Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for September 20/12
Iran pours more troops into Syria, ready to target Israel from Syria and Lebanon
Summit on nuclear-free Mideast unrealistic: Israel
West warns Iran time running out for nuclear accord
Israeli Judge: Offended by The Anti Islam film? Don't watch it
Arab leaders seek to block anti-Muslim film in Israel
MK El-Sana: Zionists to blame for anti-Islam film
Actress sues California man behind anti-Muslim film
Danish cartoonist rejects censorship
Insulted, Muslims spread hatred
Christians Endangered by Anti-Islam Film Riots in Pakistan
Canada: Honouring Fallen Diplomats
Interview: Libyan National Guard head Khalid al-Sharif
Al-Assad’s sister fled to UAE – Sources
PLO: Over 400 Palestinians killed in Syria conflict
Iran ships arms, personnel to Syria via Iraq
World powers to discuss Iran nuclear program at UN
Iran atomic chief admits Tehran misled IAEA
Report: Iran ships arms to Syria via Iraq
STL defense accuses U.S. of political interference
Lebanese Rival Leaders Consider Suleiman's Defense Strategy Blueprint Starting Point for Dialogue
Dialogue explores Sleiman’s defense strategy
Lebanese Dar al-Fatwa urges state to block anti-Islam film access
Lebanese woman kills husband, attempts suicide
Lebanon beefs up security at Western embassies
Lebanon's Arabic press digest - Sept. 20, 2012
Bank robbery gang plotted terror attacks in Lebanon: source
Cabinet, security chiefs tackle kidnappings

Lebanese Rival Leaders Consider Suleiman's Defense Strategy Blueprint Starting Point for Dialogue
Naharnet/20 September 2012
A new round of all-party talks was set for Nov. 12 after Lebanon's rival political leaders vowed on Thursday to study a blueprint proposed by President Michel Suleiman and considered dialogue as a platform for discussions pending an agreement on the national defense strategy.
A statement issued following the national dialogue session held under Suleiman at Baabda Palace said: “The conferees agreed that Suleiman's vision is a starting point for discussions in their attempt to reach a consensus on the defense strategy, including the issue of arms.”
The leaders also said an anti-Islam U.S. film is aimed at igniting strife and supported the government in its call for issuing international regulations that criminalize the mocking of religions.
"Innocence of Muslims" has led to protests across the Muslim world. Demonstrators have vented their fury at the movie, targeting symbols of U.S. influence ranging from embassies and schools to fast-food chains. More than 30 people have been killed.
Following the talks, Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat said: “Despite the differences in viewpoints we agreed on stressing Lebanon's neutrality towards the Syrian crisis.”
The leaders also agreed on resolving the phenomenon of kidnap-for-ransom and keeping the army, which has played an essential role in the incidents in the northern city of Tripoli, at a distance from the political wrangling, he told reporters.
Jumblat also described Suleiman's blueprint on the defense strategy as “very important but not final.”
“Problems can only be resolved through slow dialogue,” he stressed.
Suleiman held behind closed-door talks with al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora following the national dialogue session.
Saniora had told An Nahar daily that he would hear Suleiman's proposal on the defense strategy but stressed “our stance from (Hizbullah's) arms is clear.”
A member of his bloc, MP Jean Oghassabian, told reporters following the all-party talks that al-Mustaqbal's principles could be summarized in seeking to put the weapons under the control of the state.
“This issue should be dealt calmly and slowly because nothing works in Lebanon without consensus,” he said.
The last session on August 16 was postponed over the absence of several members, mainly, Speaker Nabih Berri.
But Thursday's all-party talks were held despite the absence of MPs Suleiman Franjieh and Talal Arslan.
Ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri is already not attending since the national dialogue was launched after a 19-month absence in June for being abroad, while Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has announced his boycott of the talks for allegedly being useless.

Summit on nuclear-free Mideast unrealistic: Israel
September 20, 2012/Daily Star
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel has dismissed plans to hold a summit on creating a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, saying it was an unrealistic idea given the "current volatile and hostile" climate in the region. "Any initiative to promote the 2012 conference on the Middle East.. in complete disregard to the present sombre regional realities, is futile," Shaul Horev, head of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) said on Wednesday. He was referring to plans to hold such a conference in Finland later this year or in early 2013. Israel has not yet said whether or not it would attend.
Speaking at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the IAEC chief said the situation in the Middle East was not yet "conducive" to the creation of a nuclear weapons-free zone. "Such a process can only be launched when peaceful relations exist for a reasonable period of time in the region," Horev said, according to a transcript of his remarks.
The impetus for a nuclear weapons-free zone must come from within the region, he said. "It cannot be imposed from outside. Regrettably, the realities in the Middle East are far from being conducive," he said. "The concept of a region free of weapons of mass destruction, that has never been put to the test, even in the most peaceful regions of the world, is certainly much less applicable to the current volatile and hostile Middle East." Israel, he said, "does not enjoy the luxury of testing concepts born elsewhere that are strange to the region and its political culture and might put Israel's national security at great risk."
Earlier this year, Finnish representatives travelled to Israel in a bid to convince the Jewish state to attend the meeting, which comes as the world grapples with the stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme.
Israel and much of the international community believes Iran's nuclear programme masks a drive for a weapons capability, a charge denied by Tehran which says its activities are for civilian energy and medical purposes only. Israel, the Middle East's sole if undeclared nuclear power, has said it will not rule out unilateral military action against Tehran to prevent it from developing a weapon. The Jewish state is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which governs and restricts the development of nuclear technology, although it has IAEA membership.
Horev also addressed remarks made last week by Jordan's King Abdullah II in an exclusive AFP interview, accusing Israel of seeking to foil the kingdom's nuclear energy programme.
"Israel supports the uses of nuclear power by its neighbours, to meet their energy and water needs," he said.
"Israel believes in the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the Middle East, as long as states fully honour their international non-proliferation obligations."
The Jewish state, he said, had assisted Amman by providing "comprehensive geological data" to help Jordan decide where to place its nuclear power site.

