al-Assad’s insistence on committing more and more crimes, and his success in assassinating one of the most important officials in terms of Lebanese security and safety, represents an alarm bell that a wounded al-Assad is more dangerous than a healthy one, confirming the importance of toppling the Syrian regime as soon as possible.
It is true that Syria has become a quagmire that everybody is trying to avoid, particularly due to the divisions amongst the Syrian opposition who have failed, until now, to fulfill the dream of the Syrian people, whilst also alienating many regional and international governments. In addition to this, there are some armed religious groups affiliated to the terrorist Al Qaeda network and others who are fighting in Syria, and this has threatened to put an end to the limited Arab and international support for the Syrian revolution, which in turn has strengthened the position of the al-Assad regime. However despite all this, we say that the ouster of the al-Assad regime remains a necessity, particularly in terms of the threat of its survival, which represents a danger to the entire world.
Just imagine al-Assad escaping the ordeal that he finds himself in today, with the al-Maliki regime in Iraq remaining in solidarity with him, whilst Iran, along Hezbollah, feeling that they have secured a victory in the battle for Syria. Can you imagine what state would our region be in if this was to happen? This would result in a Spring of Terror which would threaten the present Arab regimes and seek to overthrow them. We must confess that we are facing a brutal period in our history, and we have no choice but to confront this. What is happening in Syria is quite natural; we are looking at a people who have lived under the thumb of the regime for the past 40 years, being ruled by iron and fire by the regimes of al-Assad the father and al-Assad the son. As it was right to topple a brutal regime such as that of Saddam Hussein, the Syrian people have the right to topple the brutal Syrian Baathist regime as well. This is the desire of the majority of the Syrian people, and they have declared this in their own blood! This is something that was not the desire of the Gulf States or America, but rather the Syrian people themselves. Indeed, during the early days of the revolution these countries sought to convince al-Assad to assimilate the protests and satisfy the demands of the Syrian people, however he chose the security solution against their advice, and what happened happened.

The gift of a ceasefire for al-Assad
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
As expected, UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi could not achieve anything noteworthy in his shuttle tour of the countries of the region, including Syria of course, where the envoy failed to convince the tyrant of Damascus Bashar al-Assad to agree to an Eid al-Adha truce, with al-Assad instead putting forth his own conditions as usual.
Mr. Brahimi, from Damascus, after his meeting with al-Assad, said: “I appeal to everyone to take a unilateral decision to cease hostilities on the occasion of Eid al-Adha and that this truce be respected from today or tomorrow”, adding that the call was addressed to “every Syrian, on the street, in the village, fighting in the regular army and its opponents”! Meanwhile, al-Assad told Brahimi that “any initiative or political process should be essentially based on the principle of halting terrorism and what is required in this regard from the countries involved in supporting, arming and harboring the terrorists in Syria (is) to halt such acts”. This means, in plain and explicit language, far from the language of diplomacy, that Mr. Brahimi has failed to prompt al-Assad to accept the truce that has been promoted over the past few days, and now the UN-Arab League envoy is calling on all parties to volunteer their acceptance “unilaterally”. This is not an initiative; rather it is merely a truce of those willing to implement a ceasefire!
The truth is that this does not only signify the failure of Lakhdar Brahimi, but also the call for the rebels to unilaterally adhere to a ceasefire is tantamount to an Eid al-Adha gift to Bashar al-Assad, who is still imposing his conditions, not on the Syrian rebels but on the whole world, at a time when everyone should be seeking to bring al-Assad to the International Criminal Court. Thus, after the failure of Mr. Brahimi’s initiative to apply an Eid al-Adha truce, it is clear today, just as it was clear long ago, that all solutions have failed with the tyrant of Damascus. Even the Turkish Foreign Minister himself has acknowledged that Syria is now beyond the Yemeni solution. This means that the Turkish Foreign Minister has retracted his previous talk about the possibility of Farouk al-Shara being an alternative for al-Assad. Now we see Lebanon being blown away by sectarian winds, against the backdrop of the terrorist operation that targeted the intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan. There have also been recent Iranian maneuvers in eastern Saudi Arabia, and likewise Jordan has uncovered a massive terrorist operation on its territory, not to mention what is happening in Bahrain. Before all of the above, there is the increasing number of Syrians being killed every day by al-Assad’s forces. All of this tells us that prolonging the life of the al-Assad regime means complicating the regional situation further, and now the region is primed to explode in several areas. As a result, urgent action is required to bury this criminal regime in Syria. This means arming the rebels now, through an Arab and international coalition of the countries willing, rather than waiting for the approaching US presidential elections, for al-Assad will not accept a truce and is in a race against time to reshuffle all the cards before the results of these elections.
