LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 24/09
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 16:23-28. On that day you will not question me about
anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he
will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you
will receive, so that your joy may be complete. I have told you this in figures
of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but
I will tell you clearly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself
loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from
God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving
the world and going back to the Father."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special
Reports
Lebanon and The Best Schemes Of
Mice And Men.By: Amir Taheri 23.05.09
Hizbullah’s
Wonderland/Future News 23.05.09
America intensifies its support to
Lebanon & March 14 is ready for the battle 23.05.09
On
June 8, the battle for reform and stability begins in Lebanon.
The Daily Star 23/05/09
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for May
23/09
Assad: Israel the 'major
obstacle' to peace in Middle East/Jerusalem
Post
Sami Gemayel: To prevent Hizbullah
from seizing authority-Future
News
Hariri: Consensus and dispute,
governed by the Constitution-Future
News
Sleiman: The Taëf’s spirit
preserves diversity-Future
News
Harb from the Serail: Biden’s visit
is hope and support-Future
News
Aridi welcomes Biden’s visit/Future
News
Jumblatt meets Biden-Future
News
Biden
links US support for Lebanon to outcome of vote-Daily
Star
Biden: U.S. Aid to Lebanon Hinges on Composition and Policies of New Cabinet-Naharnet
Biden's visit sparks controversy between country's opposing political factions-Daily
Star
Joe Biden, in Lebanon, hints that US might cut aid if Hezbollah ...Los
Angeles Times
Mitchell Visits Lebanon Next Month-Naharnet
Fadlallah: Biden Visit is Meddling in Lebanon Elections-Naharnet
Qahwaji in Message to Army: Remain Vigilant and Preserve May 25 Achievement-Naharnet
Ain
Alaq Main Suspect Tells Hearing Details of Twin Bombings-Naharnet
Lebanon Releases Two Detainees,
Continues Its Crackdown on Espionage Rings-Naharnet
Nasrallah calls for death penalty for spies, beginning with Shiite agents-Daily
Star
Nasrallah Calls For Capital Punishment For All Spies Beginning With Shiite
Agents-Naharnet
Three Injured in a Clash
at Shatila Entrance-Naharnet
Israel Denies Military
Maneuvers Target Lebanon-Naharnet
Hizbullah Denounces U.S.
Aid to Israel-Naharnet
Lebanon Spy Cases
Highlight Mideast Espionage-Naharnet
Qassem Urges Suleiman to
Let Biden 'Hear What We Want, Not Listen to What he Wants'-Naharnet
Lebanese majority seeks normal relations with Syria based on mutual
respect-Xinhua
Syria says Israel offer to talk useless without
Golan-Reuters
Lebanon's Christians could be 'swing vote' in
parliamentary elections-Catholic
News Service
Lebanon armory may be at risk-Albany
Democrat Herald
Security forces arrest three more suspects in Mossad busts-Daily
Star
Rival
alliances to reveal final electoral lists this weekend-Daily
Star
Zahle
elections will test voters' allegiance to traditional chieftain-Daily
Star
Elections watchdogs to unveil strategy for vote-Daily
Star
Italy
helps open new eco-lodge in Hermel-Daily
Star
Lebanon's new arrests of Israeli spies heat up Middle East's espionage war-Daily
Star
Bassil: violations by former mobile operators referred to judiciary-Daily
Star
Lebanon's microfinance market undersaturated-Daily
Star
Army
arrests suspects in attack on military patrol-Daily
Star
New
children's television series aims to heal Lebanon's sectarian wounds-Daily
Star
Jounieh fast becoming night-life hub as Beirutis flee congestion-Daily
Star
Canadian terror plot member given 2.5 years sentence/The
Canadian Press
Lebanese
leaders warn of betrayal as Biden makes lightning visit
Written by Damien McElroy in Beirut, The Telegraph
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Walid Jumblatt, the veteran leader of the country's Druse population and pillar
of the March 14 ruling coalition, said that Hizbollah's defiance of
international law was being overlooked by governments seeking closer ties with
its patrons, Iran and Syria.
Leaders of Lebanon's pro-western government have accused Britain and America of
"appeasement" of Hizbollah as the radical Muslim movement prepares to seize
power. Joe Biden, the US vice-president, who became the highest ranking American
visitor to Lebanon in 20 years yesterday, was careful to not rule out continued
American aid, including military assistance, to a Hizbollah-led government. "We
will evaluate the shape of our assistance programs based on the shape of the new
government," he said. "I do not come here to back any particular party or any
particular person. I come here to back certain principles."
Hizbollah has undergone a rehabilitation from the outright condemnation it faced
four years ago after it refused to abandon its arms and links to terrorism.
Britain has resumed direct contact with its officials and Europe is expected to
deal with its government as a normal state.
Walid Jumblatt, the veteran leader of the country's Druse population and pillar
of the March 14 ruling coalition, said that Hizbollah's defiance of
international law was being overlooked by governments seeking closer ties with
its patrons, Iran and Syria.
"The West is prevented from doing anything for us by its need to enhance its
negotiations," he said. "Iran has Hizbollah's strength to parade. It can show
that it has reached all the way through to the Mediterranean and that with
Hizbollah and Hamas, it's a player in Palestine.
"The Lebanese state is too weak to stand by itself and therefore the appeasement
of Hizbollah means people are afraid – they are choosing to make an
accommodation with Iranian regional power."
President Barack Obama extended the hand of friendship to Iran and Syria in
January. British officials met a Hizbollah official in March and a Hizbollah MP
was allowed to address a meeting in London. Lebanon's 2005 "cedar revolution"
after the assassination of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri was a symbol
of President George W Bush's campaign for democratic reform across the Middle
East. Hizbollah's defeat in the subsequent election was celebrated as a boon for
democracy. But projections that it will form a majority after next month's
general election have seen a rush to bring the party in from the cold.
A British diplomat said the decision to talk to Hizbollah was taken even though
the Secret Intelligence Service reported it was implicated in three terrorist
incidents in the past year. The Foreign Office also believes that Hizbollah was
involved in holding five British men kidnapped in Iraq two years ago.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/lebanon/5369762/Lebanese-leaders-warn-of-betrayal-as-Biden-makes-lightning-visit.html
First of so-called Toronto 18 terror group to be
convicted gets 2.5-year sentence
By The Canadian Press
BRAMPTON, Ont. - A 2 1/2-year sentence has been handed down for the first person
convicted in a domestic terrorism plot bent on wreaking havoc on Canadian
targets.
The youth belonging to the so-called Toronto 18 homegrown terror cell was
sentenced as an adult, but a temporary publication ban granted today prevents
him from being named.
He was found guilty in September of helping and taking part in a terrorist
organization - the first verdict under Canada's new anti-terrorism laws. He was
also given three years' probation, and the judge granted a DNA order and a
10-year weapons prohibition. The youth could be released as early as today based
on credit for time served in custody before trial. The judge who found the youth
guilty said there was overwhelming evidence that a homegrown Islamic terrorist
cell, which had its sights set on Canadian targets, did exist. Ontario Superior
Court Justice John Sproat rejected defence assertions the Toronto-area plot was
nothing more than musings and fantasies. In the summer of 2006, an extensive
investigation involving Canada's spy agency and the RCMP ended with the arrests
of 18 people in the Toronto area and the seizure of apparent bomb-making
materials. Police alleged the suspects planned to buy weapons and set off truck
bombs using three tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The case took a stunning turn when
allegations surfaced that the ringleaders had talked about plans to storm
Parliament, take MPs hostage and behead the prime minister. Three other youths,
along with four adults, have since had their charges stayed or withdrawn. The
other accused have yet to stand trial.
Assad:
Israel the 'major obstacle' to peace in Middle East
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday called Israel the "major obstacle"
to peace in the Middle East and expressed his support in Palestinian
'resistance' to recover occupied land.
According to AFP, the Syrian leader blamed Israel for the failure of the
indirect peace talks, saying that "the failure of the peace process is a blatant
demonstration that Israel is the major obstacle to peace." "Our experience with
Israel during indirect peace negotiations mediated by Turkey is further proof of
this," the French news agency quoted Assad as saying in an address to a
ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Damascus.