STL defense accuses U.S. of political interference
September 20, 2012/By Willow Osgood The Daily Star
The four suspects, left to right, top to bottom: Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hussein Oneissi, Assad Sabra.
BEIRUT: Defense attorneys at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon accused the United States Thursday of political interference in the court’s work after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on defendant Mustafa Badreddine.
“The Defence questions the rationale behind the timing of the sanctions, which do not appear, in so far as they concern Mr. Badreddine, to be related to any alleged support on his part to the Assad regime,” Badreddine’s attorneys said in a statement.
“Rather, having been adopted a few weeks after a date was set for trial in March 2013, the imposition of sanctions appears to be an attempt to influence the Tribunal, prejudicing the minds of the judiciary against Mr. Badreddine in advance of his impending trial and thus interfering with the proper administration of justice.”
“It is notable that in the US Treasury release there is no reference to the fact that Mr. Badreddine is presumed innocent of the charges brought by the STL Prosecutor,” the statement added.
Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions on Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah for allegedly providing support to the Syrian regime, as well as on Talal Hamiyah and Badreddine for supporting the party’s “terrorist activities in the Middle East and around the world.”
Badreddine, along with three other members of Hezbollah, was indicted by the U.N.-backed court in the 2005 attack that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The defense attorneys also said that Badreddine was not likely to receive a fair trial since the United States, which referred to Badreddine as a “senior terrorist leader,” provides funding to court.
In response to the defense statement, the court rejected the suggestion that the U.S. could influence judicial proceedings.
“It does not matter that the U.S. has branded him 'a senior terrorist leader.’ The only thing the judges make their decisions on is the evidence related to the attack on 14 February 2005,” STL spokesman Marten Youssef told The Daily Star.
“There are 26 countries on 5 continents that support the tribunal financially. That support for the STL is strictly financial and stops there; there is no room for interference in the judicial process,” he added.
The four accused by the STL remain at large and have had no contact with the attorneys appointed for them by the court.
A tentative start date for a trial in absentia has been set for next March

Iran pours more troops into Syria, ready to target Israel from Syria and Lebanon
DEBKAfile Special Report September 20, 2012/ Iran continues to fly military personnel and quantities of weapons into Syria by civilian aircraft which cut through Iraqi airspace, American intelligence sources disclosed early Thursday, Sept. 20. UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon also said that, "Unfortunately, both [Syrian] sides, government and opposition forces, seem to be determined to see the end by military means."Clearly, Iran is augmenting its military involvement in the constantly escalating Syrian civil war, broadening it into a multinational conflict which threatens to drag Lebanon in, by means of the Iranian-Syrian ally, Hizballah. The UN Secretary General's statement implying that the two Syrian sides are determined to fight to the bitter end is echoed in Iran’s resolve to fight to the bitter end for Assad, on Syrian soil.
Tehran is not hiding its actions. Sunday, Sept. 16, Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Commander Gen. Ali Jafari said openly that Al Qods Brigades units were present and operational in both Syria and Lebanon. No comment on this revelation has come from the US, Israel or Israel’s military (IDF) chiefs - notwithstanding its menacing import, namely, that Tehran is no longer hanging about and waiting for its nuclear program to be attacked in order to punish Israel, but is getting ready for a pre-emptive operation.
Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have chosen silence in the face of what any other nation would regard as a casus belli: the open deployment of enemy forces on its northern and eastern borders.
This must have been the catalyst for the IDF’s surprise two-division strength drill Wednesday on Israel’s Golan border with Syria. But the IDF spokesman sounded almost apologetic when he explained that the exercise had nothing to do with the events in Syria or with Hizballah, and that it was no more than a routine drill for testing preparedness.
debkafile's military sources say that, in the current climate, no military operation by any army on the Syrian border – especially one of this magnitude – may be regarded as “routine.” Only a week ago, the Golani Brigade concluded a large military exercise in northern Israel including the Golan. That sort of frequency must have operational connotations: The IDF is evidently keeping the army on the move and in a constant state of readiness to fight a real war without delay on terrain made familiar by repeated war games.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz has a penchant for expressing himself through symbols, his method of overcoming the restrictions placed on his tongue by military and other constraints.
On New Year’s Eve last week, the general handed military correspondents a small gift: The Hebrew edition of the American writer Richard David Bach's "There's No Such Place as Far Away."
For the Golan drill Wednesday, he decided to attach Maj. Gen. (res.) Nati Sharoni, chief artillery officer in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, to his party of advisers and observers.
The book was a clear message to Tehran and doubting Thomases at home that the IDF is fully capable of an operation against Iran’s nuclear program and of successfully accomplishing any mission far from its shores. Gen. Sharoni’s presence at the Golan exercise, and the exercise itself, was a warning to Iran, Hizballah and Syria that they will be disappointed if they hope to catch Israel unready, as it was by the surprise attack which almost overcame the IDF 39 years ago before the tide of war was turned back against Egypt.

Israeli Judge: Offended by The Anti Islam film? Don't watch it
Aviel Magnezi Published: 09.20.12/Ynetnews
Court rejects Arab leaders' request for temporary ban on anti-Islam film; Judge postpones permanent ruling until response from Google is submitted
The Jerusalem District Court has rejected a request filed by Arab leaders who sought a temporary injunction to block Israeli web access to an anti-Islam film that sparked riots worldwide.
In their petition, Knesset Member MK Talab El-Sana and several Muslim clerics demanded Google to bar Israeli web surfers from seeing the film, whether on YouTube or otherwise. A temporary injunction would stop Internet users from watching the movie while the court mulled a permanent ban.
Judge Miriam Mizrahi decided against provisionally blocking access to the film, deciding instead that the court would await a response from Google before issuing a final ruling on the matter.
"The freedom of speech is our guiding principle, and such things take time," she said.
The petitioners attempted during the hearing to press the judge on the matter, but to no avail, with the judge suggesting that "for the time being, anyone who finds the film offensive should avoid watching it." "Anyone who doesn't search for the film, won't find it," she added. The Arab leaders said in the petition that movie, which ridicules the Prophet Mohammed, is racist and disrespectful of Muslim beliefs, and therefore is in violation of Israeli laws. Google Inc., which owns YouTube, has already blocked access to the film in Libya, India and Indonesia after deadly protests in several countries, but it has rejected a request by the White House to pull it from the site altogether.

