LCCC NEWS
BULLETIN
APRIL 25/2006
Latest news for 25/04/06
Blasts Kill 18 in Egyptian Resort City
AP- 25.4.06
Bush denounces Egypt blasts-AFP
Is al-Qaeda behind attack?
Ynetnews 25.4.06
Rice pushes Security Council on Iran
25.4.06
Below news from
the Daily Star for 25/04/06
Orthodox bishop mocks political leaders
Siniora links Israel leaving Shebaa to Hizbullah arms
Nasrallah denies torpedoing Aoun's bid for keys to Baabda
Siddiq stands by testimony against former security chiefs
Lebanese authorities insist Melbourne drug importer not hiding in ancestral home
Press Club to honor martyrs
Armenians remember victims of 1915 massacre
French citizen alleges Syria tortured him
Parliament expedites construction of earthquake detection network
Geagea likens Lahoud to booby trap
Patriarch scolds Maronite leaders for exchange of barbs over weekend
Sidon shootout wounds one, frays nerves
Abbas sends sharp reminder of power to dissolve government
Below news from
miscellaneous sources for 25/04/06
When Arabs oppose jihadists-Washington
Times
The UN versus Hezbollah-Ha'aretz
Ahmadinejad recruits Hezbollah terror chief-WorldNetDaily
Iran leader met top terrorist-Australian
Lebanon's Battle for Independence-Washington
Post
Lebanon president rejects call to disband Hizbollah-Tehran
Times
Fatah official warns Hamas of using "policy of axis"Xinhua
Lebanese president opposes merging Hezbollah into army-Xinhua
Fundamentally Freund: Lebanon Chooses Terror-Arutz Sheva - Israel
SYRIA: Detainee dies from torture, activist claims-Reuters
UN Draws Attention To Tehran's Role In Lebanon-RadioFreeEurope
Blasts Kill 18 in
Egyptian Resort City
By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer
CAIRO, Egypt - Three explosions rocked the Egyptian resort city of Dahab at the
height of the tourist season Monday, killing at least 18 people and wounding
more than 150 at just one hotel, according to the doctor in charge of the Sinai
peninsula rescue squad. Police said the explosions hit the central part of
the city where there are many shops, restaurants, bars and guesthouses. The
blasts ripped through the town shortly after nightfall when the streets would
have been jammed with tourists, mainly with Europeans, Israelis and expatriates
living in Egypt. Dr. Said Essa, who runs the rescue squad, said his casualty
figures were for victims at the el-Khaleeg Hotel only. He said there were
casualties from the other explosions.
A witness, Serge Loussararian, told CNN that an explosion took place in an area
with restaurants and bars. "We heard the explosion and then we saw a big light.
And a lot of people running," he said.
Terrorist attacks have killed nearly 100 people at several tourist resorts of
Egypt's Sinai region in the past two years.
Bombings in the resorts of Taba and Ras Shitan, near the Israeli border, killed
34 people in October 2004. Last July, suicide attackers in the resort of Sharm
el-Sheik killed at least 64 people, mainly tourists.
The Egyptian government has said the militants who carried out the bombings were
locals without international connections, but other security agencies have said
they suspect al-Qaida. For years, Dahab was popular, low-key haven for young
Western backpackers — including Israelis — drawn by prime scuba diving sites and
cheap hotels, which mainly consisted of huts set up along the beach. In recent
years, a number of more upscale hotels have been built, including a five-star
Hilton resort.
Dahab is located on the Gulf of Aqaba on the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula
and is about 65 miles south of Taba, near the border at the southern tip of
Israel. In Israel, the country's rescue service said it had raised the alert
level. Israeli Channel 10 TV reported that Israel had closed the border crossing
at Taba, preventing vehicles from entering Sinai. It said a stream of Israeli
vehicles were leaving Sinai. Many Israelis travel to the Sinai for beach
holidays.Israel's ambassador in Cairo, Shalom Cohen, told Israel's Channel 10 TV
that there were three explosions, hitting a hotel, a police station and a
marketplace.
"We don't know of Israelis" who were hurt, he said, though some Israelis were
known to be in Dahab.
Cohen said the best thing Israeli tourists in Sinai could do now would be to "go
home."
He said there have been repeated warnings from the Israeli government against
visiting the Sinai Desert, where Israelis have been targeted in attacks in the
past. "Unfortunately, the warnings came true," he said.
The Israeli rescue service, Magen David Adom, offered help through the
International Red Cross and the Egyptian Red Crescent but has not received a
reply, the service said in a statement. It said about 20 ambulances were
standing by at the Taba crossing between Israel and Egypt if needed.
Bush denounces Egypt blasts
24/4/06: LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) - President George W. Bush denounced the
deadly bomb attacks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Dahab as a "heinous act."
"I strongly condemn the killings that took place, the innocent lives lost," Bush
said of the triple bombing which killed at least 22 people and wounded 150,
according to Egypt state television. "I assure the enemy ... we will bring them
to justice for the sake of justice and humanity," he said. The three blasts in a
market and busy restaurant area, the third such bloody attack in the Sinai in 18
months, appeared to have been the result of remote-controlled bombs and not
suicide bombers, Egyptian television reported. No one immediately claimed credit
for the attack, which came one day after a new tape of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin
Laden surfaced calling for Muslim fighters to go to Sudan to wage war against
"crusader thieves" and slamming the international isolation of the Hamas-led
Palestinian government.
Is al-Qaeda behind attack?
YnetSome 24/4/06: security officials say al-Qaeda
behind blasts; Israelis advised to avoid Egypt
Hanan Greenberg
Although no organization has yet taken responsibility for the terrorist attack
in Dahab Monday evening, the bombings carry the hallmarks of an al-Qaeda attack
and follow the exact same pattern of previous bombings in the area. Egyptian
security forces estimated shortly after the blasts that the terrorists belonged
to local terror cells not linked to international terror organizations, but
other security agencies claimed the trail led to al-Qaeda.