The Syrian president went on to defend the right of Palestinians and Syrians to
use force against Israel. "The failure of political methods to recover their
legitimate rights gives them the right of resistance," he reportedly said. On
Friday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem responded to recent calls to renew
peace negotiations with Jerusalem by saying that such talks were worthless in
the absence of an Israeli promise to return the Golan Heights. Moallem said
Friday on Syrian state television that "an Israeli guarantee to withdraw from
the Golan Heights is... necessary for peace. "If Israel will not honor these
needs, there is no point to conduct baseless peace talks," Moallem insisted.
Negotiations will not succeed if Israel does not show a real intention to
achieve peace and without American involvement, Moallem said, adding that
Damascus would not return to talks that would only "waste time." On Wednesday,
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that he was prepared to immediately
renew unconditional peace negotiations with Syria.
Biden
links US support for Lebanon to outcome of vote
Vice president meets privately with March 14 candidates
By Nicholas Kimbrell
Daily Star staff/Saturday, May 23, 2009
BAABDA/BEIRUT: US Vice President Joe Biden said Friday that the US was committed
to supplying the Lebanese Armed Forces with the weapons it needs, but that
Washington would reevaluate its assistance to Lebanon after upcoming
parliamentary elections. "We will evaluate the shape of our assistance programs
based on the composition of the new government and the policies it advocates,"
Biden said after a morning meeting with President Michel Sleiman, echoing
previous statement by senior US officials.
The trip was the latest in a string of high-profile visits by US diplomats and
politicians to the country ahead of the fiercely-contested June 7 parliamentary
elections. The polls, pitting the ruling March 14 majority against the Hizbullah-led
opposition, will decide who runs Lebanon's next government.
Welcoming his guest, Sleiman stressed Lebanon's rejection of settling
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and called on Washington to help in the
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, issued after the July war
of 2006.
With the elections hardly two weeks away, Biden called for "free, fair and
transparent elections that will reflect the will of the people in Lebanon."
He did not openly support either of the coalitions facing off in the elections,
saying "the shape and composition of the Lebanese government is for the Lebanese
people to decide."
But in addition to visiting Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora,
Biden also held a private meeting with leading March 14 politicians.
Former Minister Nassib Lahoud, one of the founders of the March 14 movement, was
noticeably absent from the meeting because no candidates from his Democratic
Renewal Movement are running on the coalition's ticket. The DRM's Camille Ziadeh
withdrew his candidacy Friday and Mosbah Ahdab is standing as an independent in
Tripoli.
During an afternoon military review, in the presence Defense Minister Elias Murr
and LAF commander Jean Kahwaji, Biden also took a shot at Hizbullah. "One army,
one armed group, one police power, one capability to control your own country,"
Biden said, tacitly referring to the Shiite movement, which the US lists as a
terrorist organization and is known to have sizable arsenal of weaponry.
The vice president voiced repeated support for the country's sovereignty,
independence and democratic process, and reaffirmed Washington's commitment to
the legitimate institutions of the Lebanese state."The US remains committed to
making sure that Lebanese institutions are as strong as possible," he said,
calling the US' attachment to Lebanon "real and enduring."
Statements by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visited Beirut last
month, and Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, who
accompanied Biden on Friday, that US policy toward Lebanon could change if the
opposition wins the upcoming polls have raised concern in the country.
In recent years, Washington has provided more than $1 billion in aid to Lebanon,
including over $400 million in military assistance.
During the afternoon press conference with Murr, Biden, flanked by an M60 tank
and Huey helicopter, both gifts of the US assistance program, praised the
courageousness of the LAF soldiers who fought in the three-month battle against
Islamist militants in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in the summer of 2007. He
lauded their "dedication," saying they won "a decisive victory." "We are
committed to meeting your army's needs," Biden said, adding: "To anyone who
questions America's commitment to your defense, I say, look around me. The US is
committed to Lebanon."After his morning meeting with Sleiman, Biden also spoke
of Washington's broader push for regional peace.
"The Obama-Biden administration is committed to a comprehensive peace in the
region that benefits all people, including the Lebanese," he said.
"I can't envision peace in the Middle East without a stable, strong Lebanon," he
added.
Biden has visited Beirut a number of times since 1973, but this was his first
trip to the region after taking office. He said that Beirut would be his only
stop in the region, adding that the decision to visit the capital, on behalf of
US President Barack Obama, was not by accident.
The last US vice president to visit Lebanon was George H.W. Bush, who came in
1983 after a suicide bombing killed 241 US serviceman at Beirut's international
airport.
Biden's visit sparks controversy between country's opposing political factions
Daily Star staff/Saturday, May 23, 2009
BEIRUT: The brief visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to Beirut on Friday
sparked reactions among March 14 and opposition figures, who argued over whether
the appearance was tied to next month's parliamentary elections. Hizbullah
criticized Biden's visit, describing it as interference in Lebanon's internal
affairs. The party also denounced US support for Israel.
"The high American interest in Lebanon raises strong suspicion as to the real
reason behind it, especially since it has become a clear and detailed
intervention in Lebanese affairs," Hizbullah said in a statement. In an
interview with AFP on Friday, Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah said: "It appears
that this visit is part of a US bid to supervise the electoral campaign of a
Lebanese party which feels threatened politically in light of the expected
outcome of the legislative vote," referring to the March 14 coalition. "We call
on all Lebanese, regardless of their political views, to rise up against such
meddling which represents a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty," he
added. Fadlallah also said Biden's trip would "negatively affect those betting
once again on US support which, under the arrogant Bush administration, was
unable to break the will of the Lebanese
Sami Gemayel: To prevent Hizbullah from seizing authority
Date: May 22nd, 2009 /NNA
Sami Gemayel, Kataeb Party candidate for one of the four Maronite seats of Metn
district, said Friday that the major aim behind running the June 7 parliamentary
elections is to prevent Hizbullah from seizing the authority. These elections
are “important because they give the Lebanese two choices: establishing the
state or its destruction and to face the international community,” noted Gemayel
during two electoral meetings. The Kataeb is part of the March 14 coalition that
will compete in 17 days the elections against the Hizbullah-led March 8
opposition camp backed by Iran and Syria. A number of independent candidates of
the Centrist Bloc will also run for the 125 seats left as three Armenian seats
were already won by acclamation. Gemayel, son of the Kataeb party leader, former
President Amine Gemayel, called on the inhabitants of Metn to be open to others
and to prove that the Christians are capable of running this democratic
competition in a civilized way.
Hizbullah’s Wonderland
Date: May 23rd, 2009 /Future News
Anyone can comprehend Hizbullah’s hostility against the United States. The US is
a country that has practiced countless misdemeanors to support Israel, and has a
jam-packed record in humiliating the Lebanese from all affiliations.
Understanding Hizbullah’s hostility against the US becomes even easier when we
perceive the Shiite party’s strong connection to the Mullah regime of Iran.
However, it is impossible to understand why Hizbullah considers the visit of the
US Vice President Joe Biden to Beirut “suspicious”, even as it demands Lebanon’s
President General Michel Sleiman to raise the issue of the Israeli spy networks
with the US official. If Biden and his administration are antagonistic to
Lebanon and its people, how shall we expect any good from him in the issue of
the spy networks? And if the US is a friend of Lebanon, then why are the visits
of its officials “suspicious”?
Hizbullah authorizes to itself things while proscribing to others. For instance,
Hizbullah has the right to negotiate with Britain over the abducted British in
Iraq, in the framework of presenting offers to build a communication bridge with
the West in case the ‘March 8’ opposition alliance won the June 7 parliamentary
elections. However when former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Beirut,
Hizbullah nearly incinerated the country, inconsiderate of civil peace and the
country’s image. Hizbullah’s wonders are not new, as they date back to the war
between Iran and Iraq (1980-1988). Back then, members of the ‘Lebanese’ party
died on the altar of the Persian republic, while the National Movement was
confronting the Zionist hostility alone in the South of Lebanon. That, in
addition to the media blackout performed over the Iran-Gate scandal related to
the US support to Iran during its war against Iraq.