West warns Iran time running out for nuclear accord
AFP Published: 09.20.12, 20:54 / Ynetnews
US, UK, France slam Iran for nuclear program, arm deliveries to Syria; 'We are asking Iran to negotiate,' French ambassador says at UN Security Council meeting . The United States, Britain and France warned Iran on Thursday that time is running out for a negotiated settlement to the showdown on its nuclear program.. "Time is wasting," US ambassador Susan Rice told a UN Security Council meeting on nuclear sanctions against Iran. Iran is "at a crossroads," Britain's UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant told the meeting, at which western nations also slammed Iran for its arms deliveries to Syria and alleged links to terrorism.
The meeting was held amid mounting speculation that Israel is planning a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to speak at the UN General Assembly of world leaders next week.
A series of reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, have said Iran is stepping up uranium enrichment and not providing proof that its nuclear activities are peaceful.The western powers say Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb but the Tehran government says its drive is peaceful.
No Iranian diplomat spoke at the meeting where Rice said the international powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and United States – cannot pursue their nuclear talks with Iran "indefinitely".
"We will not engage in an endless process of negotiations that fail to produce any results. We must therefore remain clear and united in seeking resolution of the international community's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program. Time is wasting," the US envoy said.
'Iran's approach is to deceive'
Top officials from the six international powers are to meet in New York next week to discuss Iran. But Russia and China have spoken against tightening the four rounds of UN sanctions already imposed.
"Iran's approach remains to deny, to deceive and distract," Rice said.
She called on UN members, particularly neighbors of Iran, to step up action to halt Syria's arms shipments to President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria. UN sanctions experts have uncovered evidence of shipments and diplomats said that Iran is sending some weapons by air across Iraqi territory.
States in the region must "redouble their efforts to deny, inspect and seize illicit Iranian shipments, including transfers by air corridors," Rice said.
The US government has asked Iraq to ensure that Iranian planes flying over its territory land and face cargo inspections, amid concerns that arms are being shipped to the Assad government.
Britain's UN ambassador called the arms exports to Syria "a reminder of Iran's hypocrisy in claiming to support freedom in the Arab world."
"The Iranian regime is at a crossroads," said Lyall Grant. "It can continue to ignore the international community's concerns over its nuclear program, or it can negotiate a settlement that will help to realize the benefits of a civil nuclear program.
"It can support the oppressive regime in Syria in suppressing freedom, or it can play a constructive role in its region. It can be an exporter of terrorism or a responsible member of the international community. But it must make these choices soon," Lyall Grant said.
France's UN ambassador Gérard Araud said: "We are asking Iran to negotiate, but Iran is not negotiating."

The "Nuclear Guards" in Syria
By Emad El Din AdeebظAsharq Alawsat
Clearly Tehran has decided to protect its nuclear reactor through its first line of defense, starting from the Syrian capital!
The stage Iran has chosen for its conformation with the West is not on its own soil, but rather the geographical area spanning from Syria to Lebanon. In this endeavor, Iran is making full use of an alliance that incorporates the regular Syrian army, the Shabiha forces and Hezbollah battalions, supported by armed units from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. In my opinion, these latter units should now change their name to the Iranian Nuclear Guards! It is no secret that military leaders from the Revolutionary Guards and Iranian fighters backed by Hezbollah elements have been present on Syrian territory for months. What is new is the fact that Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, has officially declared for the first time that a number of Quds Force elements, responsible for carrying out the Revolutionary Guards' covert external operations, are now present [in Syria] as advisors. He added that in the event of Syria encountering a military attack, Iran will offer military support. This means that Iran has stepped over the line and has now become an overt player in the security and military operations within the Syrian crisis, which makes the current struggle more complex and Lakhdar Brahimi’s mission more difficult.
Jafari’s announcement of an 18 month old accomplished fact means that Iran – currently subjected to an international siege – is now taking on the form of a Persian merchant; with the aim of demonstrating that it has important cards to play in the Syrian crisis. The Persian merchant seems to be saying: Anyone who is willing to sell, buy or barter can contact us in Tehran.
This is the same tactic used by Iran’s pistachio, caviar and carpet merchants who always attempt to bargain for the best price following a prolonged period of stubbornness, with the aim of improving negotiation conditions and getting the best rate possible.
Unfortunately, people's destinies have become a bargaining chip, as if the residents of Aleppo should pay the price for the madness of some in Tehran, and the residents of Idlib must suffer for the sake of the Iranian nuclear project. In the meantime, hundreds are being killed every day and over one and a half million Syrians are living in temporary camps inside and outside their country. I do not know why the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' experts have never made use of their free time in Damascus to wage a battle against the Zionist enemy in the Golan Heights, especially since one of their units is known as the Quds [Jerusalem] Force. I do not know why these forces have not carried out great "martyrdom operations" on the Lebanese-Israeli border, through the support offered by Hezbollah's troops and soldiers who are allies of the Quds Force.
Iran will fight for its nuclear project even if it takes every last Syrian child or elderly Lebanese, and until every last Syrian or Lebanese pound has been spent.
Iran's war, if it wants to continue with it, must take place on Iranian soil using Iranian soldiers and officers, and resulting in Iranian victims and costs only!