"Security forces recently arrested 22 people who were active in the secret
organization called 'al-Taifa al-Mansur (The Victorious Sect). The terror
activists were arrested in various neighborhoods in Cairo and south of the
Egyptian capital," the message said. The interior ministry said that "the
accused planned to carry out terrorist operations against tourism sites, a
strike against the natural gas pipeline around Cairo, and other sensitive sites
through the placing of devices. They also examined the possibility of striking
Muslim religious figures and Copts, as well as youths in entertainment
districts. The heads of the organizations communicated with foreign elements in
order to train activists abroad."
'Stay out of Egypt' Counter-Terrorism Bureau Head Danny Arditi issued a warning
to Israeli citizens just a few weeks ago to refrain from visiting any Arab
country. Speaking to Ynet, Arditi said: "The warnings in our hands lead to small
organizations affiliated with al-Qaeda in one way or another. A month ago we
issue a travel warning to Israelis against traveling to Egypt, including Sinai,
following relatively reliable intelligence on intentions to carry out terror
attacks against foreign and Israeli tourists."
"According to this report there were fear that a terror attack or an abduction
of Israelis in Sinai could be carried out. We strongly advised Israeli citizens
to avoid all visits in Sinai, and for Israelis staying in Sinai to leave
immediately," Arditi said. He added: "I repeated the warning that Sinai is a
dangerous place according to the information in our hands. Sinai is dangerous to
tourists in general and to Israelis specifically. I call on everyone planning to
travel to Sinai on Independence Day and in the near future not to do it and for
Israelis in Sinai to return to Israel immediately." **Ronny Sofer and Roee
Nahmias contributed to this report
Patriarch scolds Maronite leaders for exchange of barbs
over weekend
By Therese Sfeir -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said on Monday he "regretted
the exchange of insults between Maronite leaders, who take advantage of the
media in Bkirki to throw insults at each other. A public row between Michel
Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement and Saad Hariri's Future Movement raged over the
weekend, drawing in Samir Geagea and others.
"The situation is deteriorating and the people will think that we support such
statements, while we strongly reject them," Sfeir said during a meeting with a
delegation from the Lebanese National Front headed by Ernest Karam.
Aoun's group faulted Hariri's group for Lebanon's $40 billion debt and covering
up the Al-Madina Bank scandal.
In response to a statement issued Saturday by the FM, the FPM said "Future MPs
are trying to distract people with misleading words and prejudices."It added:
"The Future Movement disregarded the fact that it is responsible for the public
debt because it was part of the government at that time and did not object to
the increase of the public debt.
"We call for an investigation into that issue to know how and why the public
debt increased. We also wonder what happened with the Al-Madina Bank scandal and
why the truth behind it has not been revealed."
Aoun headed a meeting of his Reform and Change parliamentary bloc at his
residence in Rabieh on Monday. In a statement issued afterward, the bloc said
"the strategy adopted by this imaginary majority, based on monopolizing power,
is due to its failure to resolve political challenges and pending economic and
social problems."
"This (the FM's) strategy represents one of the major obstacles that face reform
and change and true national accord; it is also similar to the strategy adopted
by the past government of tutelage," it added. The FM's statement issued on
Saturday had said "Lebanon's public debt was due to the damage caused to the
country's infrastructure in the wake of the Liberation War launched by General
Michel Aoun." It accused Aoun of "putting Lebanon under Syrian tutelage after he
ran away from Baabda Palace to his golden exile." Aoun met Monday with
presidential candidate and lawyer Chibli Mallat, who said after the meeting that
he and Aoun had focused on the need to hold "open presidential campaigns."Mallat
said that he shared "similar views regarding the presidential program" with Aoun,
but they had "divergent positions regarding the history of Lebanon."
Aoun later met with former MP Michel Samaha for a discussion on significant
political developments.
After a late-night meeting with Sfeir on Friday, Aoun said: "What exactly are
the sacrifices that (Saad) Hariri has made for his country? I don't think that
he has given any more sacrifices than anyone else, for him to become a
dictator."
Aoun continued: "They (the March 14 Forces) failed in their attempt to oust the
president and now they are trying to distract the people with something other
than their failure."
Orthodox bishop mocks political leaders
'Are they fooling us when they convene?'
Daily Star staff-Tuesday, April 25, 2006
BEIRUT: Beirut's Orthodox Archbishop Elias Aoude celebrated Eastern Orthodox
Easter on Sunday at the Saint George Church in central Beirut, slamming
government officials in his sermon for having failed so far to set Lebanon's
interest as a top priority. After proclaiming that "Christ is risen," Aoude
delivered a sermon in which he said: "Empty words are used today in bickering
because they are easy to trade with." Aoude cautioned against this habit that
politicians have, which could lead to the loss of the country and the citizens'
hopes with it. "Are they fooling us when they convene? They exchange insults
then reconcile as if they repented ... Their talk is far from the truth," the
prelate said about government officials.
Aoude accused them of neglecting the country's interest and visiting the U.S.,
Europe and other countries under the alibi of acting as "messengers of the
country" abroad. "If that is so, then what are ambassadors for?" he asked.
"What frightens me is that political talk about the country is seldom based on
the truth and the true love of the country," he said. Aoude said his opinion was
not a condemnation of anyone but a reflection of the feelings of citizens who no
longer believe what they hear. Aoude prayed for the protection of the Lebanese,
asking God "to accompany those who need him."
Meanwhile, the flame that marks the resurrection of Jesus was brought to Lebanon
on the occasion of Easter this weekend for the first time since the 1948
Arab-Israeli war. The candle was first brought overland to Jordan and then by
plane to Beirut.
Clergymen from Jerusalem escorted the torch - one of many that are sent to bless
some 200 million orthodox Christians around the world - on its trip to Lebanon.