To finally reach Hizbullah’s domestic lectures about “a clean government” while
its allies are the most notorious icons of corruption and squander, not to
forget the International phone lines that were installed in the security hubs
away from the state’s sight and control, and the evacuation brokers.
America intensifies its support to Lebanon… and March 14 is ready for the battle
Date: May 23rd, 2009 /Future News
While some are proud of the support of the Syrian regime, and others made fun of
the majority as the Americans let them down, US vice President Joe Biden’s visit
asserted that the former American support to the Lebanese that started with the
establishment of the international tribunal until the normalization of relations
with Syria is ongoing.
So the election of Barak Obama did not radically change the American perspective
towards Lebanon, as the visit of the American official had very significant
local and regional connotations.
With 17 days ahead of the parliamentary elections, the different sides are
preparing for the big day as Hizbullah’s secretary general Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah described it yesterday as “crucial”. This is considered a radical
change in this team’s political speech, but the question remains: Is it an
indirect recognition by the pro-Syrians of an electoral defeat?
On the other hand, the majority has finalized all its candidates’ lists after
the announcement of those of Kesserwan and of Beirut’s first district, and is
preparing for a leaders meeting at Le Bristol Hotel where Mach 14 is going to
announce the headlines of the crucial competition’s campaign. Meanwhile, the
opposition is living a fanfare, and is asking for the help of “the neighboring
regime”.
The United States backs Lebanon
In his quick visit to Lebanon, the US administration’s second man asserted after
a meeting with President Michel Sleiman that his country “will procure all
necessary efforts to support President Sleiman and the potentials of the
Lebanese state.” He also stressed on the importance of “a transparent and just
elections that reflects the Lebanese people’s will.”
Furthermore, Biden explained that his visit to Beirut does not aim at supporting
a team over the other in the elections, and noted then that the United States
will establish an aid program according to the results of the elections and to
the post-elections government. He asserted as well that peace in the Middle East
requires a secure and independent Lebanon.
Additionally, President Sleiman said that Biden informed him of the continuous
support of US President Barak Obama to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and
stability. He also explained that America intends to present donations to the
Lebanese Army, and notified Biden of the Israeli violations, expressing the
Lebanese worries from Israel’s maneuvers.
March 14 sticks to the principles
The agenda of Biden’s visit included as well Speaker Nabih Berry, Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora, in addition to March 14 leaders in the residence of MP Nayla
Mouawad: Former President Amine Gemayel, Almustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad
Hariri, Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Lebanese
Forces Party Samir Geagea, MP Botros Harb, Liberal National Party leader Dory
Chamoun. These meetings discussed the new American policies related to Lebanon.
The March 14 leaders stressed on the principles of the Cedar Revolution, in
addition to the unity of Lebanon, its unity, sovereignty, and the international
tribunal, and expressed their will to normalize relations with Syria according
to the Taëf agreement.
The majority leaders renewed their commitment to the armistice accord and
resolution 1701 that states the borderline demarcation with Syria and an Israeli
withdrawal from the Shebaa farms, in addition to their dedication to the Arab
peace initiative.
Hizbullah… objects
Expectedly, Hizbullah that is used to object any foreign support to Lebanon as
if this country should be fully detached from the international community,
considered that Biden’s visit aims at overseeing March 14’s electoral campaign.
The party also questioned the real motives behind American intensive care
towards Lebanon, and considered it an intervention in Lebanon’s affairs. In a
statement, Hizbullah also called on the President to raise the issue of Israel’s
spying networks in the country as well as the ongoing Israeli occupation to
Lebanese territories.
March 14 is ready
As for the parliamentary elections, March 14 seems well prepared for the
competition, as MP Hariri will go tomorrow to Mokhtara to meet MP Jumblatt who
will announce the coalition’s list for the Chouf district. Afterwards, both men
will head to the village of Ketermaya to participate in a popular festival.
In Kesserwan, the independents and March 14’s list of candidates is now
complete, and its members visited Bkerki yesterday hours before the list’s
announcement. The list’s candidates are: former MPs Fares Boueiz, Mansour Ghanem
El Bon and Farid El Khazen, as well as Amid of the National Bloc Carlos Edde,
and Kataeb Party candidate Sejaan Kazzi.
From Mehrab, and in the presence of March 14’s candidates for Beirut’s first
district Nadim Bashir Gemayel and Nayla Gebran Tueni, as well as Geagea,
minister Michel Pharaon said that the list is complete after the inclusion of MP
Serge Tor Sarkissian, hailing Geagea’s courageous step in approving the retreat
of LF candidate Richard Kuyumjian for the unity of March 14.
Harb from the Serail: Biden’s visit is hope and support for Lebanon
Date: May 22nd, 2009 /NNA /MP Boutros Harb considered American Vice President
Joe Biden’s visit to Lebanon a “dose of hope and support to Lebanon”, hoping
that “the opposition parties would welcome this visit, so Biden would understand
the reality of the Lebanese issues in order to help Lebanon.” MP Harb visited
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora this morning at the Grand Serail, in the presence
of Chairman of the Council for Development and Reconstruction Nabil El-Jisr. “MP
Siniora assured that the Lebanese state with its government, army and military
forces took all the procedures to keep abreast of what is happening in the
occupied territories on the basis of the maneuvers to avoid the repercussions in
the Lebanese territories, or its impact on Lebanon's sovereignty and security,
and the electoral process in particular” Harb stated after his meeting with
Siniora. Harb, member of the March 14 alliance is running for one of the 2
Maronite seats in Batroun district. He considered the American Vice President
tour in the area very important, and stressed on investing this visit to
consolidate and protect Lebanon’s sovereignty from both Israeli aggression and
Syrian trusteeship. Harb assured that the timing of this visit is not in our
control, and “I do not think that the American officials visit Lebanon only
during the elections.”
Aridi welcomes Biden’s visit
Date: May 22nd, 2009 /MTV
Minister of Public Work and Transportation Ghazi Aridi welcomed Friday the visit
of Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden to Lebanon. Aridi asked
Biden to “answer questions raised about the rights of Palestinians and Lebanese
as well as the Arab-Israeli conflict.” The US vice-President arrived to Beirut
today and met with President Michel Sleiman upon his arrival. The opposition
parties led by Hizbullah are suspicious of the visit which they considered
electoral and comes in favor of the March 14 alliance. The Minister of Public
Works received mayors and political figures of different Lebanese regions and
reassured them that the projects decided by the government will all be
implemented without any delay.
Jumblatt meets Biden
Date: May 23rd, 2009 /Al Akhbar
Druze leader, Walid Jumblatt, has said that the Israeli spying networks that
were lately uncovered by the security services are more dangerous than the
Israeli land attacks and threats to disrupt civil peace, Al-Akhbar newspaper
reported. After a meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden, Jumblatt, Head of
the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, told the paper: “During my meeting
with Joe Biden, we discussed the issue of the Israeli spying rings, which I
believe are more serious and dangerous than land incursions and Israeli threats
against the Lebanese civil peace.”On the controversial issue of the southern
Shebaa farms on the border with Israel, Jumblatt said that he informed Biden of
the necessity to demarcate the area, which can only be attained by consensus
between the Lebanese and Syrian governments. “Israel must withdraw from Shebaa
farms and the Ghajar village. Shebaa farms must be demarcated,” Jumblatt said.
Israeli soldiers remain in the Lebanese side of Ghajar despite a December 3,
2006 Israeli cabinet decision to hand it over to UNIFIL. Jumblatt stressed the
necessity to go back to the ‘seven points’ plan between the Lebanese and Israeli
government that was proposed after the July 2006 Israel aggression and revealed
by PM Fouad Siniora in Italy. He also touched on the UN resolution 1559 –that he
supports- which called foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon and called on all
Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias to disband and declared support for a "free
and fair electoral process’.