In summary I will say that Brahimi’s mission has failed, and there is no room to give al-Assad any more opportunities, or Eid al-Adha gifts.

The Saudis and the ever changing Arab world
By Abdul-Malik Ahmad Al Al-Sheikh/Asharq Alawsat
Ever since the emergence of the so-called "Arab Spring", the Saudi people have faced numerous questions about their country's stability as well as its future in a region where governments have begun to fall, and conflicts and clashes are breaking out. Some misguided people bet that the Saudi state would fall on account of the Arab Spring, and even rejoiced at the possibility of this alleged collapse, yet they were ultimately proven wrong. The Saudi state is not an exception. As part of the intertwined Arab world, the Kingdom was fully aware of the transformations taking place around it, and feared the impact these would have on its cohesion, stability and security. Numerous Arab states have disintegrated from within due to civil wars, poverty or a lack of development. Others have remained safe for a while, but are now falling into the unknown abyss as well, in light of political unrest and struggles between domestic factions that are either obsessed with the past or concerned about the future. However, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the state, the leadership and the people – has not allowed such dangers to dominate its scene or impact upon its course. The Kingdom has dealt with these dangers as a sort of challenge, never allowing them to alter its practical and realistic framework. In a rational manner the Saudi people have succeeded in neutralizing their internal struggles, eradicating any display of dominance or bullying whereby one faction would seek to intimidate another, a phenomenon that has seriously harmed the stability and security of other Arab states. The Arab world in general, both before and after the Arab Spring, has faced real problems when it comes to building a modern state and interacting positively with citizens; whether as a result of autocratic military regimes, misguided recipes imported from the West and the East, or the adoption of the slogan "Islam is the Solution." The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dealt with this problem by consolidating the country's unity and encouraging closer contact with society - with its different categories and classes - through an open-door policy. In the same manner, the Saudi government proceeded with reform and rational change. Accordingly, it was successful in striking several balances, which some people may mistakenly perceive as being contradictory. The Saudi state project goes beyond sectarian, partisan and tribal thinking. The construction and continuity of the project is based on a social contract between the ruler and the people, centering on a sound doctrine, justice and security, internal unity, development and bridge-building with others.
The culture of strife, mistrust and ignorance has exhausted mind of the Arab individual, both before and after the "Arab Spring". It has disillusioned young hearts and caused some Arab societies to lose much of their confidence, tolerance and creativity, thus depriving them of possible coexistence as well as the development necessary to build a modern state. However, by using their own moderate Islamic model, the Saudi people have been successful in curbing such a culture, hence maintaining their identity, their country's unity, and their people's security. This has enabled the Saudis to build a modern state and perform a key role in an ever-changing Arab world.

Al-Assad regime forces running out of arms – Source
By Paula Astatih
London, Asharq Al-Awsat – The al-Assad regime has intensified its military campaign throughout the country, increasing its presence in the Rif Dimashq governorate, whilst also escalating its campaign in the northern city of Aleppo.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [SOHR] confirmed that al-Assad military forces escalated their aerial campaign targeting the vital Rif Dimashq governorate on Monday, whilst political activists in Aleppo informed Asharq Al-Awsat that “the regime continued its savage campaign against the city, opening a new front in the north where violent clashes are raging." This coincided with a Free Syrian Army [FSA] announcement that opposition forces had succeeded in cutting off supply routes to al-Assad regime forces based in the city of Maarat al-Numan, located between Aleppo and Hama. For its part, opposition Local Coordination Committees [LCC] reported that around 100 people had been killed on Monday, the majority in Damascus and the surrounding area.
SOHR reported violent clashes in the town of Harasta, close to the capital, Damascus, “between fighters from rebel regiments and regular forces trying to storm the town” adding that “the town came under heavy shelling from regime warplanes.” SOHR also reported that two fighters, as well as three civilians – two men and one woman – had been killed in the fighting.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency [SANA] meanwhile reported that Attorney General Teysir al-Samadi had been abducted from the city of Daraa yesterday by unknown persons. The report claimed that “six terrorists kidnapped al-Samadi from outside the civilian court in Daraa” adding that the Syrian official was currently being held at an unknown location.