The candle is part of 33 torches, representing the age of Christ at the time of
crucifixion, which are released in Jerusalem every year at Easter. - The Daily
Star
Siniora links Israel leaving Shebaa to Hizbullah arms
By Nada Bakri -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
BEIRUT: Lebanese Premier Fouad Siniora said in remarks published Monday that the
withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Shebaa Farms could lead to Hizbullah's
disarmament. "If the U.S. and friendly countries help us achieve the withdrawal
of Israel from Shebaa Farms, it would be possible for the Lebanese forces to be
the sole owner of weapons and arms in the country," Siniora said in an interview
with The Washington Post. The small, mountainous Shebaa Farms territory lies at
the intersection where Lebanon, Syria and Israel meet. Siniora said that
although Hizbullah has a connection to Syria and Iran, it is a Lebanese party
with national objectives, namely that Israel release Lebanese detainees, provide
Lebanon with maps of the land mines it planted in the South and put an end to
violations of Lebanese airspace and waters.
Siniora said he had discussed his proposal concerning the Shebaa Farms with U.S.
President George W. Bush in Washington last week."Let me put it this way,
concerning my request for Shebaa Farms, the president and his aides showed great
support, but they did not really commit themselves," he said. The premier said
Lebanon will normalize relations with Israel "upon the finalization of the peace
process."Siniora's comments were made from the U.S. on Friday during a four-day
trip to the American capital in which he met with Bush and other top officials
and diplomats. His visit came as Lebanon continues to struggle to emerge as a
free and democratic country one year after Syria withdrew its troops - but has
not, allegedly, given up the battle to influence Beirut through the intelligence
agents it left behind. "Syria has its men and people in the country -
supporters, some politicians and quite a number of Syrian intelligence
agents. They are effective," Siniora said. "They are reorganizing their groups
to attack the government and to stop the majority from achieving the change that
is required," he added.
Asked whether he believes Syria would kill President Emile Lahoud if he decided
to resign without prior consent from Damascus, Siniora said: "I think,
personally, he is not the type to resign. I don't want to use that term. He is
not free to resign."
Siniora was reported to have phoned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi
Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal to brief them on his U.S. trip. Meanwhile,
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt accused Syria of planning more
assassinations in Lebanon and of fabricating murderous plots to distract
attention from the real target.
"The Syrian regime is capable of undertaking any action to deflect attention,
such as fabricating a plot to assassinate Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah, when the target is totally different," Jumblatt said over the
weekend.
The Druze leader held out the possibility that Syrian President Bashar Assad
added Nasrallah to Damascus' alleged hit-list after the Hizbullah chief endorsed
demands for demarcating the Syrian-Lebanese border, banning any armed
Palestinian presence outside of Lebanon's refugee camps and establishing
diplomatic relations between Beirut and Damascus.
"We need to be alert," Jumblatt said. "We are approaching June, the deadline for
the report (from the UN commission probing Hariri's murder). Also, the Lebanese
dialogue has produced, in theory, very positive unanimous decisions."
"Bashar Assad seems perturbed and uncomfortable," said Jumblatt. "His only
weapon is to undermine security in Lebanon."
Lebanon's national leaders are preparing to return to the negotiation table on
April 28 over two critical issues: the fate of Lahoud and Hizbullah's arms. The
dialogue will be resumed days after a verbal clash between Free Patriotic
Movement leader Michel Aoun and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, igniting
fears that talks might be suspended. Sources close to Speaker Nabih Berri said
he had met with Aoun and Hariri to convince them to abandon their row.
Geagea likens Lahoud to booby trap
Tuesday, April 25, 2006-Daily Star
BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea described President Emile Lahoud
over the weekend as a "mine planted by the Syrian tutelage." "Lahoud is not the
biggest and most threatening mine, but he is the passage to defuse other mines,"
Geagea said during a speech Saturday to mark the 12th anniversary of his arrest.
"Those who are trying to keep the president in power must bear responsibility
before God and history," he warned, "for the continuation of the political
crisis that has gripped the country since Syrian troops withdrew last April."
The LF leader, speaking to hundreds of supporters at the BIEL exhibition center
in Downtown Beirut over the weekend, added that "a weak president who does not
represent the Lebanese people should not be allowed to remain in power."
"Although the Lebanese Forces and their allies in the March 14 coalition have
achieved independence and sovereignty, a lot more work remains to be done," he
said, warning that "the road ahead is long."
Geagea assured the gathering, however, that there would be "no return to the
bygone era of Syrian domination over its small neighbor.""There is no fear for
the future," he declared. "We will continue despite the obstacles in our way."
The LF held a massive ceremony on Friday to commemorate the passage of 12 years
since Geagea's arrest and imprisonment. Beirut Bishop Boulos Matar attended the
event on behalf of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir.
Representatives of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Lebanon's various political
parties also attended the ceremony. According to Geagea, "imbalance in
constitutional institutions is another mine facing the country."
Overcoming this mine depends on Parliament, he argued. The legislature "should
create a new electoral law that guarantees fair representation for all
Lebanese.""We will reject any electoral law that restores injustice," he told
the crowd.
In a veiled reference to Hizbullah, Geagea called for the full implementation of
the Taif Accord, which ended the 1975-1990 war and stipulates the disbanding and
disarming of all militias."There is another mine, even more dangerous than the
first two mines," he said. "It is the illegal weapons present in different areas
of Lebanon and under various pretexts."
Stressing that he "respects and honors the struggle of the bearers of those
weapons," Geagea said rebuilding the state "will be impossible if the government
does not control all arms present on its territory."Speaking on behalf of the
Future Movement, MP Atef Majdalani said the Lebanese "will never forget the
sacrifices offered by the Lebanese Forces for the sake of the principles of
freedom and nationalism." - With Naharnet
Nasrallah denies torpedoing Aoun's bid for keys to
Baabda
By Rym Ghazal -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
BEIRUT: Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah denied Monday that Hizbullah had ever put forth
a name for Lebanon's presidency, dismissing speculation that his party had
"rejected" Michel Aoun as a candidate.