Biden: U.S. Aid to Lebanon Hinges on Composition and
Policies of New Cabinet
Naharnet/Vice President Joe Biden, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit
Lebanon in more than 25 years, said Friday Washington will evaluate its future
assistance to Lebanon based on the policies of the government that will be
formed after the June 7 polls. "The U.S. will evaluate the shape of its
assistance program based on the composition of the new government and the
policies it is advocating," Biden told a news conference after meeting President
Michel Suleiman on his first visit to the Middle East since taking office. "The
U.S. looks forward to the shape and composition of the Lebanese government which
is for the Lebanese to decide," he added. He called for "fair, free and
transparent elections," and warned that "Lebanese sovereignty cannot and will
not be traded away." Biden said the Obama administration is committed to a
comprehensive peace in the region that benefits all people in the region,
including the Lebanese.
"Washington is committed to ensuring the strength of the military institutions
in Lebanon," he said, adding that he "cannot imagine peace in the region without
Lebanon."
Biden said his visit to Lebanon, the first by a U.S. vice president in nearly
three decades, was not aimed at interfering in the country's internal politics.
"I did not come here to back any party," he stressed.
Biden urged "those who think about standing with the spoilers of peace not to
miss this opportunity to walk away," an apparent reference to Hizbullah
supporters.
"It's not an accident that the president (Barack Obama) asked me to come to
Lebanon to personally demonstrate to you (that) our commitment to Lebanon is
meaningful and it's real," he said. Voice of Lebanon radio said Suleiman
received a phone call from Obama during Biden's talks with the Lebanese
president.
Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah, shortly before Biden's arrival, accused the U.S.
vice president of coming to meddle in Lebanon's internal affairs ahead of the
elections.
"It appears that this visit is part of a U.S. bid to supervise the electoral
campaign of a Lebanese party which feels threatened politically ... in light of
the expected outcome of the legislative vote," Fadlallah told AFP. Biden is the
second from the Obama administration in about a month, following in the
footsteps of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The attention underscores
Washington's concerns about a possible win by Hizbullah, which the U.S.
considers a terrorist group.
The White House said Biden's visit was meant "to reinforce the United States'
support for an independent and sovereign Lebanon."
Biden, whose visit comes on the heels of a trip to Kosovo, also met with Prime
Minister Fouad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hizbullah ally as
well as several members of the pro-Western faction in parliament.
He wrapped up his seven-hour visit at Beirut airport, standing before an array
of military equipment, including tanks, armored personnel carriers and
helicopters that he said are part of more than half a billion dollars in U.S.
military assistance to Lebanon since 2005. "We believe it's crucial that you be
able to do your mission to defend the state and citizens of Lebanon," Biden
said, standing next to Defence Minister Elias Murr. "One army, one armed group,
one police power, one capability to control your own country," he added, in an
apparent swipe at Hizbullah, the only armed Lebanese faction and arguably one of
the most powerful non-state actors in the Middle East.
Biden and Murr noted that the United States had committed to provide further
training and assistance to the Lebanese armed forces over the next five years.
The June 7 vote pits the parliamentary March 14 coalition against the Hizbullah-led
March 8 alliance. Hizbullah and its allies stand a good chance of winning the
majority of seats in parliament. Such a scenario would force the United States
to rethink its strategy towards Lebanon, a deeply divided nation which has
endured decades of wars, political crises and political assassinations. Acting
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, who
held talks with French officials in Paris on Wednesday, was cautious about his
expectations for the elections, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said. Hizbullah
officials say they have received assurances that the West does not envisage
imposing the same sort of boycott it slapped on the Palestinians when a
Hamas-led government took power in Gaza after an election in January 2006.
Obama's administration has also been making efforts to repair its relationship
with the Muslim world, including Syria and Iran. But it has sought to reassure
its allies in Beirut that any rapprochement with Damascus, which dominated
Lebanon for nearly three decades, would not be at their expense. Simon Karam,
Lebanon's former ambassador to Washington, said the visits by Clinton and Biden
could signal a shift in U.S. policy in Lebanon. "I think the United States is
hedging its bets on the eve of this new term in Lebanese political life and
signaling strongly that they will be investing in state institutions first and
among these institutions, in the president," he told AFP. "There is a serious
chance that the opposition will turn into the majority on the eve of the
election, and the U.S. will in this case have to re-orient its engagement in
Lebanon, and this visit could be one way for them to pave the way toward such a
development," he added.(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 22 May 09, 07:51
Three Injured in a Clash at Shatila Entrance
Naharnet/A clash between two armed groups at the entrance of Shatila camp broke
out Friday night leaving three injured people caught in a cross fire. According
to sources, one of the parties involved was the Popular Front-General Command.
But a source in the movement said that its members were surprised with the
shooting, and denied involvement. Other sources mentioned the participation of
Islamist militants in the clash which was eventually contained by the army. The
dispute erupted two days ago between members of two families Abu Alfa (Lebanese)
and Farr (Palestinian) at the entrance of the camp because of a conflict on
vegetable stalls. Beirut, 23 May 09, 11:40
Lebanon Releases Two Detainees, Continues Its Crackdown on
Espionage Rings
Naharnet/The Lebanese authorities have released a woman and her brother in law
who were arrested on suspicion of dealing with Israel as a crackdown on
suspected collaborators continued with the arrest of at least two more suspects.
Evidence found in the woman's home in Shebaa later turned out to belong to her
father who has been serving a jail sentence in Syria since 2006 for
collaborating with Israeli intelligence. Investigations showed the two suspects
were unaware of the nature of the evidence, the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar
reported Saturday.
In a separate development, security forces raided the home of Mustapha Said near
Ain el-Helweh camp following his arrest Friday morning in al-Qassir village in
Nabatiyeh on suspicion of spying for Israel. Said is the former brother in law
of another suspect Nasser Nader who has been dubbed by investigators as one of
the most valuable detainees in the espionage investigation. Investigations
showed that Said, along with Nader, was involved in the preparation for the
murder of resistance leader Ghaleb al-Awali.
Said and Nader were not members of the same ring but accidently ran into each
other when the latter was inspecting the neighborhood where Awali lived in the
southern suburbs.
Nader then informed the Israelis out of fear of being uncovered and was then
told that Mustapha was also a collaborator. The two men continued their mission
up until the execution of the murder, the daily said. According to
investigators, Nader was also responsible of monitoring one of the resistance's
operations areas in the south during the 1980's and was behind the death of a
large number of fighters after informing the Israelis of their positions. He was
also responsible for the destruction of tens of buildings in the southern
suburbs during the July 2006 war on Lebanon. On Thursday, security forces also
arrested Ziad al-Saadi from Shebaa on suspicion of dealing with Israel and
raided two of his homes.
They suspected Saadi was preparing to flee the country after he sold one of his
café shops in the town four days prior to his arrest, the Lebanese newspaper As
Safir said Saturday.
Hizbullah has also taken security measures in the southern suburbs after
discovering that collaborators had set up surveillance cameras at the entrances
of some buildings, stores and institutions. Some of the cameras broadcast, in
real time, the movements of officials in the resistance and of their convoys,
al-Akhbar reported.
Separately, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the crackdown on espionage
networks reflects growing frictions among the Israeli intelligence agencies
active Lebanon including the Mossad, military intelligence and Israel security
agency (Shabak). An Israeli expert in strategic and intelligence affairs said
that "efforts to sign a power-sharing deal among Israeli intelligence services
have not always succeeded in resolving tensions between them."He quoted Israeli
analysts as saying one of the reasons that led to the arrest of the suspected
collaborators in Lebanon was "a flaw in hiding data." Beirut, 23 May 09, 09:54
Ain Alaq Main Suspect Tells Hearing Details of Twin
Bombings
The main suspect in the 2007 twin bombings in Ain Alaq has confessed in detail
to how he executed the operation after being recruited by Fatah al-Islam
organization.