Love the neighbor
By Hussein Shobokshi/Asharq Alawsat
The statements made by Benedict XVI, Pope of the Catholic Church in Rome, during his visit to Lebanon and as part of the major speech he delivered in the Presidential Palace in Beirut, have aroused amazement, wonder and even shock. The man gave an obscure speech, far removed from any realistic meanings or links to the events taking place only a short distance from his podium, or references to the wider region full of developments and a world engulfed in change.
A man is judged by his stances, and stances require that opportunities must be seized. Pope Benedict XVI had come to Lebanon, a country that has suffered flagrant atrocities primarily due to the al-Assad regime in Syria, a situation his predecessor the late Pope John Paul II was well aware of. Yet, Pope Benedict XVI opted not to draw attention to the magnitude of the catastrophe in Syria or the massive bloodshed caused by a reckless, blood-thirsty, aggressive and vengeful regime that does not hesitate to use aircraft, tanks and missiles against its own people. He opted only to issue a statement demanding that the world stop exporting arms to Syria; a vague statement that does not befit a man who represents the Christians of the world, or at least the majority of them.
The man also failed to touch explicitly or overtly upon the defamatory film about the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), which insulted all Muslims and caused giant waves of anger in different parts of the world. Pope Benedict XVI missed out on the opportunity to be a man and handle the situation in a manner befitting a spiritual leader. Let me say once again that ever since he first assumed the most senior Christian post, Pope Benedict XVI has sent out negative signals that play no constructive role in building bridges of communication between different religions and cultures. Pope Benedict XVI’s rise in stature has also coincided with the peaceful, calm but mysterious coup in Bkerke, the headquarters of the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Lebanon, which is affiliated to the Catholic Church in Rome. This coup resulted in Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi replacing Nasrallah Sfeir.
Bechara al-Rahi came with a political discourse championing the al-Assad regime, warning that the region would fall into an ocean of extremism and radicalism if Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. Such a stance was completely contrary to that of Sfeir, yet it was consistent with the political discourse of several political Maronites in Lebanon who are staunch advocates of al-Assad, represented by Michel Aoun and Suleiman Frangieh. Michel Aoun is known for his changeable political stances and his "principles" that fluctuate as often as he changes his shirts. This is the political price that he voluntarily decided to pay in order to rise to power and hold Lebanon's presidency at one point, a dream that Aoun had cherished for so long. Hence he has always changed his stances and principles, as if he lives inside a Moulinex Blender.
Pope Benedict XVI’s behavior is unacceptable from a great spiritual leader who has come to visit a region going through a decisive period in its history, trying desperately to champion its people's dignity and grant them the right to enjoy freedom and salvation from injustice and tyranny. Yet despite all this, and in view of the prevailing injustices committed by the al-Assad regime in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, Pope Benedict XVI does not dare to call things by their true names.
I also wonder about the deteriorating stances adopted by the Maronite Church in Lebanon. Having adopted positive stances against the French and Turkish colonialists, and also against the Baathist Nasserite threat, today the church is championing a regime that the entire world believes has lost its morality, let alone legitimacy.
Pope Benedict XVI needs to extensively consider the stances of his predecessor John Paul II and what he did to confront communism in Eastern Europe. He maintained a strong alliance with the West in a bid to overthrow the "evil empire", grant the Eastern Europeans the right to practice their faith and doctrine, maintain their dignity, and eliminate the powers of darkness that had prevailed over them for decades.
The Syrian people deserve to be held in as high regard as the Polish, Hungarians, the Czechs, the Romanians and so on. Yet the weak and hesitant positions of some, the failure to give a true account of events and the attempts to cover up injustice will all lead to more killings and more bloodshed, and this is something that no religious figure can allow.
Pope Benedict XVI seemed cheerful and lively when he came to Lebanon, and yet he was indifferent to the wounded, saddened, tearful and grief-stricken neighbor [Syria]. Isn't it true that caring for the rights of a neighbor is one of the Ten Commandments?
West warns Iran time running out for nuclear accord
AFP Published: 09.20.12, 20:54 / Ynetnews
US, UK, France slam Iran for nuclear program, arm deliveries to Syria; 'We are asking Iran to negotiate,' French ambassador says at UN Security Council meeting . The United States, Britain and France warned Iran on Thursday that time is running out for a negotiated settlement to the showdown on its nuclear program. "Time is wasting," US ambassador Susan Rice told a UN Security Council meeting on nuclear sanctions against Iran.Iran is "at a crossroads," Britain's UN envoy Mark Lyall Grant told the meeting, at which western nations also slammed Iran for its arms deliveries to Syria and alleged links to terrorism.
The meeting was held amid mounting speculation that Israel is planning a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to speak at the UN General Assembly of world leaders next week.
A series of reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, have said Iran is stepping up uranium enrichment and not providing proof that its nuclear activities are peaceful.The western powers say Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb but the Tehran government says its drive is peaceful.
No Iranian diplomat spoke at the meeting where Rice said the international powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and United States – cannot pursue their nuclear talks with Iran "indefinitely".
"We will not engage in an endless process of negotiations that fail to produce any results. We must therefore remain clear and united in seeking resolution of the international community's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program. Time is wasting," the US envoy said.
'Iran's approach is to deceive'
Top officials from the six international powers are to meet in New York next week to discuss Iran. But Russia and China have spoken against tightening the four rounds of UN sanctions already imposed.
"Iran's approach remains to deny, to deceive and distract," Rice said.
She called on UN members, particularly neighbors of Iran, to step up action to halt Syria's arms shipments to President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria. UN sanctions experts have uncovered evidence of shipments and diplomats said that Iran is sending some weapons by air across Iraqi territory.
States in the region must "redouble their efforts to deny, inspect and seize illicit Iranian shipments, including transfers by air corridors," Rice said.
The US government has asked Iraq to ensure that Iranian planes flying over its territory land and face cargo inspections, amid concerns that arms are being shipped to the Assad government.
Britain's UN ambassador called the arms exports to Syria "a reminder of Iran's hypocrisy in claiming to support freedom in the Arab world."
"The Iranian regime is at a crossroads," said Lyall Grant."It can continue to ignore the international community's concerns over its nuclear program, or it can negotiate a settlement that will help to realize the benefits of a civil nuclear program.
"It can support the oppressive regime in Syria in suppressing freedom, or it can play a constructive role in its region. It can be an exporter of terrorism or a responsible member of the international community. But it must make these choices soon," Lyall Grant said.
France's UN ambassador Gérard Araud said: "We are asking Iran to negotiate, but Iran is not negotiating."

Cairo: Engaging Iran in Syria
By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Alawsat
Ever since Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi proposed a quartet of states to resolve the Syrian crisis, including the Iranians, a question has been raised: The move itself is a notable step towards reawakening a dormant Egypt so it can play its regional role, but why Iran?
Recently, a trilateral committee of Egypt, Turkey and Iran convened, with Saudi Arabia absent on the grounds of being preoccupied with other issues. Of course, this excuse is unconvincing, and it is more likely that Saudi Arabia has deliberately opted to distance itself from Iran’s participation in any decisions regarding Syria. This is because such participation would grant the Iranian regime carte blanche to later on act as a partner in any decision on Syria that might be taken regionally.
Mursi's administration may be seeking to usher in a new era, away from Hosni Mubarak’s concept of foreign policy, and it would have every right to do so were it not for the fact that this particular issue can damage Syria as well as Egypt's interests. Iran has made no secret of its intention to rescue the Bashar al-Assad regime, and has tried its upmost to keep it afloat; from the moment the revolution erupted last year until now. Iran can also be held partly responsible for the al-Assad regime's crimes that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people, in the most horrific massacres the region has ever seen, and the killings continue unabated. It is certain that the Iranian regime will act to cripple any real solution put forward by the quartet, and this could have devastating consequences for the reputation of the Mursi administration. It is inconceivable that Iran would play a positive role in the overthrow of al-Assad and in ending the crisis, for everything Iran says about a peaceful solution means only one thing: keeping the al-Assad regime in power. Because of Iran's stance and its partnership with al-Assad, the Syrian people have begun to detest anything related to the Iranian regime, in the same manner that they detest the Syrian regime. Consequently, even if there was a peaceful solution, however improbable it may seem, it would be rejected by the Syrian opposition because of Iran's presence at the negotiation table. There is also another, strategic aspect: The belief that an Egyptian-Iranian special relationship will be established. This could be damaging for Egypt, more than on any other country. I have read satirical analysis of Egypt playing the role of a "guarantor” for the Gulf region when it comes to dealing with Iran, but aside from this sarcastic rhetoric, the fact is that such a relationship would take away one of Egypt’s trump cards in the regional game.
Iran is similar to Egypt - although not in a complimentary manner - in terms of its population, proximity to the neighboring Gulf region and its desire to be an active partner in the world's most significant oil-producing region. These are all competitive attributes and therefore it is not surprising that Egypt, in its relationship with the Gulf, has always been a competitor of Iran rather than an ally, throughout the eras of Abdul Nasser, Sadat and Mubarak. Even when relations between Riyadh and Cairo were at their lowest, Abdul Nasser distanced himself from Iran's Shah and remained opposed to him.
Practically speaking, Mursi, by involving the Iranians, is giving them access to Egypt’s affairs whilst gaining little advantage in the Gulf, because Iran’s region is the subject of international, not only regional, disputes. I was expecting Mursi to play a more influential role in the Syrian issue, a role commensurate with the admirable stance he displayed against the Bashar al-Assad regime during the Non-aligned Summit in Tehran, which he has yet to live up to. What is stopping Egypt from participating with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan to support the Syrian revolution in a manner that goes beyond official statements? Also, unofficially speaking, Egypt can play a key role in toppling the al-Assad regime by providing support to the rebels by all means possible.