"I urge the March 14 Forces to properly put forth Aoun's name on the national
dialogue table as a candidate, and only then they will get a proper answer from
me," Nasrallah declared during a ceremony commemorating the 28th anniversary of
Samir Kantar's abduction by Israel. "If I said 'yes' to Aoun outside the
dialogue, he would become part of a media circus and be burned on the
international scene as a candidate sponsored by 'a terrorist group,' and if I
said 'no' to Aoun, they would use it as a fire to ignite problems between the
Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah-Amal's paper of understanding," he argued.
Nasrallah said Hizbullah would not be putting forth names as candidates, "and
will listen and either disagree or agree with the names put forth." He also took
the opportunity to clarify Hizbullah's positions on some of the issues discussed
in the national dialogue."We never agreed on border demarcation ... but rather
agreed on the Shebaa Farms being Lebanese, as announced by Speaker Nabih Berri,"
he said. "Until they are liberated ... there can be no demarcation." On
disarmament, Nasrallah said some local politicians "lack understanding of what
proper statesmen are supposed to do.""We can't just demand that arms be handed
over without a proper plan for Lebanon's defense," Nasrallah argued. "We said we
are open for discussions and even for the idea of unifying Hizbullah with the
army, but this needs to be carefully planned."He also discussed the cases of
Lebanese missing since the Ci-vil War and those detained in Syria, suggesting
that these be included in the next round of dialogue and turned into "a
humanitarian file, which does not involve politics.""It seems only some mass
graves were 'discovered' so they can be thrown in Syria's face," he said, "and
the rest remained closed for fear of their local implications. We need to reach
an agreement on where mass graves are not to be used as political tools, but as
a form of providing long-overdue peace of mind for many Lebanese families."
Armenians remember victims of 1915 massacre
Turkey still denies targeting minority community
By Rym Ghazal -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
BEIRUT: Thousands of Armenians from all over Lebanon gathered at Bourj Hammoud
Stadium on Monday to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide,
demanding that Turkey "recognize and apologize for" the massacre committed by
the Ottoman Turks in 1915. "It was the first massacre of the 20th century to
which the whole world turned a blind eye," former Minister Alain Tabourian told
the crowd. The gathering was attended by 35,000 Armenians who came wearing the
Armenian flag but singing the national Lebanese anthem as they marched into the
stadium in the Armenian suburb of Beirut.
"Turkey tried to wipe us out of existence, but we survived and were reborn with
new citizenships," said Tabourian, who also thanked Lebanon for having welcomed
Armenian refugees who fled Turkey. "We never forgot our roots."
He also thanked representatives from the government and President Emile Lahoud,
along with Lebanese Forces MP Strida Geagea, who attended the commemoration
ceremony. Beginning on April 24, 1915, Armenians say about 1.5 million Armenians
"were massacred" by the Ottoman Turks as part of a government-led "genocide," a
term Turkey has fiercely and consistently rejected for decades. Ankara also says
the dead numbered 300,000-500,000.
Survivors fled to Syria and Lebanon, with the latter now home to the largest
Armenian community in the Arab world, made up of about 75,000 descendants of
those who fled the 1915-1917 violence. "In order for the Armenians to open a new
page with Turkey, it has to acknowledge and admit its crime against us, and
apologize for committing the highest kind of atrocities possible against human
beings," Tabourian said.
"Their admission of this crime would benefit them and help them accomplish their
dream of entering the European Union, and would give us our peace and
compensation which are rightfully ours," he added, referring to EU demands that
Turkey face its past and expand freedom of speech before it can qualify to enter
the union.
Apart from the speeches, which were mainly delivered in Armenian, white balloons
were released in honor of those killed in the bloodletting and in hope that
peace can finally be realized between Turkey and the Armenians. "It is rather
unlikely they Turkey will admit it, but we have to prove that as Armenians, we
still exist, and just as Palestinians are fighting for their land, so are we,"
said one participant at the event, Anto Narguizian, 17.
"Turkey's alliance with the United States is very strategic, both economically
and geographically, so the United States will not agree that such a mass
genocide occurred, even if most European states have agreed to this," he added.
"But if America does not agree, Turkey will not return the land it has taken
from the Armenians, and will not repay all the damages it has caused."
Narguizian's mother, Maral, who did not attend the commemoration, told The Daily
Star: "Everyone has their way of expressing their beliefs and what they stand
for; I would rather express myself through monetary aid to local charities and
churches."But she added that these "protests need to be done, to ask for our
rights, which have long been ignored."
French citizen alleges Syria tortured him
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
PARIS: A 42-year-old French man of Lebanese origin has filed suit in the French
courts claiming he was kidnapped and tortured for 11 days last year by the
Syrian authorities. Charles Farhat, a shopkeeper of Lebanese origin from the
Paris suburb of Gennevilliers, told AFP that he was arrested at the border
between Lebanon and Syria in September and taken to a prison in Damascus."They
told me: Forget about France. We're taking you to Centre 235. It's serious," he
said.
Farhat said he was forced to share a cell of a few meters square with around 40
other prisoners, and that he suffered beatings and interrogations. "They kept
asking me about my previous visits to Syria - even though it was my first time
there. They also wanted to know how I got my French passport," he said. Farhat
was freed without explanation after 11 days. He has filed suit "against persons
unknown" in the French courts for "breach of individual freedom, kidnap and
imprisonment, torture and acts of barbarity." - AFP
When Arabs oppose jihadists
TODAY'S EDITORIAL-Washington Times
April 24, 2006
While the mainstream media fixate on the difficulties Americans and Iraqis face
in confronting a murderous insurgency, they have largely ignored a positive
story which could have important strategic ramifications for the larger fight
against jihadists: the fact that in two key Arab countries, Jordan and Lebanon,
political leaders are risking their lives in order to stand up to the terrorist
backers who have brought so much misery to the region.