Ibrahim Sayou, a Syrian, is being tried for the February 13, 2007 explosion in
Ain Alaq which killed three people and wounded 20 others. In addition to Sayou,
two other Syrians are being tried for involvement while four other fugitives are
being tried in absentia including Fatah leader Shaker al-Abssi. Fatah officials,
Omar al-Hajji, also known as Abi Omar, and Majd al-Din Abboud, known as Abi Yaza,
recruited Sayou for the operation in order to send a "political message,"
according to the testimony. He did not elaborate on who the message was being
sent to. The attacks took place on the eve of a mass rally to commemorate the
second anniversary of the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri. The judicial
council held Friday's hearing, presided by Judge Ghaleb Ghanem, as part of the
trial of detained suspects in the explosions. Sayou confessed to placing two
bags containing the explosives, which were prepared by Hajji and equipped with a
timer in the buses. He claimed he did not know what was in the bags and was
simply carrying out Hajji's orders to place them in a crowded bus. Sayou said he
asked two ladies sitting in the back seat of one of the buses that he placed the
bags there and asked them to move forward. He said he can recognize the two
women in case he meets them. He did not elaborate on why he had told them of his
intentions or whether they were involved. The suspect said he entered Lebanon
through al-Arida on February 1, 2007 and joined Fatah for eventually travelling
to another country that he declined to name. Beirut, 23 May 09, 12:27
Qahwaji in Message to Army: Remain Vigilant and Preserve
May 25 Achievement
Naharnet/Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji on Saturday urged the military to
safeguard the resistance's achievement and prepare to maintain security during
the elections, in a message celebrating the ninth anniversary of the south's
liberation on May 25. Qahwaji saluted "the martyrs of the homeland including
military men, resistance fighters and civilians for shedding their blood to
liberate the land, claim back national sovereignty and confirm Lebanon's
strength and right to its soil and water." "Rest assured that the preservation
of this achievement is considered one of your primary duties and commitments
because by reaching this noble goal you proved your commitment to the oath (of
loyalty)," he said. He said the army's deployment in the south, with UNIFIL's
support, confirms the military's "resolve to retrieve the land that is still
under occupation in the northern part of al-Ghajar, Shebaa Farms and the hills
of Kfarshouba." "On this glorious day of Lebanon's history, I ask of you more
vigilance and constant preparedness to foil the schemes of the Israeli enemy and
to continue to dismantle its sabotaging networks. "And don't forget that the
collaborators only represent themselves… they belong only to their betrayal. "I
also ask of you to combat, with force, terrorism, protect civil peace and
crackdown on organized crime." Qahwaji reminded the military men of the
challenging task ahead of them as the elections day draws near. He asked the
army to be "completely prepared to maintain security during the parliamentary
elections, which represent an opportunity for the Lebanese to express their
choices, freely and democratically." He called on them to be firm against law
violators and to be disciplined and unbiased. "I am sure that you will succeed
(at your mission) as you have done in the past during major national stops and
once again prove you are up to the task." Beirut, 23 May 09, 11:25
Nasrallah Calls For Capital Punishment For All Spies Beginning With Shiite
Agents
Naharnet/Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged Lebanese
prosecutors to seek the capital punishment against all recently captured
Israel-linked espionage ring members. In a televised address on Friday
commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from south
Lebanon, Nasrallah said: "I call for the capital punishment for all arrested
agents and beginning with the Shiite agents first." He cautioned that any
Lebanese working for Israeli intelligence is dangerous saying: "espionage rings
do not only work on gathering data, some carry out operations. A 20 Kg of TNT
were uncovered at the home of one agent this brings up a lot of questions." The
possibility of Israeli involvement in recent and past assassinations and bombing
episodes in Lebanon should be pursued by the Lebanese authorities Nasrallah
added that: "Those with a preconceived stance must know that the Israeli
possibility should be pursued and maybe through this we could arrive at the
causes of all explosions and events that occurred in Lebanon." He called for the
full cooperation by all citizens with security forces for uncovering all
[Israeli] agents.
The secretary-general paid tribute to southern Lebanese residents for standing
up to many challenges that were not addressed by the state. "From the very
beginning the people of the south wanted the state to play a role in their
lives. From the early 1960's until his disappearance Imam Moussa Sadr was
calling on the state to send the army to the south to protect it and no one
answered him. This is the product of negligence and weakness," Nasrallah said.
Sadr was a pioneer in launching the Amal movement in the 1970's that addressed
the demands and needs of south Lebanon residents. Nasrallah addressed supporters
in saying that their guilt lies in fact that they resisted the Israeli
occupation and won a victory against Israel.
"We do not propose the resistance as an alternative to the Lebanese state. The
state that calls itself a state and abandons the south is not a state. We want a
strong, just and capable state and on May 7 we shall seek to build this state,"
Nasrallah said. He pointed to the parliamentary elections on June 7 saying the
opposition's aim behind the elections is not to rule but to save Lebanon from
conspiracies regardless of the opposition's share in government. Nasrallah said
he wanted to have a single electoral list for the opposition in Jezzine rather
than two "both parties are dear to the heart, and we in Hizbullah shall work in
Jezzine to please both parties." He was referring to the Free Patriotic Movement
headed by MP Michel Aoun and the Amal movement headed by Parliament Speaker
Nabih Berri. Beirut, 22 May 09, 20:09
Fadlallah: Biden Visit is Meddling in Lebanon Elections
Naharnet/U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Lebanon on Friday is a clear
bid by Washington to meddle in the country's internal affairs just two weeks
before crucial elections, Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah told AFP. "It appears
that this visit is part of a U.S. bid to supervise the electoral campaign of a
Lebanese party which feels threatened politically ... in light of the expected
outcome of the legislative vote," Fadlallah said. He was making a clear
reference to the majority March 14 coalition which stands to lose in the
upcoming June 7 vote to a Hizbullah-led alliance. "We call on all Lebanese,
regardless of their political views, to rise up against such meddling which
represents a flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty," he added.
His comments came just before Biden arrived in Beirut in the second such
high-level visit by a U.S. official in a month. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton in April urged the Lebanese to hold free and fair elections. Hizbullah
at the time also criticized her visit. Fadlallah said Biden's trip will
"negatively affect those betting once again on U.S. support which, under the
arrogant Bush administration, was unable to break the will of the Lebanese". He
added that Biden's visit is part of U.S. efforts to impose its views on the
government that will be set up after the elections. "They are tracing red lines
for the future government," he said. "We will rise up to this."(AFP) Beirut, 22
May 09, 12:03
Nasrallah calls for death penalty for spies, beginning with
Shiite agents
By Therese Sfeir /-Daily Star staff
Saturday, May 23, 2009
BEIRUT: The leader of Hizbullah has demanded the death penalty for Lebanese
suspects convicted of spying for Israel. "In the name of the families of
martyrs, of the wounded and of those who lost their homes ... I demand that the
death penalty is handed down to the agents who provided information that lead to
all these repercussions," said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, speaking via video-link,
to a rally held in Nabatieh to commemorate the ninth anniversary of Israel's
withdrawal from Lebanon.
Lebanese authorities are holding up to 30 suspects in what security sources say
is a widening investigation into espionage for Israel. Three of these suspects,
who include women, have been arrested in the past 24 hours.Nasrallah praised
efforts deployed by the Lebanese Army and security forces to uncover Israel
espionage networks, and said Hizbullah's security services would boost
cooperation with Lebanese security services to root out the spies. Nasrallah
also urged any Lebanese dealing with Israel to surrender to the authorities and
ask for mercy.
I tell the remaining spies on Lebanese territories that we will catch them very
soon," Nasrallah said, adding: "Surrender to the authorities before it is too
late."
"I call for the death penalty for all arrested agents, beginning with the Shiite
agents," he also said.
Hizbullah has repeatedly cited the absence of retribution against collaborators
after the 2000 withdrawal, but the group has recently stepped up its criticism
of the judiciary's lenient handling of agents. Nasrallah added that "espionage
rings do not only work on gathering information, but also on carrying out
operations."
He noted that a 20 kilograms of TNT were discovered at the apartment of an agent
who was recently arrested.
The Hizbullah leader urged the authorities to investigate the possibility of
Israel's involvement in recent and past assassinations and explosions in
Lebanon. "Those with a preconceived stance must know that the possibility of
Israeli [involvement] should be pursued, and maybe through this we can arrive at
the causes of all explosions and events that occurred in Lebanon," he stated.
Nasrallah urged people to cooperate with security forces in order to uncover all
Israeli agents.
He said that some of the spies aimed to "cause rifts" between Amal and Hizbullah,
and that "the strong alliance" between the two Shiite parties was the foundation
of the opposition's victory in South Lebanon. Nasrallah also accused the
Lebanese successive governments of "failing to protect the South, ever since the
Israeli invasion took place in 1982."