For its part, SOHR issued a statement confirming that al-Samadi had been abducted by "unidentified gunmen". It also reported the kidnapping of a second official in Daraa, namely Mahmoud Fawwaz Akrad, a member of the ruling Baathist party’s local branch. SOHR also reported that in Rif Dimashq, the Judaydat Artuz gardens were shelled before being stormed by regime forces, confirming the deaths of two people during clashes with al-Assad forces in the towns of Duma and Judaydat Artuz. A rebel soldier was also killed in clashes with al-Assad regime forces in Rif Dimashq.
Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat, Judaydat Artuz activist Ahmad al-Shami described the situation as being “extremely miserable.” He revealed that “there are random arrests taking place in the town and houses are being looted and burned. This is taking place in an extremely chaotic manner, as sometimes the houses of activists are chosen to be looted and burned, whilst at other times lootings and burnings are carried out as an act of mass revenge against the entire population.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat via Skype, the opposition political activist also revealed that “two people were killed yesterday and there are three corpses in the Khadija Mosque area but no one dares to claim them. There are also huge losses and large-scale destruction in Al-Jala' and Al-Baladiyah streets."
Al-Shami added “al-Assad regime soldiers and pro-regime Shabiha militia are carrying out provocative actions in the town's square, dancing and singing over the bodies of their victims as they celebrate victory."
The Shaam News Network reported that all areas of Harasta came under intense shelling by al-Assad regime forces yesterday, confirming that five people had been killed. In addition to this, reports indicated that the number of people killed in the town of Zabadani had risen to 13 whilst a single field hospital received around 50 wounded. Activists said heavy shelling by tanks and mortars continued since the morning targeting the towns of Zamalka and Ayn Tarma in Rif Dimashq.
Activists reported that similar operations targeted Hayy al-Ghawtah, near Damascus, confirming that a violent explosion shook the Al-Zahirah and Al-Midan neighborhoods. This occurred just one day after the car-bomb that exploded outside of a police station in the Bab Tuma neighbourhood of Damascus which claimed the lives of at least 15 people, according to Syrian state television.
In Aleppo, SOHR reported the continued shelling of Al-Firdaws neighbourhood for the third day, in addition to clashes in the Al-Midan and Salah-al-Din neighbourhoods. Aleppo based opposition activist, Mohamed al-Halabi, informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the regime forces had “opened a new front in the north where violent clashes are raging”.
He added “there is also intensified shelling and new attempts to storm the city from the western and eastern fronts, as well as the [new] northern front.”
Al-Halabi stressed that the FSA remains in control of all areas of Aleppo that it had seized more than four months ago, adding that the rebel forces had succeeded in retaking large parts of al-Midan neighbourhood as well as the entire Sulayman al-Halabi district. He also revealed that “the regime has recently begun to use rocket launchers in an extensive manner, which indicates that it is running out of arms.”
The al-Assad regime also renewed its shelling of the town of Dayr Hafir in Aleppo governorate, in addition to shelling the town of Azaz, close to the Turkish border. To the east of Azaz, al-Assad regime forces continued its shelling of the town of Maarat al-Numan in northern Idlib Governorate, which the FSA had seized two weeks ago. The FSA also sent reinforcement to the town of Wadi al-Dayf in preparation for future clashes with regime forces.
In a related context, Ahmad Qaddur, the Shaam News Network media spokesman in Idlib announced that "the FSA has declared the start of the operation to liberate Wadi al-Dayf” adding “clashes have been taking place since early morning.” He also revealed that "these clashes coincide with the violent shelling of the town’s northern-most neighborhoods and some outlying villages.”
He added "there is information indicating the presence of cluster bombs in the town, after these were previously deployed by regime forces.”
SOHR reported that “fire was seen to have engulfed regime forces checkpoints in Wadi al-Dayf following a violent attack by fighters from the Al-Nusrah Front and rebel regimes.” This attack occurred simultaneously with violent clashes that "destroyed four vehicles and which resulted in the deaths of at least nine soldiers and the wounding of 20 more.”
SOHR also reported that more than 21 regime forces soldiers had been killed during military operations taking place in Idlib, Daraa, Aleppo, Homs, and Rif Dimashq but did not give any more details. Activists also discovered the bodies of four people who were executed in the town of Busra al-Sham in Daraa governorate.

The Missing Obama-Romney Debate on Egypt
Eric Trager/The Atlantic
October 23, 2012
Neither candidate recommended a way to address the country's increasing radicalism and instability. How well do they really understand the problem?