Within the past week, two Sunni Muslim leaders made clear that they won't be
cowed by the likes of Hamas and Tehran's rogue-state ally, Syrian strongman
Bashar Assad. One was Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who met President
Bush at the White House on Tuesday. During his visit to the United States last
week, Mr. Siniora spent much of his time trying to mobilize international
pressure to end Damascus's interference in Lebanon. And the Jordanian government
headed by King Abdullah II last week demanded that Syria and its ally Hamas
cease their efforts to use the Hashemite kingdom as a transit point for weapons
smuggling.
Both Jordan and Lebanon deserve strong backing from Washington in their efforts
to fight jihadist efforts to subvert the region. In the case of Lebanon, most
remarkably, anti-Syrian forces are receiving support of the United Nations,
where Secretary-General Kofi Annan is demanding that Iran and Syria stop
funnelling arms to Hezbollah. This is another sign that the vigorous reform
efforts of the much-maligned Ambassador John Bolton are achieving results.
On Tuesday, Jordan announced that it had seized a cache of weaponry, including
missiles, explosives and automatic weapons, from Hamas operatives that had been
smuggled into the country from Syria. Several persons linked to Hamas were
arrested, and Jordan called off a visit by Palestinian Authority Foreign
Minister Mahmoud Zahar, a senior member of Hamas. On Wednesday, Jordanian Prime
Minister Marouf al-Bakhit briefed members of parliament about the Hamas arms
seizure, telling them that it was not the first time that the organization had
attempted to smuggle weapons into Jordan.
For Jordan, it is just the latest sign that it is vulnerable to terrorism. On
Nov. 9, Iraqi suicide bombers commanded by Abu Musab Zarqawi's terror group
attacked three hotels in Amman, killing 60 people and wounding more than 100.
The Aug. 19, 2005, rocket strike by al Qaeda targetting the Jordanian port of
Aqaba which also reached the neighboring Israeli city of Eilat highlighted the
fact that Jordan and Israel have a common strategic interest in preventing al
Qaeda from gaining a presence in the region. Similarly, the collapse of the
Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, combined with reports that al Qaeda is
attempting to set up bases there, has reinforced the idea that Amman and
Jerusalem have a common interest in preventing al Qaeda from setting up shop in
the region.
Indeed, it is also possible that the growing threat from Iran may cause Jordan
to reconsider its traditional policy of neutrality. "My concern is political,
not religious," King Abdullah said in a January 2005 interview with The Middle
East Quarterly. "You have these four [Iran, Iraq, if it comes under the sway of
Iran, Syria and Hezbollah] who have a strategic objective that could create a
major conflict."
Like King Abdullah, Lebanon's Mr. Siniora has major problems with the Assad
government in Damascus. During his visit to Washington last week, the prime
minister emphasized that even though Syrian troops have withdrawn from Lebanon,
Syria keeps its intelligence agents inside that country, and that they are
exploiting Lebanon's open society to conduct operations. In a speech to the
United Nations on Friday, Mr. Siniora called on Syria to establish relations
with Lebanon and said bluntly that the scars left by "the heavy-handed
interference in Lebanese domestic affairs by the Syrian security establishment
for many years...are not easy to heal."
If anything, Mr. Annan took an even tougher stance -- criticizing Syria and Iran
for their continuing efforts to arm Hezbollah. The secretary-general, in
collaboration with his special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, called on Tehran and
Damascus to persuade Hezbollah to put down its arms and transform itself into a
peaceful political party. Mr. Annan singled out Iran by name for its role in
supporting Hezbollah, and noted that in February the group received from Syria
an illegal shipment of 12 trucks carrying Katyusha rockets and other weapons.
It is heartening to see Arab governments -- with the support of the United
Nations, of all things -- standing up to the Islamo fascists.
The UN versus Hezbollah
By Haaretz Editorial 24-4.06
Six years minus one month after the Israel Defense Forces completed its
withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the UN drew the "blue line" as the
Israeli-Lebanese border, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan this week took the next
required step. Annan called on the Lebanese government to implement previous
decisions and disarm Hezbollah - an armed militia in the guise of a political
and social movement. Annan also demanded completing the implementation of the
Security Council resolutions to end the Syrian presence and influence in
Lebanon.
In addition, Annan called to finally draw the border between Syria and Lebanon,
which used to be one country (during the French Mandate). Carrying out this
demand may solve the ongoing crisis - or remove Hezbollah's favorite excuse.
When such a border is set, it will become clear to which of these two countries
the Shaba Farms area belongs. If it belongs to Lebanon, it may be presumed that
Israel would be called on to withdraw immediately from that region. If it
belongs to Syria, as Damascus insists it does, the withdrawal will wait until an
Israeli-Syrian agreement, in which Israel would evacuate the Golan and Hermon,
including Shabaa Farms.
Annan gave his stamp of approval to the report of Terje Larsen, his envoy.
Israel may well be satisfied with Larsen's devoted work. He does not hesitate to
call a spade a spade and will not allow Lebanon's traditional politics, with all
their ethnic and personal complications, to preserve the old and corrupt
situation of Syrian rule with the help of local collaborators. The inquiry
following former prime minister Rafik Hariri's murder also helped Larsen on his
mission. The inquiry seemed to be losing momentum after the team's leader was
replaced. However, Syrian President Bashar Assad's willingness to be questioned
proves that even heads of state who practice brutal terror now fear to confront
the international system.
Larsen and Annan would not have been able to advance their positions had they
not leaned on a rare American-French agreement. The UN force in southern
Lebanon, UNIFIL, has also become a little more effective in recent months under
the command of a French general. UNIFIL was formed 28 years ago following the
Litani Operation, and has been unable since then to fulfill its mission to
safeguard the region from hostile forces.