"The state should spread its authority over all its territory, but today this
authority is absent," he stated.
He added that Hizbullah was not seeking to replace the state. "We do not propose
the resistance as an alternative to the Lebanese state. However, the state
cannot call itself a state and disregard the South," he said. "We want a strong,
just and capable state that we will seek to establish after May 7," he added.
Touching on the parliamentary elections on June 7, Nasrallah said the
opposition's goal behind the elections was not to rule the country, but to save
Lebanon from conspiracies regardless of the opposition's share in government.
"The aim of the opposition is to win the elections, in order to rescue Lebanon
from the conspiracies against it, but not to rule it," he stated.
Commenting on the formation of two separate opposition lists in the district of
Jezzine, Nasrallah said Hizbullah would work in that district "to please both
parties." He was referring to the Free Patriotic Movement headed by MP Michel
Aoun and the Amal movement headed by Speaker Nabih Berri. - With Agencies
Army arrests suspects in attack on military patrol
Daily Star staff/Saturday, May 23, 2009
BEIRUT: The Lebanese Army has arrested two fugitives from justice and is
investigating their involvement in last month's deadly attack on a military
patrol in Riyaq. An army statement, issued on Friday, said that Ajaj Aref Jaafar
and Hamdan Ali Jaafar were apprehended overnight in the Sharawina neighborhood
of Baalbek. The two were surrounded by army personnel and returned fire before
being apprehended. They were found to be in possession of a stolen vehicle, the
statement said, while another vehicle found at the scene, which contained 15
kilograms of hashish, a cache of weapons, and forged IDs, is believed to have
been used in the Riyaq attack. The two men had been wanted on earlier warrants
for drug trafficking and forming an armed group. The statement said that Jaafar
and Jaafar were now under investigation of being involved in an attack last
month on Army personnel in Riyaq, which killed four soldiers. Separately, the
Internal Security Forces said Friday that 57 people, wanted on various warrants,
had been rounded up in various parts of the country. - The Daily Star
On June 8, the battle for reform and stability begins in
Lebanon
By The Daily Star /Saturday, May 23, 2009
Editorial
In two weeks voters across Lebanon will head to the polls to cast their ballots.
These votes may change the composition of Parliament, but if the run-up to the
June 7 contests has shown us anything it's how little Lebanon's deeply flawed
election process has changed. In recent months, parties from all across the
political spectrum have offered national visions for the country. This was a
welcome though ultimately unsatisfactory development. Under scrutiny, these
platforms lack seriousness and substance. Too often, the tailor-made,
media-friendly agendas proffered by factions in both the March 8 and March 14
camps have rung hollow. Amid the sloganeering and showmanship of the political
class, the gulf between party followers has widened, not because of genuine
policy differences or specific programs, but rather thanks to enhanced sectarian
and tribal fears. Sadly, this shallow electioneering has masked the essential
issues facing the country, like education reform, environmental protection and
economic growth. Moreover the citizens of Lebanon remain powerless as far as war
and peace are concerned.
Despite the commendable efforts of the Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud and a
collection of non-governmental organizations, the new electoral law has failed
to level the playing field or meaningfully challenge Lebanon's debilitating
system of political patronage. The law, passed last September, did include
several significant reforms, notably financial and media regulations, but it
remains insufficient. Money is pouring into the country ahead of the polls,
votes are being bought, constituents leveraged, candidates threatened, political
posters and offices defaced.
The elections will nevertheless take place and we hope that they unfold in an
environment of relative peace and calm with no loss of life or property. Lebanon
has a long, if flawed, democratic tradition and we encourage its citizens to
take advantage of this valuable political right.
But the country's private sector and civil society would do well to mark their
calendars. On June 8 the fight for reform and stability begins anew and must be
pursued with a renewed vigor. Their survival and the health of the state depend
on it.
A good start would be for pressure to be exerted on the next government to pass
without hesitation an electoral law for the 2010 municipal elections and
encourage an open and honest discussion on important and constitutionally viable
political reforms.
Unfortunately for the Lebanese, who have too often been let down by their
leaders, additional patience is required, because for the time being we are only
headed for more of the same.
Lebanon
and The Best Schemes Of Mice And Men
22/05/2009
Amir Taheri / Asharq Alawsat
At first glance, Lebanon, the second smallest Arab country after Bahrain, may
appear as an insignificant piece in the giant jigsaw puzzle that makes the
Greater Middle East, spanning from western Asia to North Africa.
Right now, however, Lebanon may have assumed a strategic importance above its
geographical size. In the Great Game in the Middle East, Lebanon is a crucial
pawn the control of which determines the outcome.
The media in Tehran are paying almost as much attention to the Lebanese election
on 7 June as to the Islamic Republic's presidential election five days later.
Tehran analysts believe that the Lebanese election could affect the Iranian
presidential race.
"We are heading for a hot June," an analysis, published by the official Islamic
Republic News Agency (IRNA), said last week. "Victory in Lebanon will signal the
start of our victory everywhere."
The idea is that if the coalition led by the Lebanese branch of Hezbollah wins a
majority in the next parliament in Beirut, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would
be able to claim another success for his policy of defiance against the United
States and moderate Arab regimes.
Seizing control of Lebanon through Hezbollah is the only topic on which Iranian
presidential candidates agree. Both Ahmadinejad and his main rival, Mir-Hussein
Mussavi Khamenehi, describe the Lebanese Hezbollah as "a child of our
revolution". Both believe that its victory will strengthen the weakened position
of the regime in Iran.
Tehran expects the Lebanese election to signal a "systemic change", bringing it
in line with the broader Khomeinist worldview. Lebanon would become a "bunker
for the Khomeinist revolution" rather than a "beach for corrupt westernized
elites."
Speeches made by Hezbollah candidates, like Nawwaf al-Mussawi, who insist that
the election is not "about winning seats but changing the established order",
echo that view.
Elections in Lebanon come at a time that several factors coincide in favor of
Iran.
The United States is still struggling to develop a coherent policy in the Middle
East, one that maintains President George W. Bush's strategy without resembling
it. The resulting confusion prevents the Obama administration from understanding
what is going on, let alone influencing it in a significant way.
The absence of Syrian troops on Lebanese soil is also advantageous to Tehran.
The fact that the Syrians were forced out revealed their vulnerability.
Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of the Lebanese branch of Hezbollah,
speaks of the difference between an Islam of victory and an Islam of defeat. It
is clear that he includes Syria in the latter category while Iran leads the
former.
Arab states, including Syria, suffered four major defeats at the hands of
Israel, he recalls. However, Hezbollah, backed by Iran, succeeded in "defeating
the strongest army in the region". Hezbollah managed to "liberate" southern
Lebanon while Syria's Golan Heights remain under Israeli occupation, Nasrallah
notes.
Divisions among Arab states also favor Tehran.
Ahmadinejad hopes to "Finlandize" a number of Arab states. The term was invented
during the Cold War, as the Soviet Union insisted that neighboring Finland
remain neutral, and develop no policies inimical to Moscow.
Tehran analysts believe that at least three Arab states, Oman, Qatar and Yemen
have already been "Finlandized" in the sense that they would not join any action
to oppose Iranian hegemony.
Two other Arab states, Syria and the Sudan, are regarded as "client-allies"
likely to support rather than oppose Iran's ambitions.
Two other Arab states, Algeria and Libya, are expected to remain neutral, albeit
for different reasons.
In this analysis, one key Arab state, Iraq, is regarded as uncertain because its
future political course will not be determined until after its general election
in January 2010.
There are two other players in this game: Turkey and Israel.
Turkey, under a moderate Islamic regime, could emerge as a long-term threat to
Khomeinist ambitions. For the time being, however, its lack of experience of
regional politics and its schizophrenia, caused by European ambitions clashing
with dreams of leadership in Islam, prevent it from playing its full potential.
Israel, too, is unable to punch according to its weight for a number of reasons.