Hosni Mubarak had to go.
It's nice that the presidential candidates can agree on something. (Never mind that they agree on something that happened over twenty months ago.) During last night's debate, both candidates said that the United States had to stand with the brave Egyptians who took to Tahrir Square to demand Mubarak's ouster. This was, in fact, the position of the American public, which supported Egypt's uprising by a whopping 82-11 margin. Who would want to run against those numbers?
Yet neither candidate articulated a clear policy towards post-Mubarak Egypt. (Perhaps this is a reflection of Americans' own ambivalence towards Egypt, which has a middling 47-percent approval rating among the American public.) Instead, the candidates espoused a virtually identical set of guiding principles -- Egypt's new government, they agreed, should uphold the rights of women, protect religious minorities, and act as a partner in American counterterrorism efforts -- but failed to say how they would deal with Egyptian Islamists' rejection of these things. In this vein, the latest draft of Egypt's constitution conditions women's equality on its adherence to "Islamic sharia judgments," and Islamists have said that this could legalize marriage to young girls -- perhaps as early as nine years old. Would either Obama or Romney use American aid to Egypt as leverage to protect Egyptian girls from this horrific future?
Presumably not, judging by last night's debate. For Romney, economic aid is a tool for preventing the influx of radicals, because without economic development, "you see al Qaeda rushing in, you see other jihadist groups rushing in." For Obama, economic aid is meant to help the Egyptian people realize their aspirations, which "are similar to young people's here": jobs, housing, and education. In other words, both candidates view economic aid as an important ingredient in producing a politically moderate, economically viable Egyptian future. Pay the aid now, the argument goes, and reap the rewards later -- perhaps much later.
The problem with this approach, however, is that it ignores what Egypt's Islamist leaders are doing now. In addition to its restrictive clause on women's rights, the new constitution draft would deny religious freedom to Shiites and Baha'is. ("Baha'is are a very eccentric group that is far from Islam," a Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary leader told me earlier this month, as he justified denying Baha'is constitutional protections.) Meanwhile, Egypt's judicial system continues to prosecute blasphemy, and a television host critical of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was recently sentenced to four months in prison. Indeed, Morsi is establishing himself as Egypt's next autocrat: he seized legislative and constitution authority through an August fiat, and he is reportedly considering a new emergency law that would rival Mubarak's.
The trends in Egypt's foreign policy outlook are similarly disturbing. Egypt's military has been slow to respond to terrorism in the unstable Sinai Peninsula, where al-Qaeda may be establishing a foothold, and an attack in August killed sixteen Egyptian soldiers while attempting to breach the Egyptian-Israeli border. Meanwhile, following the September 11 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, President Morsi waited two full days before speaking out, and he was recently caught on camera saying "amen" as an imam prayed for the destruction of Jews. Two weeks ago, the supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood -- which is effectively Egypt's new ruling party -- called for jihad to capture Jerusalem. And Salafist parties, which represent the strongest political challenge to the Muslim Brotherhood, have encouraged Egyptian youths to fight the "jihad" in Syria.
In other words, Egypt is already sliding towards the kind of radicalism that Governor Romney rightly wants to prevent, and this will inhibit the economic prosperity that President Obama rightly wants for Egypt. This is why the next president should work to break these trends as soon as possible -- before they harden.
American economic aid -- currently valued at $250 million -- is one tool that can be used towards this end, and our substantial influence in international economic organizations such as the IMF -- from which Egypt is seeking a $4.8 billion loan -- is another. Specifically, the next administration can condition direct and indirect economic aid to Egypt on promoting tolerance at home and peaceful relations abroad. Simply sending Egypt money with the aim of encouraging economic development -- and, in turn, political moderation -- won't make it magically happen. If anything, sending that aid will affirm for Egypt's Islamists that they face no consequences for their radicalism, and prevent them from making tough choices that could force them towards moderation.
Using aid as leverage is not only good policy; it is good politics. According to a January 2011 Gallup poll, 59 percent of Americans favor cutting foreign aid, including majorities of both Republicans and Democrats. Americans aren't eager to send money abroad -- and they will be especially unenthusiastic about sending taxpayer dollars to countries that are theocratizing, rather than democratizing.
Of course, both candidates support conditioning aid to Egypt on its commitment to the peace treaty with Israel, which Obama called a "red line" during last night's debate. (This, by the way, is both good policy and good politics: America has an interest in regional peace, and Israel enjoys a 71-percent approval rating.) But since both Obama and Romney view American interests in Egypt as more expansive than simply maintaining the treaty, both candidates could have benefited from explaining how they would have pursued those interests.