Expel the Iranians from Syria
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
Well, the quartet proposed by Egypt to solve the Syrian crisis – comprising of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran – has convened twice, not just once, and now it is abundantly clear that everyone has realized it does not have any chance of success. This is something I have already highlighted on two occasions, even before the quartet’s first meeting.
It is clear today that everyone realizes there is no hope for this quartet, and the mere invitation of Iran to the negotiation table has rendered it a failure, since Tehran is one of the main obstacles in Syria so how can it be part of the solution? When I say that everyone has realized, this has become apparent from some recent positions, especially with Saudi Arabia being absent from the latest meeting in Cairo. Opinions are now beginning to be voiced out loud about the difficulty of reaching an agreement in light of Iran’s involvement, and official statements are also flowing in this direction, the latest being the statement of the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil Elaraby, who declared that with regards to the Syrian crisis, all doors have been knocked without any success. This was essentially to be expected, for I, and a few others in this newspaper, have been saying this since day one of the Syrian revolution, and no one can continue to be deceived by al-Assad’s tricks forever.
Returning to the quartet, what is important now is that it has confirmed to some Iran’s true intentions towards Syria, and the danger in merely believing that Tehran could be part of the solution. In Cairo, Iran called for observers to be sent to Syria from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran itself, and this proposal is extremely serious for Iran is effectively saying to its counterpart regional powers: “Come and divide Syria among ourselves along the lines of Lebanon”. It is difficult now to imagine the formation of a Lebanese government without a compromise between Saudi Arabia, Iran and more recently Turkey. Yet instead of addressing this erroneous situation in Lebanon, Iran wants to apply it in Syria, under an Arab cover and from an Arab capital!
The mere fact that Egypt’s quartet proposal was accepted in the first place means that some in our region still believe in half-baked solutions under weak pretexts such as pragmatism or dealing with the situation realistically, and this is a danger in particular. As I have said repeatedly, Iran is not a neighbor of Syria, nor does Syria’s sectarian composition grant it a right to intervene. The Syrians chant “no to Iran and no to Nasrallah”, whilst we find ourselves trying to give a cover to Iranian influence in Syria, so Iran can proceed with creating a faction there, along the lines of Hezbollah. This is out of the question, and we must be wary of it, especially if Syria descends into a state of total chaos. Then Tehran would seek to create a new source of legitimacy in Syria as it did with Hezbollah in Lebanon, under the pretext of “liberating the occupied territories”, and from now on we must look out for this since no one is seeking to accelerate the fall of al-Assad!
Therefore, I hope now that we are all alert to the danger of Iran in Syria, especially after the quartet’s meeting in Egypt, which was supposed to demand the expulsion of the Quds Force from Syria – after the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards acknowledged their presence there – rather than Tehran calling upon the quartet to send observers. What is actually required is the expulsion of Iran from Syria, instead of legitimizing its interference!

Al-Assad’s sister fled to UAE – Sources
By Mohamed Nassar/Asharq Al-Awsat
Dubai, Asharq Al-Awsat – A well-informed source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Bushra al-Assad – the sister of the Syrian President and widow of General Assef Shawkat – has been residing in the UAE for the past 10 days. The source indicated that she is present in the country along with her five children, whilst there has been no official clarification from UAE authorities whether she is present in the country or not. According to information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, Bushra al-Assad – who is a pharmacist – and her five children have temporarily relocated to the UAE, where she used to live with her husband. The source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the reason behind this move is that it is the beginning of the school year and it would be difficult or impossible for her children to go to school safely [in Syria] at a time when their uncle Bashar al-Assad is waging a bloody war against his own people. Bushra al-Assad previously lived in the UAE for about one year, residing close to the French Embassy in Abu Dhabi, whilst her children attended a French school nearby, according to the “all4syria.info” website.
Bushra al-Assad, who married Assef Shawkat in 1995, has five children; twins and triplets. Lebanon’s Addiyar newspaper, which has ties to the al-Assad regime and is printed in one of the state-run printing houses in Syria, previously indicated that Bushra would be moving to Abu Dhabi where her children can be enrolled in school, particularly as they are still young.
The newspaper also pointed out that some expect Bushra al-Assad to issue political statements [from the UAE], and that she will try to play a political role at the domestic and regional level by giving interviews, issuing comments and holding press conferences in support of the al-Assad regime. Addiyar claimed that Bushra al-Assad would seek to adhere to and promote the stances of her late husband Assef Shawkat, who died in the bombing of the National Security headquarters in Damascus a few months ago, along with several key security figures in the Syrian regime.
An informed Syrian source, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity, categorically denied that Bushra al-Assad has defected from the regime, stating there was no need for her to do so. The source reiterated that the sole reason she was relocating to the UAE was to enroll her children at a school so that they do not miss out on the school year.
This is not the first time that reports have spread claiming that Bushra al-Assad has “defected” from Syria. Despite the absence of any official comment on this news, several opposition sources have confirmed that Bushra al-Assad has left Syria and settled in the UAE, specifically in Abu Dhabi, where she has enrolled her children at a French school.