It has a weak coalition government whose expected lifespan does not exceed 18
months. Speculation about Barack Obama's supposed "coolness" toward Israel also
undermines the Jewish state's ability to project power in the region. Also, for
the first time in decades, Israel has virtually no allies in Lebanon.
Lebanon under Iranian control could become one arm of a pincer, the other being
Hamas-controlled Gaza, designed to subject Israel to a low intensity war which
would, in time, sap its will to resist.
Russia is watching the proceedings with a mixture of hope and fear.
The victory of Iran's clients would enable the Islamic Republic to bring its
navy to the Mediterranean, using the port of Beirut as a hub. That would open
the way for securing mooring rights at the Syrian port of Lattakiyah.
Winning control of Lebanon would give Iran a direct presence on the
Mediterranean for the first time in almost 1500 years.
That would make it easier for Russia to seek a Syrian base for its Black Sea
fleet, set to lose its lease in Sebastopol in Ukraine in 2017.
More importantly, perhaps, the emergence of Iran as a regional power with
friendly ties to Russia, symbolized by Moscow's role in building the Iranian
nuclear capacity, could undermine decades of US presence as the sole key player
in the Grater Middle East.
Nevertheless, Moscow also fears the emergence of a nuclear-armed Islamic
Republic close to Russia's border.
Regarding Lebanon as a profitable investment in political terms, Tehran has
loosened its purse strings as never before. According to sources in Washington,
the pro-Tehran camp has outspent the opposing 14 March coalition to the tune of
two-to-one.
"Lebanon is the only place where the economy is booming at this time," says a
former administration official in Washington. "The reason is the checkbook war
waged by rival camps trying to win the June elections."
As always, however, things concerning Lebanon are not as simple as they might
appear in Tehran or Washington, or anywhere else for that matter. Tehran's hopes
of a spectacular victory in Lebanon next month could still hit a wall. The best
schemes of mice and men do not always work.
**Amir Taheri's new book "The Persian Night" is published by Encounter Books in
New York and London.
BREAKTHROUGH IN TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATION
New Evidence Points to Hezbollah in Hariri Murder
By Erich Follath
23/05/09
The United Nations special
tribunal investigating the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik
al-Hariri has reached surprising new conclusions -- and it is keeping them
secret. According to information obtained by SPIEGEL, investigators now believe
Hezbollah was behind the Hariri murder.
It was an act of virtually Shakespearean dimensions, a family tragedy involving
murder and suicide, contrived and real tears -- and a good deal of big-time
politics.
REUTERS
The terror attack in Beirut on Valentine's Day, 2005: Intensive investigations
in Lebanon are all pointing to Hezbollah and not Syria.
On February 14, 2005, Valentine's Day, at 12:56 p.m., a massive bomb exploded in
front of the Hotel St. Georges in Beirut, just as the motorcade of former Prime
Minister Rafik al-Hariri passed by. The explosives ripped a crater two meters
deep into the street, and the blast destroyed the local branch of Britain's HSBC
Bank. Body parts were hurled as far as the roofs of surrounding buildings.
Twenty-three people died in the explosion and ensuing inferno, including Hariri,
his bodyguards and passersby.
The shock waves quickly spread across the Middle East. Why did Hariri have to
die? Who carried out the attack and who was behind it? What did they hope to
achieve politically?
The Hariri assassination has been the source of wild speculation ever since. Was
it the work of terrorist organization al-Qaida, angered by Hariri's close ties
to the Saudi royal family? Or of the Israelis, as part of their constant efforts
to weaken neighboring Lebanon? Or the Iranians, who hated secularist Hariri?
FROM THE MAGAZINE
Find out how you can reprint this DER SPIEGEL article in your publication. At
the time of the attack, it was known that Hariri, a billionaire construction
magnate who was responsible for the reconstruction of the Lebanese capital after
decades of civil war, wanted to reenter politics. It was also known that he had
had a falling out with Syrian President Bashar Assad after demanding the
withdrawal of Syrian occupation forces from his native Lebanon. As a result, the
prime suspects in the murder were the powerful Syrian military and intelligence
agency, as well as their Lebanese henchmen. The pressure on Damascus came at an
opportune time for the US government. Then-President George W. Bush had placed
Syria on his list of rogue states and wanted to isolate the regime
internationally.
In late 2005, an investigation team approved by the United Nations and headed by
German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis found, after seven months of research, that
Syrian security forces and high-ranking Lebanese officials were in fact
responsible for the Hariri murder. Four suspects were arrested. But the smoking
gun, the final piece of evidence, was not found. The pace of the investigation
stalled under Mehlis's Belgian successor, Serge Brammertz.
The establishment of a UN special tribunal was intended to provide certainty. It
began its work on March 1, 2009. The tribunal, headquartered in the town of
Leidschendam in the Netherlands, has a budget of more than €40 million ($56
million) for the first year alone, with the UN paying 51 percent and Beirut 49
percent of the cost. It has an initial mandate for three years, and the most
severe sentence it can impose is life in prison. Canadian Daniel Bellemare, 57,
was appointed to head the tribunal. Four of the 11 judges are Lebanese, whose
identities have been kept secret, for security reasons.
As its first official act, the tribunal ordered the release, in early April, of
the four men Mehlis had had arrested. By then, they had already spent more than
three years sitting in a Lebanese prison. Since then, it has been deathly quiet
in Leidschendam, as if the investigation had just begun and there were nothing
to say.
AP
Hezbollah supporters in Beirut listen to a speech given by the movement's
leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hariri's growing popularity could have been a thorn in
the side of Lebanese Shiite leader Nasrallah.
But now there are signs that the investigation has yielded new and explosive
results. SPIEGEL has learned from sources close to the tribunal and verified by
examining internal documents, that the Hariri case is about to take a
sensational turn. Intensive investigations in Lebanon are all pointing to a new
conclusion: that it was not the Syrians, but instead special forces of the
Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah ("Party of God") that planned and
executed the diabolical attack. Tribunal chief prosecutor Bellemare and his
judges apparently want to hold back this information, of which they been aware
for about a month. What are they afraid of?
According to the detailed information provided by the SPIEGEL source, the fact
that the case may have been "cracked" is the result of a mixture of serendipity
à la Sherlock Holmes and the state-of-the-art technology used by cyber
detectives. In months of painstaking work, a secretly operating special unit of
the Lebanese security forces, headed by intelligence expert Captain Wissam Eid,
filtered out the numbers of mobile phones that could be pinpointed to the area
surrounding Hariri on the days leading up to the attack and on the date of the
murder itself. The investigators referred to these mobile phones as the "first
circle of hell."
Captain Eid's team eventually identified eight mobile phones, all of which had
been purchased on the same day in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. They
were activated six weeks before the assassination, and they were used
exclusively for communication among their users and -- with the exception of one
case -- were no longer used after the attack. They were apparently tools of the
hit team that carried out the terrorist attack.
But there was also a "second circle of hell," a network of about 20 mobile
phones that were identified as being in proximity to the first eight phones
noticeably often. According to the Lebanese security forces, all of the numbers
involved apparently belong to the "operational arm" of Hezbollah, which
maintains a militia in Lebanon that is more powerful than the regular Lebanese
army. While part of the Party of God acts like a normal political organization,
participating in democratic elections and appointing cabinet ministers, the
other part uses less savory tactics, such as abductions near the Israeli border
and terrorist attacks, such those committed against Jewish facilities in South
America in 2002 and 2004.
The whereabouts of the two Beirut groups of mobile phone users coincided again
and again, and they were sometimes located near the site of the attack. The
romantic attachment of one of the terrorists led the cyber-detectives directly
to one of the main suspects. He committed the unbelievable indiscretion of
calling his girlfriend from one of the "hot" phones. It only happened once, but
it was enough to identify the man. He is believed to be Abd al-Majid Ghamlush,
from the town of Rumin, a Hezbollah member who had completed training course in
Iran. Ghamlush was also identified as the buyer of the mobile phones. He has
since disappeared, and perhaps is no longer alive.