Under the leadership of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah has become a power in the
regional equation due to its weight in the internal Lebanese arena and its
connections with Iran and Syria. But Nasrallah's refusal to comply with regional
(the Taif Agreement 1989) and world decisions, which would bring an end to the
Lebanese civil war, is hindering the efforts to bring peace and stability to the
country. Hezbollah forces are deployed in southern Lebanon like a local army,
and its rockets are threatening Israel's north, while the Lebanese army refrains
from invading Hezbollah territory. This is a precarious situation, which could
shatter at any moment and sweep Lebanon - and Israel into a new confrontation.
Larsen and Annan have correctly identified the only way out of the labyrinth.
Ahmadinejad recruits Hezbollah terror chief
Posted: April 23, 2006
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com
When Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to Damascus in January, he
took a special guest with him on the flight from Tehran – one of the world's
most wanted terrorists. Intelligence experts have told the London Times
Ahmadinejad has recruited Imad Mugniyah, the Lebanese commander of Hezbollah's
overseas operations, to oversee retaliation against Western targets if the U.S.
orders a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Mugniyah, now in his forties, is
on the FBI's "Most Wanted Terrorist" list for past terrorist actions, including
the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985 where one of the passengers, Robert
Stethem, a U.S. Navy diver, was murdered. Mugniyah is also believed to be the
last person to see William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Beirut, alive after
he was kidnapped, mutilated and murdered by Hezbollah in 1984.
Mugniyah was one of three hijackers on TWA 847
Mugniyah and the Iranian president met with leaders of Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad
and Hamas in Damascus in what has been called a "terror summit" because of the
number of groups that have carried out attacks on Israel and Israelis over the
years.
Ahmadinejad earlier "threatened to "wipe Israel off the map."
Mugniyah has avoided capture for 20 years, living in Iran and, reportedly,
having changed his face and his fingerprints. He is said to have met with Osama
bin Laden.
The Iranians "have complete command and control of Hezbollah," said Henry
Crumpton, head of counter-terrorism at the state department. "Imad Mugniyah
works for Tehran. And you can't talk about Hezbollah and not think about Iran.
They really are part and parcel of the same problem."
An Israeli defense source told the Times Mugniyah meets regularly with Mohseni
Ezhei, Iran's new defense minister appointed by Ahmadinejad. "We know that
Mohseni Ezhei holds routine meetings with Mugniyah, who is today Iran's head of
overseas operations," he said. "Since we know from previous Iranian terror
attacks that it takes about a year to plan a substantial one, we should not be
surprised if operations against western targets are already in high gear and
Mugniyah is certainly playing a major role." "When and if the Iranians decide to
hit the West in its soft belly, Imad will be the one to act," a Western
intelligence source said.
Iran sent officers to southern Lebanon last month are in command of thousands of
rockets aimed at Israel's cities. It is believed they've been given control of
Hezbollah's missiles to attack Israel if Iran's nuclear sites are hit. U.S.
officials and Israel intelligence sources believe Mugniyah is in charge of these
operations.
Robert Baer, a former CIA agent tasked with pursuing the terrorist in the 1980s
said Mugniyah "is the most dangerous terrorist we have ever faced. Mugniyah is
probably the most intelligent, most capable operative we have ever run across,
including the KGB or anybody else. He enters by one door, exits by another,
changes his cars daily, never makes appointments by telephone – he is never
predictable. He is the master terrorist, the grail we have been after since
1983."
Iran leader met top terrorist
Abraham Rabinovich -Jerusalem
April 24, 2006- Haaretz
IRANIAN President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met one of the world's most notorious
terrorists in Damascus earlier this year to discuss retaliatory attacks on
Western targets in the event that Iran's nuclear sites were struck, according to
intelligence experts.A report yesterday in London's The Sunday Times said Mr
Ahmadinejad, during an official visit to Syria in January, conferred with
Lebanese-born Imad Mugniyeh -- commander of overseas operations for Hezbollah,
the Iranian-affiliated Shia militia in Lebanon. Mugniyeh is said to have been
responsible for the deaths of more Americans than any living person prior to al-Qa'ida's
attack on the US on September 11, 2001. His operatives bombed the US embassy in
Beirut in 1983, killing 63 people.
Six months later, he directed a suicide bombing of a Marine Corps barracks in
Beirut that killed 241 Americans. He is also held responsible for the torture
killing of a CIA station chief in Lebanon as well as the bombing of the Israeli
embassy and a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in the 1990s, successful
attacks that took scores of lives and established his reputation as a formidable
terrorist capable of executing attacks outside the Arab world.
He would subsequently blow up US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania with car bombs.
The Sunday Times said US officials and Israeli intelligence sources believe that
Mugniyeh, who is on the FBI's most-wanted terrorists list, has taken charge of
plotting retaliatory attacks against the West in the event that US President
George W.Bush orders a strike against Iran's nuclear sites.
During his Damascus visit, Mr Ahmadinejad reportedly met leaders of groups
Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
Michael Ledeen, a former member of the US National Security Council, said last
week that senior American officials confirmed Mugniyeh's presence at the
Damascus meeting. Mr Ledeen said Mugniyeh had altered his face and fingerprints
in order to make his identification difficult.
Jane's Intelligence Review has cited "reports in recent weeks" of Mugniyeh's
presence alongside the Iranian leader.
An Israeli defence source cited by the newspaper said that Mugniyeh met
regularly with Iranian Intelligence Minister Ghkolamhossein Mohseni Ezhei, an
appointee of Mr Ahmadinejad.
"Since we know from previous Iranian terror attacks that it takes about a year
to plan a substantial one," the source said, "we should not be surprised if
operations against Western targets are already in high gear. Mugniyeh is
certainly playing a major role." A former CIA official, Robert Baer, who hunted
Mugniyeh in the 1980s, has described him as "the most dangerous terrorist we
have ever faced". "Mugniyeh is probably the most intelligent, most capable
operative we have ever run across, including the KGB or anyone else," he said.