Interview: Libyan National Guard head Khalid al-Sharif
By Khaled Mahmoud/Asharq Al-Awsat
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, head of Libya’s National Guard, Khalid al-Sharif, spoke about the former regime figures that are being held in Tripoli’s maximum security “Hudba el-Gassi” prison, particularly former Gaddafi spy-chief Abdullah al-Senussi.
This prison was built at the former site of the Military College in south-east Tripoli and can hold a maximum of 100 prisoners. In addition to al-Senussi, former Libyan Prime ministers Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, Abuzed Omar Dorda and Abdul Ati Al-Obeidi are being held there, as well as former military intelligence head Mustafa Al-Kharroubi.
Libyan National Guard head, Khalid al-Sharif, himself a prisoner under the Gaddafi regime, spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat about the conditions at the prison, the prisoners’ state of mind and his hopes for the future of Libya.
The following is the full text of the interview:
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Following the Libyan revolution, a number of former regime figures remain in custody awaiting trial, including Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, and former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi. So now you are perhaps one of the world’s most famous jailers?
[al-Sharif] (laughs) God willing, no…this is just my role as a result of my position, nothing more.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Yesterday, there were reports that Abdullah al-Senussi had been transferred to hospital as a result of torture. Is this true?
[al-Sharif] These stories are completely untrue.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] So how is al-Senussi treated in general?
[al-Sharif] He is treated normally according to the prison’s rules and regulations without any discrimination. He is granted all the legal rights that are enjoyed by any other prison.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Would you say that the standards of justice are applied to Libya’s prisoners?
[al-Sharif] Of course, there are legal means and procedures in place, as well as means of monitoring prisoner’s health and meals. We try to provide prisoners with everything in accordance to the laws and regulations.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] From time to time there are leaks from the prosecution’s questioning of al-Senussi, such as reports that he has revealed the location where Mansour El-Kikhia – who disappeared in 1993 – is buried, or that he has revealed information about the Abu Salim prison massacre. Can you confirm if any of this is true?
[al-Sharif] Perhaps some of these leaks from the prosecution are in humanitarian interests. In other words, if any news is leaked by the public prosecution regarding the Masnour El-Kikhia case this is for humanitarian reasons, particularly as he is a Libyan citizen who disappeared in 1993. His family, until now, are looking for him and do not know his fate. Therefore these leaks, even if they are true, are only in consideration of the humanitarian situation.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Did al-Senussi reveal the location where Kikhia is buried, or the circumstances surrounding his death?
[al-Sharif] These issues and procedures are still being carried out by the public prosecution, and I cannot talk about this until it is permitted. If there are leaks, this will only be in consideration of humanitarian issues, as I said previously.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is it true that al-Senussi’s interrogations are being taped?
[al-Sharif] As for the prosecution’s interrogation of him, I do not believe that they are taking place in this manner, however his statements are being documented and he must sign these statements or remain silent, as in any prison.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is the information that he reveals confined to the prosecution, or is this also shared with the Libyan parliament and government?
[al-Sharif] Of course everything that he reveals is of concern to the competent authorities and the prosecution. However in general, he reveals – certainly through the interrogation – the history of Libya, and so the Libyan people must know what is happening.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us something that al-Senussi has revealed but which has not been leaked to the public?
[al-Sharif] You know that everything now is in the hands of the prosecution and investigation.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Has he revealed anything about Gaddafi’s funds abroad?
[al-Sharif] Such issues are within the security context and I am not authorized to talk about this.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] How does al-Senussi spend an average day in prison? What is his daily routine like?
[al-Sharif] He is treated just like the other prisoners. At this point, and until the end of interrogations with him, he is provided a private bathroom with hot and cold running water, as well as good lighting. He has a comfortable bed and all the comforts of home. As for meals, he is provided with appropriate food, whilst if he requests inappropriate food, we try to provide him with something appropriate.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is he allowed to communicate with the outside world, such as by telephone or internet?
[al-Sharif] Of course this is not permitted to him at the present time.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] As for the media, is al-Senussi aware of what is happening? Is he allowed to read newspapers or watch television?
[al-Sharif] This is prohibited at the present time.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Can you tell us about some of the requests that the former Libyan spy chief has made?
[al-Sharif] As soon as he arrived, he asked us to reassure his family about him…and we did so.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is it true that he has complained of being mistreated and humiliated?
[al-Sharif] The situation did not reach humiliation, for we do not utilize the method of humiliation. We are governed by laws and regulation, which is applied to each and every prisoner; so the same regulations apply to him as to anybody else.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What was his response to having his hair cut?
[al-Sharif] In the beginning he expressed a form of objection, but when we told him that this was a prison regulation he responded.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You personally were imprisoned by Abdullah al-Senussi, along with tens of thousands of other Libyans. Have you ever spoke to him about how the tables have turned?
[al-Sharif] I spoke with him during the first moments of his arrival [in prison] and he recognized me immediately, for he knows me well. When I was in prison we met a number of times, particularly during the meetings between the government and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group [LIFG], for he was a party in these discussions, along with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and his brothers. So when I saw al-Senussi, he recognized me and said “I saved you from execution”, and I told him that it was God Almighty that had saved me, and that he [al-Senussi] had killed thousands other than me.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] When he told you that he had saved you from execution, was he trying to gain your favor?
[al-Sharif] I think he was perhaps trying to remind me that he was the reason that my life had been spared, but it was God Almighty who saved me, whilst al-Senussi – along with the Gaddafi regime – killed and executed thousands of Libyans, particularly during the 17 February revolution.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is al-Senssui an ordinary prisoner or a special prisoner?
[al-Sharif] He is certainly a special prisoner, particularly as somebody like Abdullah al-Senussi is not an ordinary person. For during the Gaddafi era, as the Libyan intelligence chief, he was Gaddafi’s right hand man.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think this makes it more likely that he will try to escape or that others will seek to free him from prison?
[al-Sharif] He cannot escape, for strict security measures are in place…and we guarantee this.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Is it true that he tried to commit suicide in prison?
[al-Sharif] This is not true.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Do you think he lacks the courage to commit suicide, if you could describe this act as courageous?
[al-Sharif] I think committing suicide would be difficult for him, and he cannot do this.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Why not?
[al-Sharif] This would be very difficult because he is being closely monitored.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Are there any differences between al-Senussi and other infamous former regime figures that are currently in prison, such as Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, Mustafa Al-Kharroubi, Abuzed Omar Dorda, and Abdul Ati Al-Obeidi? Are they all being held on the same wing of the prison?
[al-Sharif] They are all being held in the same prison, in similar conditions. They receive the same level of care and monitoring, although their state of mind differs according to what charges they are facing. For al-Senussi, for example, is the primary defendant in the Abu Salim massacre case, which resulted in the deaths of 1,272 Libyans, so he is not in the same situation as the others.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is the strangest request to be made by one of these figures?
[al-Sharif] Their requests are endless. What is strange is that they ask permission to be allowed to attend the weddings of their children, and they say that when we were imprisoned in Gaddafi’s jails, they would allow us to do so.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Have you uncovered any attempts to break these prisoners out of jail, or even attempts to send messages to them?
[al-Sharif] Nothing like this has happened until now. There are strict security procedures in place.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] What is al-Senussi’s cell number?
[al-Sharif] (laughs) It certainly has its own number…but this is a security issue that we cannot comment on.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] Al-Senussi previously imprisoned you, whilst now he finds himself in jail. What do you think of this?
[al-Sharif] For me, as any Libyan citizen, I feel the grace of God Almighty, who allowed us to arrest this man that humiliated, tortured and killed the Libyan people.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] There are leaks that claim that you, or perhaps Abdelhakim Belhadj, could be appointed Interior Minister in the Abushagur government. What is your view of this?
[al-Sharif] Until now, I have been distant from political affairs.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] You previously worked with Belhadj, has he any connection with the “Hudba el-Gassi” prison?
[al-Sharif] Belhadj has nothing to do with the prison, and I previously worked with Belhadj as part of LIFG during the period of struggle against the Gaddafi regime, whilst we are now working within the state according to laws and regulations.
[Asharq Al-Awsat] In the beginning, you laughed when I said that you are now the world’s most famous jailer…how do you truly view this issue, particularly, in light of the fact that you are in charge of the most famous prisoners in the world?
[al-Sharif] This is thanks to the grace of God Almighty, who has allowed us to arrest those who spilled the blood of the Libyan people and bring them to justice, for in the past they were killing people whilst now they are prisoners.