**Eric Trager is the Next Generation fellow at The Washington Institute.

France Sentences Lebanese Prostitution Kingpin to 8 Years in Jail
Naharnet /A French court Tuesday sentenced a Lebanese businessman in absentia to eight years in prison over a high-end prostitution ring operating at the Cannes Film Festival that had ties to a slain son of Moammar Gadhafi. The judge also slapped a 50,000 euro ($64,000) fine on Elie Nahas, a Lebanese who claimed to run a modeling agency employing young women recruited in South America, France and eastern Europe. Prosecutor Damien Martinelli described Nahas as a "businessman dealing in prostitution" and had called for a 200,000 euro fine. Nahas was also described as a guy Friday of Mutassim Gadhafi, one of the sons of the Libyan former leader.Six men and a woman were on trial in the southern French port city of Marseille but the five chief figures -- including Nahas -- are on the run. Nahas is accused of organizing a birthday bash for Mutassim Gadhafi in 2004 costing $1.5 million (1.1 million euros) with several stars and about 20 models in attendance. Mutassim Gadhafi was killed with his father on October 20 last year. Investigators never questioned the son. A Venezuelan named Felix Farias, who worked for a branch of Nahas' agency and caused a scandal in 2007 when he turned up at Paris airport with eight young women to attend the Cannes Film Festival, got a three-year jail sentence of which two were suspended.The others got terms ranging from three to six years.
SourceAgence France Presse

Pope to appoint six non-European cardinals
October 24, 2012
Six non-European Roman Catholic prelates will join the Vatican's College of Cardinals in November, Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday, in a move which may affect the election of the future pope.
At the end of the weekly general audience, Benedict said he would be appointing cardinals from the United States, Lebanon, India, Nigeria, Colombia and the Philippines in a surprise consistory, the second to be held this year. The college, the elite body that advises the pontiff and elects his successor upon his death, is currently heavily weighted in favor of Europe. The new cardinals will be the American James Michael Harvey, Lebanon's Bechara Boutros al-Rai, India's Baselios Cleemis, Nigeria's John Onaiyekan, Colombia's Ruben Salazar Gomez and Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle. The announcement follows the death of several cardinals in recent months and will bring the number of those eligible to vote back up to the maximum of 120. Cardinals must be young enough – under 80 – to take part in a papal election.
Religious watchers had not expected there to be another consistory until next year. In February, 22 new "princes of the Church" were created amid criticism at the number of Europeans and poor representation from elsewhere. While nearly half of the world's Catholics are in Latin America, there was only one new cardinal appointed from "the Catholic continent.”
The nomination of seven Italians in Benedict's fourth consistory also brought to 30 the elector cardinals from Italy – almost a quarter of the total, far outweighing any other country.
The nominations sparked rumors of a power struggle at the heart of the Vatican, with some observers saying that Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone was behind the promotion of Italians up the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy.-AFP

Obama, Romney both avoid equating an attack on Israel to an attack on America
DEBKAfile Special Report
October 23, 2012/Both US presidential contenders, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney pledged to stand with Israel if attacked in their foreign policy debate in Boca Raton, Florida Monday, Oct. 22. But neither replied directly to the question put by moderator Bob Scheiffer: which of them would offer a formal declaration as president to treat an attack on Israel as though it was an attack on America, especially in relation to a nuclear Iran?Romney said: "if Israel is attacked, we will have their back." He added he would stop a nuclear-capable - not just a nuclear – Iran. Both candidates agreed that military action was a last resort against Iran after all others had been exhausted. Obama said: “I will stand with Israel if they are attacked" and will not let Iran get a nuclear weapon, but added that Romney seems willing to take "premature military action." He cited unprecedented military and intelligence cooperation between his administration and Israel, and pledged an “unbreakable bond” with America’s true ally.
debkafile: The reservations on the parts of both candidates reflect the erosion of Israel’s strategic position in the four years of the Obama presidency compared with Iran’s rising clout in the region.
When the moderator asked how they would react to a telephone call from the Israeli prime minister announcing that bombers were on the way to attack Iran, Romney replied that his relations with Israel would be such that that phone call would not be made. Obama did not reply.