Meanwhile, Israel Radio reported yesterday that three Israeli experts had
returned last week from Iran, where they had spent 20 days offering engineering
and agricultural advice. The report said the men were employees of an
Amsterdam-based Israeli company that has done infrastructure work in Arab Gulf
states and their identity was known to Iranian officials. Two of the men were
engineers who were asked for advice on strengthening bridges and roads in the
event of earthquakes, to which Iran is prone.
The third was an agricultural expert who had been to Iran in 1998 as an adviser.
He was taken to the Bushehr area, the report said, to see the farm area he had
helped develop. His hosts reportedly said laughingly there was something else in
the area -- "a surprise for you Israelis" -- that they couldn't show him, a
clear reference to the nuclear reactor being built at Bushehr.
The Israelis participated in the Passover eve meal with members of the Jewish
community in Tehran.
During the regime of the Shah, Israel was very active in Iran commercially and
offered extensive rehabilitation assistance after disastrous earthquakes. It is
not clear why Israeli experts are now invited to Iran when Mr Ahmadinejad has
repeatedly called for Israel's destruction.
Lebanon's Battle for Independence
Monday, April 24, 2006; Page A17
Lebanon's new prime minister, Fouad Siniora, visited President Bush last week as
Lebanon struggles to emerge as a free and democratic country. Although Syria has
withdrawn its troops from Lebanon, it has not given up the battle to influence
the country through the intelligence agents it left behind. Last week
Newsweek-Washington Post's Lally Weymouth talked with Siniora in New York.
Excerpts:
Q: The pro-Syria, anti-freedom forces are much stronger now than they were last
spring before the election. Why?
A: They are reorganizing their groups to attack the government and to stop the
majority from achieving the change that is required.
What did you ask President Bush for during your talks?
I came to ask President Bush three specific things. [First] to help Lebanon
achieve the full integrity of all its territories and the withdrawal of Israel
from the remaining part of Lebanon which is still occupied by Israel, the Sheba
Farms.
According to the U.N. secretary general, Israel fully withdrew from Lebanon and
Sheba Farms was left as Israeli-occupied Syrian land.
Sheba Farms is Lebanese.
What's number two?
Number two is to empower the Lebanese government in terms of enhancing the
capabilities of Lebanese internal security forces and army by providing
equipment and training.
And the president said?
Yes. We will be sending some ministers to the U.S. to discuss this.
And number three?
To empower the Lebanese government economically. [I would like] the U.S.
government to participate actively in the convening of an international
conference [in] support of Lebanon.
Did the U.S. ask you to implement your economic reform program before the
conference is convened?
Let me put it this way -- as far as my request for Sheba Farms, the president
and his aides showed great support, but they did not really commit themselves.
In terms of assistance [for the army and security forces], this is going on full
blast. As for my third request, empowering the government economically, this is
something the U.S. has shown great enthusiasm for. . . .
In order to have a free Lebanon, don't you have to get a new president, and how
are you going to do that?
The term of the president is six years. In order to extend the term of President
[Emile] Lahoud, which happened when the Syrians were in charge, the constitution
was amended . . . I would recommend for the president to resign. If it happens,
it will open new horizons for the country.
Who can disarm Hezbollah as required by the U.N. resolution?
If the U.S. and friendly countries help us achieve the withdrawal of Israel from
Sheba Farms, this would make it possible for the Lebanese forces to be the sole
owner of weapons and arms in the country.
Why will Hezbollah give up their weapons? Didn't they threaten you and tell you
not to come here?
They didn't threaten me, though some of them said I should not come.
How can you have one party that bears arms?
Lebanon is not like any other democracy. Lebanon is composed of 18 confessional
groups. We cannot achieve change except through dialogue and understanding of
each other.
So, is Hezbollah controlled by Iran and Syria?
Hezbollah has great affiliation with Syria as well as Iran. But also Hezbollah
expresses frequently that it is a Lebanese party . . . Hezbollah has several
objectives that I subscribe to.
What are those?
That Israel still keeps a number of Lebanese detainees.
Are these terrorists who have killed Israelis?
They were killed and they killed -- but this is a war. Not civilians -- they
killed [Israeli] army members. We subscribe to Hezbollah's demands: release the
detainees and ask the Israelis to provide us with the maps of the land mines
that they planted in Lebanon, stop the aerial and sea violation of our airspace
and waters.
Would you talk to Israel directly about this?
No. We do not have any diplomatic relations with Israel.
Why don't you normalize relations with Israel?
We will upon the finalization of the peace process.
Didn't Hezbollah kidnap three Israeli soldiers in [the] year 2000?
Didn't Israel kill tens of thousands of civilians?
Do you think that the Syrians have threatened Lahoud? Could he quit, or would
they kill him?
I think, personally, he is not the type to do that.
Could he do it?
I tend to think no.
They would kill him?
I don't want to use that term. He is not free to resign.
How strong is Syria's influence in Lebanon today, and how difficult is this for
you?
Syria has its men and people in the country -- supporters, some politicians and
quite a number of Syrian intelligence agents. They are effective.
Weren't they behind the killings of the journalists and politicians?
There is a wide perception in the country [to that effect], but I don't have any
smoking gun.
You have been hoping to exchange ambassadors with Syria and to demarcate the
Lebanese-Syrian boundary but Syria . . .
is delaying that. I am stating my demands in front of the U.N., and I am hoping
that the Syrians will do this. We are neighbors with Syria and want to do this
in a very friendly manner.
Did the opposition forces come to believe recently that the U.S. had forgotten
about Lebanon?
The trip was really intended to send a message that the United States is still
committed to Lebanon and that was made clear throughout all the meetings. The
U.S. expressed commitment for the territorial integrity of the country and the
hope that it would become a beacon of democracy and freedom.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
Lebanon president rejects call to disband Hizbollah
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, an ally of Syria, dismissed
on Thursday a UN suggestion that Hizbollah guerrillas merge into the army as a
ploy to weaken Lebanon against its enemy Israel.