The Rape of Christopher Stevens
by Raymond Ibrahim/FrontPage Magazine
September 20, 2012
http://www.raymondibrahim.com/12305/the-rape-of-christopher-stevens
By obsessing over the 14-minute YouTube Muhammad video and its maker, the mainstream media ultimately exonerates the inexcusable and murderous response of the Islamic world.
One of the images being cited as evidence that Stevens was sexually abused: it appears his pants were down when he was rescued.
There is only one question: did those who make this movie break any law? No, they did not—and so the matter should end there, and the media should move on. Focusing on those who did not break any American laws as a way to take the focus off those who murdered and initiated an act of war against the United States is not only misleading; it validates and gives Islamic blasphemy laws precedence over American freedoms.
Moreover, even if making movies deemed offensive to Muslims was illegal in the U.S., the fact is, these embassy attacks, which "coincidentally" began on September 11, have nothing to do with the movie. On September 10, I wrote an article titled "Jihadis Threaten to Burn U.S. Embassy in Cairo." Then, the demand that the U.S. release its imprisoned jihadis, including the Blind Sheikh, was behind these threats. There was no mention of "offensive movies." My source, El Fagr, an Arabic website, reported all this on September 8.
In other words, several days before Muslims rioted about this movie they were threatening to burn down the U.S. embassy in Cairo. I had even seen sporadic Arabic reports, from months back, talking about "extremist elements" threatening the embassy. The movie is just a pretext—aided and abetted by the media, not to mention the Obama administration: Hillary Clinton called the video "disgusting and reprehensible," wording which is more befitting for those who murdered (and possibly raped, see below) Americans; the U.S. embassy itself apologized over those who "hurt the religious feelings of Muslims"; and the administration asked YouTube to remove the 14 minute trailer.
Thus the U.S. administration validates Islam's blasphemy laws and, once again, aligns itself with America's jihadi enemies.
Seventy-year old, retiring Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., put it well, when he suggested that the administration's response to the embassy attacks was akin to a court asking a rape victim for an apology: "It's like the judge telling the woman who got raped, 'You asked for it because of the way you dressed.'"
Nor is the rape analogy entirely allegorical. According to the Arabic website, Tayyar, "the American ambassador in Libya [Christopher Stevens] was sexually raped before being killed by the gunmen who stormed the embassy building in Benghazi last night [Tuesday, September 11], in protestation of a film insulting to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him."
Sexual abuse and degradation is a common tactic used against non-Muslims, especially women, as the repeatedly raped Lara Logan found. A report in Arabic media that just appeared discusses how Christian women—identified by wearing crosses around their necks or simply not wearing a hijab—are subject to sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and even threats of rape on the streets of Egypt. This has only "become much more blatant and terrifying [after the embassy attacks]—and has even reached the point of threats of genocide and purging the land of Egypt of infidel Christians," writes one female Christian in Egypt.
Nor are men immune from such rapes. In fact, the photos of Ambassador Steven—stripped clothes, bloodied and tortured right before he was killed—very much resemble the photos of Gaddafi right before he was killed. One U.S.-supported "freedom-fighter," for example, can be seen sodomizing Gadaffi with a rod as others dragged him along.
The al-Qaeda affiliated men who sexually abused and killed Gaddafi are the same sort of men who sexually abused and killed America's ambassador. We were told that the late Libyan dictator was killed because he was an evil oppressor of his people. Why was the American ambassador killed, who had hailed the revolution and was there helping to "build a better Libya"?
These are the questions the media and the Obama administration need to be answering—not obsessing over a second-rate YouTube video and questioning hard won American freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment. They should be explaining why it is that, after four years of appeasing the Islamic world in ways unprecedented, including by helping oust America's longstanding allies like Egypt's Mubarak to empower Islamists, all we have to show for it are dead and violated Americans, stormed embassies, burned U.S. flags, and greater anti-American sentiment than ever before.

Internatinal Christian Concern (ICC)/FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Christians Endangered by Anti-Islam Film Riots in Pakistan
Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2012) -
has learned that violent protestors denouncing a film that is derogatory of Muslims targeted Christian institutions in Hyderabad, Pakistan on Sunday. A statement condemning the film issued by local church leadership has failed to calm anti-Christian sentiment in the area. Christians fear being the targets of future attacks and have urged government officials to increase security efforts to protect religious minorities.
On September 16, thousands of Muslim protestors burned crosses and threw stones at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral in Hyderabad, the official Vatican news agency Fides reported. During the demonstration, unknown gunmen fired at the cathedral door and at a nun who works at a nearby Catholic hospital.
"When Mother Christina, who is in charge of Lady Gram Hospital, reached the gate of the Cathedral, a few men on motorbikes opened fire on the church," Amanat Masih, a human rights activist, told ICC. "Mother Christina's driver received two bullets in his legs, but Mother Christina was not hurt."
Mother Christina's driver, Aamir Ashiq, said the men wore "green clothes" on their heads and carried green flags. Ashiq was wounded by gunshots in the leg and was immediately admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.
Violent protests reignited the next day when rioters were prevented from breaking into St. Elizabeth Hospital by a group of young Muslim and Christian men in Hyderabad, Asia News reported. "We will teach a lesson to the Christians," a security guard on duty recalls one of the protestors as saying. The doors and windows of the Catholic hospital were damaged, Masih told ICC.
Tensions were stirred following the release of a film, titled 'Innocence of Muslims,' which portrays the Muslim prophet Mohammed in a demeaning way. At least 28 people, including the US ambassador to Libya and 10 foreigners in Kabul, have been killed during the unrest that has swept across the Muslim world, reported The New York Times.
Many Christians are concerned that they may be the targets of future attacks. "The situation is tense, and among Christians, there is great concern and fear," Father Samson Shukardin, the Vicar-General of the Catholic diocese in Hyderabad, told Fides. "Radicals identify America as Christian and they take it out on us, a small minority in the country."
Church leadership in Hyderabad denounced the film and expressed solidarity with their Muslim neighbors in a peaceful demonstration on Sunday. "[Filmmakers should] use their talents not to offend but to promote world peace and social harmony," read a joint statement issued by Pakistani Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh leaders belonging to the National Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
Despite efforts to ease tensions, anti-US demonstrations have continued into their fourth day in Hyderabad. Church-based institutions in the city have been closed since Sunday and church leadership has asked local authorities to increase security to protect religious minority communities in the region.
Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "Not surprisingly, Christians in Pakistan-who are often associated with the West because of their religious convictions-are becoming the targets of extremist attacks because of an anti-Muslim film they were neither involved in nor endorsed. On the contrary, Christians have strongly condemned the film, yet their public statements have done little to pacify extremists who view the film as an excuse to carry out a religious vendetta against innocent minorities. The underlying issue here is not the film's anti-Islamic message, as distasteful as it was, but rather Pakistan's blasphemy laws which protect and sometimes endorse violence against perceived blasphemers or those believed to be associated with them. While the Christian minority in Hyderabad is victimized, radical mob violence goes unpunished. Mob rule and violent riots will continue in Pakistan and throughout the Islamic world until blasphemy laws are repealed, free speech is protected, and the rule of law is enforced. For now, however, it is the Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan who will continue to suffer the consequences of injustice."