While Romney said tough sanctions against Iran should have come earlier, Obama stressed that his first priority had been to round up a world coalition to make them effective. Romney wanted action against Iran to include an economic boycott and isolation, tighter sanctions and getting Ahmadinejad indicted before the international court for promoting genocide by saying Israel should be wiped off the map. Romney attacked the president’s record by saying, “We’re four years closer to a nuclear Iran,” and have seen a dramatic reversal of the Arab Spring, with the Middle East in the grip of violent turbulence and extremism and al Qaeda is nowhere near on the run. Iran sees weakness where it expected strength. He charged Obama was silent when students in Tehran demonstrated for democracy. But he refrained from taking on Obama directly over his response to the attack which killed the US ambassador in Benghazi.
Reverting to relations with Israel, Romney called the tension between the US and Israel, our most important Middle East ally, “very unfortunate.” He pointed out that when Obama went to the Middle East, he traveled to Cairo and skipped Israel, which he has never visited as president. Obama countered that as a candidate he did go to Israel and visited Yad Vashem and the towns blasted by Hamas rockets rather then attending fundraisers.
Romney praised Mr. Obama for ordering the killing of Osama bin Laden but added, "We can't kill our way out of this mess."
He hammered the point throughout that the president had failed to show the world strong American leadership. Obama countered by accusing his rival of “wrong and reckless” proposals and “being all over the map” in his judgments between the start of his campaign and now.
When asked to name the greatest security threat to the United States today, Obama replied “terrorism;” Romney, “nuclear Iran.”For the American voter, 15 days before the presidential election, foreign policy is of secondary interest compared with the economy and jobs.

Benghazi killers among terrorists poised to strike US targets, Israel and Egypt
DEBKAfile Special Report October 23, 2012/The counterterrorism forces of Israel, the US, Egypt and Jordan have gone on elevated terror alert ahead of the three-day Muslim festival of Eid al Adha starting Thursday night, Oct. 25, debkafile reports.
They are acting on word received in the last ten days of preparations by Salafi and al Qaeda cells in Egyptian Sinai to unleash coordinated terrorist attacks on US and Egyptian targets in Sinai and across the border in Israel. The jihadis are bent on revenge for Israel’s targeted killing on Oct. 13 of Hisham Saidni and Abdullah al-Ashqar, two senior commanders of their Sinai-Gaza network, the Majlis Shura Al-Mujahideen
Israel’s IDF Sagi-512 Brigade and Shin Bet units are on guard around the Gaza Strip and Egyptian border; Egypt’s military, Interior Ministry and security forces are on high alert in Sinai; and the Multinational Force of mostly US units are on the ready at both its Sinai bases - Al-Gora near El Arish in the north and Sharm el-Sheikh in the south.
The US special forces unit posted last month on Jordan’s Syrian border was hurriedly transferred to the Red Sea port of Aqaba with a fleet of helicopters, in case the MFO comes under attack.

The Majlis Shura Al-Mujahideen is a roof organization of some 6,000 Egyptian, local Bedouin, Palestinian, Jordanian, Saudi, Yemeni and Libyan terrorists who subscribe to Al Qaeda’s jihadist philosophy. From their strongholds in central and southern Sinai, they have carried out most of the most recent spate of attacks on Israel and on Egyptian military targets in the peninsula.
After their combined assault of July 18 on Egyptian and Israeli military targets, in the course of which they massacred 18 Egyptian troops, Cairo announced the launch of a major offensive to root the terrorists out of their Sinai lairs. But four months on, the jihadis remain in control of large tracts of the rugged Sinai desert. And last week, they received a large increment from Libya. The Libyan reinforcements were discovered on their arrival in Sinai Oct. 15 with a large quantity of weapons including missiles, ready for the forthcoming Eid offensive.
Among them were some of the perpetrators of the murderous attack in Benghazi on Sept. 11which killed four Americans at the US consulate.
On the day they arrived, Al Qaeda’s Shumoukh Al-Islam website ran a eulogy for Hisham Saidni with a warning: “The blood of the Muslim heroes is not cheap, nor is it shed in vain. The Jews will pay dearly for every drop they spill and Israel should expect a devastating response.”
At the beginning of the week, intelligence watchers picked up the sudden disappearance of thousands of jihadis from their Sinai posts as though the earth had swallowed them up. It is suspected they have regrouped in locations close their targets ready to move.
This incoming intelligence prompted the US Statement Department’s travel advisory of Tuesday, Oct. 23, for US citizens visiting Sinai and Israel’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz’s warning that coordinated terrorist attacks may be in store from Sinai and its northern borders with Lebanon and Syria.