A UN report obtained by Reuters this week, asks Hizbollah to disarm and Syria
and Lebanon to demarcate an Israeli-occupied border area, noting that other
Lebanese militias merged into the army after the 1975-1990 civil war.
The report, prepared by UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, was the latest into progress
on implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 of 2004, which demands
foreign troops leave Lebanon and all militias in the country disband.
"Such a proposal is not a new one and it only aims to end the role of the
Lebanese resistance and Lebanon's capacity to challenge and face the Israeli
occupation," he told reporters.
"I wonder if what is taking place now aims to take Lebanon back to the
conditions it lived through in 1982! Does the stability we live in today not
please some actors who want to strike it to serve their interest?"
In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon and entered the capital Beirut to drive
Palestinian fighters out of the country, but later pulled back to a southern
border strip. Lebanese fighters fought the Israelis, and Hizbollah, the only
Lebanese militia to keep its weapons after the civil war, has so far refused to
give up the arms that helped it end the 22-year occupied of southern Lebanon in
2000. Hizbollah has vowed to liberate the Shebaa Farms border strip, which the
United Nations considers occupied Syrian land. Damascus, which entered Lebanon
in 1976 to quell the civil war, pulled its troops out a year ago after the
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Many Lebanese
blamed the murder on Syria, but Damascus has denied any role.
Fatah official warns Hamas of using "policy of axis"
RAMALLAH, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Fatah movement spokesman Ahmed Abdul Rahman
warned on Sunday the ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of using what he
called the "policy of axis," referring to Iran and Syria.
The warning came in response to a controversial speech made by exiled Hamas
Politburo Chief Khaled Meshaal in the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday. At a
gathering to mark the second anniversary of an Israeli killing of Hamas
spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin, Meshaal accused Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
and his Fatah movement of corruption and plotting to topple the Hamas-led
cabinet. Meshaal, however, said on Saturday that his statements were
misinterpreted. "We reject any accusation and reject voices discrediting us,"
Abdul Rahman told reporters. He said that Meshaal's statements "could be
understood that we have joined Iran-Syria axis, this can not happen." Both Iran
and Syria have been under mounting U.S. pressure. Meshaal's statements have
caused tensions in the Palestinian streets, which escalated to clashes between
supporters of the two rival parties. On Saturday, the parties reached an
agreement to end the tensions under Egyptian mediation.
Lebanese president opposes merging Hezbollah into army
www.chinaview.cn 2006-04-21 12:52:46
BEIRUT, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said on Thursday
that he opposed the suggestion, made by U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, of
integrating Hezbollah forces into the Lebanese army.
Lahoud told reporters that the proposal was actually not a new one, and its aim
was to cease the function of Lebanon's "resistance forces" and null the
country's ability to fight against Israeli occupation.
Roed-Larsen, who is in charge of implementing U.N. Security Council resolution
1559, had suggested merging Hezbollah into the Lebanese army and deploying them
on the southern borders of the country.
On the Lebanon-Syria ties, Lahoud reiterated that Lebanon would like to build up
a good relationship with the neighboring country on the basis of respecting
sovereignty and independence. He calledfor a rational solution to various
problems between the two countries. Lahoud also repeated his demand for a clear
and thorough investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prim
Minister Rafik Hariri. He said that the emphasis at the current stage should be
laid on further investigation, and that all those involved in the murder should
be
Lebanon Chooses Terror
Arutz Sheva 24/4/06
Thanks to the expansionist designs of its Syrian neighbor, Lebanon has come to
be seen as a victim in the eyes of much of the world in recent years, generating
widespread sympathy abroad for the government of that divided country.
But before you take out your handkerchief and wipe away a tear, it is worth
recalling that the Lebanese government openly supports terrorist attacks against
Israel.
Indeed, a meeting held this past Friday underlined precisely that, when Lebanese
Defense Minister Elias Murr met with Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of
the Hizbullah terrorist group.
According to a report in the Beirut Daily Star, the purpose of the get-together
was “to discuss the means of cooperation between the army and the resistance
[i.e. Hizbullah] to defend Lebanon.”
In a statement afterwards, Murr said, “The army supports the resistance and the
resistance is an integral part of the people, the country and the army.”
To fully appreciate how outrageous this statement is, we need to bear in mind
that when Hizbullah and the Lebanese government speak of “resistance”, they are
referring to firing rockets at towns and cities in northern Israel, kidnapping
Israeli soldiers and civilians, and training other terrorist groups in the use
of weapons and explosives.
In effect, the Lebanese government is saying that it supports the murder of
innocent Jews, and when it says it wants to “cooperate” with Hizbullah, it is
giving aid and comfort to a ruthless and lethal terrorist organization. As
President George W. Bush once said, “you are either with us or with the
terrorists.” Looks like Lebanon has made its choice patently clear.
Syrian, Lebanese generals behind Hariri murder: Mohammed Zuhair Al Siddiq told
the Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Aam
April 24, 2006 AFP
KUWAIT CITY - A Syrian who testified before a UN inquiry into the killing of
five-time Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri insisted in comments published
Monday that Syrian commanders and their Lebanese allies were to blame. “Those
who assassinated martyr Rafiq Hariri are in detention and the rest are in
Syria,” Mohammed Zuhair Al Siddiq told the Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Aam, alluding
to four former Lebanese security chiefs in custody in Lebanon.
“I take full responsibility for this testimony. I conveyed this to the (UN)
commission of inquiry with complete credibility and honesty,” he told the daily.
A former intelligence officer with Syrian forces in Lebanon, Siddiq has lived in
France since he fled his home country when he spoke out to the UN probe.
He rejected comments attributed to him by Lebanese daily Addiyar Sunday in which
he was purported to have said he had been forced into giving false testimony to
the inquiry.