Canada: Honouring Fallen Diplomats
September 20, 2012 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, joined by His Excellency Dr. Ahmet Davutolu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, will participate in two media events to mark the latter’s first bilateral visit to Canada.
Event 1: Speeches and photo/video opportunity*
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012
Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
Location: Southeast corner of Island Park Drive and Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, Ottawa, Ontario
* Open to Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery-accredited photographers and video camera operators only. Local media photographers and camera operators are welcome, but those who are not accredited members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery are asked to register in advance with the Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office.
Media representatives should arrive on site no later than 2:45 p.m. ET. Reserved media parking is available at the National Capital Commission parking lot on the south-east side of the Champlain Bridge.
The ministers’ schedules do not allow time for on-site questions and answers. However, accredited journalists wishing to ask questions of ministers Baird and Davutolu are invited to join them for Event 2, at the conclusion of a private bilateral meeting.
Event 2: Media availability
Date: Thursday, September 20, 2012
Time: 6:15 p.m. ET
Location: Foyer of the Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario
For more information, please contact:
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
Follow us on Twitter: @DFAIT_MAECI

Lebanese woman kills husband, attempts suicide
September 20, 2012/ The Daily Star
BEIRUT: A woman in north Lebanon shot and killed her husband before attempting to take her own life, security sources told The Daily Star Thursday.
Mona Fawwaz shot her husband once at their house in Kesrouan just before midnight Wednesday. Using the shotgun she’d used to kill her spouse, Fawwaz then turned the weapon on herself.
Fawwaz is in critical condition.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the shooting was a result of a personal dispute between the couple. It is unknown whether the pair has children.

Give it up, Michel Aoun
Now Lebanon
September 20, 2012
Michel Aoun has once again found himself covering up for Hezbollah. (NOW Lebanon)
Life is getting even more uncomfortable for the Free Patriotic Movement and its leader, Michel Aoun. Not only is the government in which he has 10 portfolios in complete disarray on all fronts (the former army man would no doubt appreciate the military metaphor), but the FPM once again has to cover for Hezbollah, the party with which Aoun signed an almost Faustian pact in February 2006.
On Tuesday, Aoun—a former head of the Lebanese army and erstwhile interim prime minister; a man who ordered his soldiers to fight to the last man to defend Lebanon against Syrian aggression—found himself having to explain away allegations that his political partner is working with members of Iran’s elite Quds Force in Lebanon and, in all, probability Syria.
Arguably, even more worrying is how Aoun can justify to his largely middle class Christian support base Hezbollah’s position on Innocence of Muslims, the short film that portrays the prophet Mohammed in a less-than-favorable light and which provoked a week of death and destruction across the Arab and Muslim world. For while he ostensibly called for calm, the party’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, nonetheless denounced the film and immediately called for four days of protests across Lebanon. Hezbollah’s mask of restraint slipped a long time ago, and this time no one was fooled.
But let us refresh our memory and go back to early 2006 and the so-called memorandum of understanding. It was a bid by Aoun to appear inclusive; to be bold and bring in and work with Hezbollah, a party viewed by many in Lebanon with suspicion and fear on account of its core Islamic ideology, its pro-Syrian leaning, its Iranian backing and its stated intent to stick it to Israel at the first opportunity.
These are people we can work with, Aoun declared. Those who looked beyond the bluster and ravings of the retired general and saw an arrangement whereby the FPM gave Hezbollah Christian cover in exchange for, one day, the keys to Baabda Palace, were branded as obstructionists with no interest in moving forward to build a new Lebanon. Aoun and Hezbollah would get things done, they the technocrats and the can-do patriots. Surely, it was a dream team, one that could counter the corrupt and lazy March 14, an alliance made up of political dinosaurs that had long passed its political sell-by date. Well, it’s been a long six years, and the only dreams have been nightmares. Hezbollah took us to war and then, with FPM's participation occupied downtown Beirut for 18 months. Hezbollah then led an attempted coup, supported by the FPM, after the government tried to interfere with what the Resistance saw were its affairs.
But a few years later, Hezbollah members were named by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as suspects in the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and then led a bloodless coup to topple the government in January 2011 to ensure the investigation went nowhere. Since then, the party has supported the slaughter in Syria by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and most recently we learned that, should Tel Aviv order an attack on Iran, Hezbollah is committed to opening a front on the southern border with Israel. What’s not to like?
Now Aoun must convince his supporters, Christians who are all too aware that their regional flock is shrinking by the day, that it is perfectly normal to support extreme and disproportionate Muslim outrage over a forgettable home movie. “Nasrallah made positive proposals to tackle the situation,” he said. “Would we remain silent if Christ was insulted?”
If by “positive proposals” Aoun means Hassan Nasrallah’s call for an international blasphemy law (no one was really listening) and four days of anti-American and anti-Israeli protests, then Aoun really is clutching at straws. Only the most blinkered of his supporters will take Aoun’s words at face value. The film is a godsend for Hezbollah, a party that had lost its ideological direction in the wake of the Syrian crisis. The film’s crass and bigoted content gives Hezbollah the opportunity to burnish its anti-Western, anti-Zionist credentials and get the rank and file back into line, even if by doing so he risks stoking the fires of sectarianism. And all the time Aoun has to sell these paper-thin excuses to a party faithful that, when one factors in the FPM’s performance in government, must surely be running out of patience.
And then we have the thorny issue of Iran’s admission that it has military advisors operating in Lebanon, a piece of news that even prompted the increasingly robust President Michel Suleiman to seek clarification on the matter.
“Who is [Brigadier General Mohammed Ali] Jaafari? I've never heard of him,” said Aoun, as if simply claiming to not know the man is enough to dismiss his significance. “I have no knowledge of the presence of Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Lebanon. Such remarks are aimed at creating media confusion, and we will not defend them if they are actually present in Lebanon.”
It would appear that the only confused person is Aoun himself. Surely it is time the general returned to his infamous MOU and asked himself if it was really worth it. Because since 2006 Aoun and his party have been tarred with the brush of violence, extremism, bigotry, treason and incompetence. And it will only get worse.