Part 2: Revelations Will Likely Harm Hezbollah
Ghamlush's recklessness led investigators to the man they now suspect was the
mastermind of the terrorist attack: Hajj Salim, 45. A southern Lebanese from
Nabatiyah, Salim is considered to be the commander of the "military" wing of
Hezbollah and lives in South Beirut, a Shiite stronghold. Salim's secret
"Special Operational Unit" reports directly to Hezbollah Secretary-General
Hassan Nasrallah, 48.
AFP
A Lebanese demonstrator holds a portrait of ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri and a
sign reading "justice" in Arabic.
Imad Mughniyah, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, ran the unit until
Feb. 12, 2008, when he was killed in an attack in Damascus, presumably by
Israeli intelligence. Since then, Salim has largely assumed the duties of his
notorious predecessor, with Mughniyah's brother-in-law, Mustafa Badr al-Din,
serving as his deputy. The two men report only to their superior, and to General
Kassim Sulaimani, their contact in Tehran. The Iranians, the principal
financiers of the military Lebanese "Party of God," have repressed the Syrians'
influence.
The deeper the investigators in Beirut penetrated into the case, the clearer the
picture became, according to the SPIEGEL source. They have apparently discovered
which Hezbollah member obtained the small Mitsubishi truck used in the attack.
They have also been able to trace the origins of the explosives, more than 1,000
kilograms of TNT, C4 and hexogen.
The Lebanese chief investigator and true hero of the story didn't live to
witness many of the recent successes in the investigation. Captain Eid, 31, was
killed in a terrorist attack in the Beirut suburb of Hasmiyah on Jan. 25, 2008.
The attack, in which three other people were also killed, was apparently
intended to slow down the investigation. And, once again, there was evidence of
involvement by the Hezbollah commando unit, just as there has been in each of
more than a dozen attacks against prominent Lebanese in the last four years.
This leaves the question of motive unanswered. Many had an interest in Hariri's
death. Why should Hezbollah -- or its backers in Iran -- be responsible?
Hariri's growing popularity could have been a thorn in the side of Lebanese
Shiite leader Nasrallah. In 2005, the billionaire began to outstrip the
revolutionary leader in terms of popularity. Besides, he stood for everything
the fanatical and spartan Hezbollah leader hated: close ties to the West and a
prominent position among moderate Arab heads of state, an opulent lifestyle, and
membership in the competing Sunni faith. Hariri was, in a sense, the alternative
to Nasrallah.
DPA
Syrian President Bashar Assad with his wife Asma: Although the Syrian government
is not being declared free of the suspicion of involvement, at least President
Assad is no longer in the line of fire. There is hardly anything to indicate he
was aware of the murder plot.
Whether Lebanon has developed in the direction the Hezbollah leader apparently
imagined seems doubtful. Immediately after the spectacular terrorist attack on
Valentine's Day in 2005, a wave of sympathy for the murdered politician swept
across the country. The so-called "cedar revolution" brought a pro-Western
government to power, and the son of the murdered man emerged as the most
important party leader and strongest figure operating in the background. Saad
al-Hariri, 39, could have become prime minister of Lebanon long ago -- if he
were willing to accept the risks and felt sufficiently qualified to hold office.
After the Hariri murder, the Syrian occupation force left the country in
response to international and domestic Lebanese pressure.
But not everything has gone wrong from Hezbollah's standpoint. In July 2006,
Nasrallah, by kidnapping Israeli soldiers, provoked Israel to launch a war
against Lebanon. Hezbollah defied the superior military power, solidifying its
image as a resistance movement in large parts of the Arab world. If there were
democratic opinion polls in the Middle East, Nasrallah would probably be voted
the most popular leader. The highly anticipated June 7 elections will
demonstrate whether the Lebanese will allow Nasrallah to radicalize them again.
Once again, he is entering into the election campaign in a dual role. He is both
the secretary-general of the "Party of God," represented in the parliament since
1992, and the head of Hezbollah's militia, part of a state within a state that
makes its own laws.
RELATED SPIEGEL ONLINE LINKS
Wooing the Pariah: How Syria's Assad Is Steering His Country out of Isolation
(09/23/2008)
UN Approves Hariri Investigation: Lebanese Split on International Tribunal
(05/31/2007)
SPIEGEL Interview with Saad al-Hariri: "Assad is Responsible" (06/13/2006)
Crisis in Lebanon: "Everything Points to Syria" (11/27/2006)
The Hariri Murder Investigation: Kofi Annan's Syria Problem (12/19/2005)
"Bye-Bye, Hariri!": UN Report Links Syrian Officials to Murder of Former
Lebanese Leader (10/24/2005)
Lebanon: Conspiracy in Beirut (09/05/2005)
SPIEGEL Interview with Syrian President Assad: "Poverty Is a Greater Concern for
Most than a Democratic Constitution" (08/29/2005)
Lebanon after the Cedar Revolution: Dancing on the Volcano (07/11/2005)
A Death in the Middle East: Hariri's Murder Casts Uncertain Future for Lebanon
(02/24/2005)Hezbollah currently holds 14 of 128 seats in parliament, a number
that is expected to rise. Some even believe that dramatic gains are possible for
Hezbollah, although landslide-like changes in the Lebanese parliamentary system
are relatively unlikely. A system of religious proportionality ensures, with
list alliances arranged in advance, that about two-thirds of the seats in
parliament are assigned before an election. In the cedar state, a Sunni must
always be prime minister, while the Shiites are entitled to the office of
speaker of parliament and the Christians the relatively unimportant office of
the president.
Hezbollah has not managed to upset this system, adopted decades ago, even though
it objectively puts its clientele at a disadvantage. As a result of differences
in birthrates, there are now far more Shiites than Sunnis or Christians in
Lebanon. Some say that Nasrallah isn't even interested in securing power through
elections, and that the "Party of God" would be satisfied with a modest share of
the government. By not taking on too much government responsibility, Hezbollah
would not be forced to dissolve its militias and make significant changes to its
ideology of resistance.
The revelations about the alleged orchestrators of the Hariri murder will likely
harm Hezbollah. Large segments of the population are weary of internal conflicts
and are anxious for reconciliation. The leader of the movement, which, despite
its formal recognition of the democratic rules of the game, remains on the US's
list of terrorist organizations, probably anticipates forthcoming problems with
the UN tribunal. In a speech in Beirut, Nasrallah spoke of the tribunal's
"conspiratorial intentions."
The revelations are likely to be just as unwelcome in Tehran, which sees itself
confronted, once again, with the charge of exporting terrorism. Damascus's view
of the situation could be more mixed. Although the Syrian government is not
being declared free of the suspicion of involvement, at least President Assad is
no longer in the line of fire. Hardly anything suggests anymore that he was
personally aware of the murder plot or even ordered the killing.
One can only speculate over the reasons why the Hariri tribunal is holding back
its new information about the assassination. Perhaps the investigators in the
Netherlands fear that it could stir up the situation in Lebanon. On Friday
evening, the press office in Leidschendam responded tersely to a written inquiry
from SPIEGEL, noting that it could not comment on "operational details."
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Detlev Mehlis, 60, the German senior prosecutor and former UN chief
investigator, has his own set of concerns. He performed his investigation to the
best of his knowledge and belief, questioning more than 500 witnesses, and now
he must put up with the accusation of having focused his attention too heavily
on Syrian leads. The UN tribunal's order to release the generals who were
arrested at his specific request is, at any rate, a serious blow to the German
prosecutor.
One of the four, Jamal al-Sajjid, the former head of Lebanese intelligence, has
even filed a suit against Mehlis in France for "manipulated investigations." In
media interviews, such as an interview with the Al-Jazeera Arab television
network last week, Sajjid has even taken his allegations a step further,
accusing German police commissioner Gerhard Lehmann, Mehlis's assistant in the
Beirut investigations, of blackmail.
Sajjid claims that Lehmann, a member of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office
(BKA) proposed a deal with the Syrian president to the Lebanese man. Under the
alleged arrangement, Assad would identify the person responsible for the Hariri
killing and convince him to commit suicide, and then the case would be closed.
According to Sajjid, the authorities in Beirut made "unethical proposals, as
well as threats," and he claims that he has recordings of the incriminating
conversations.
Mehlis denies all accusations. Lehmann, now working on a new assignment in Saudi
Arabia, was unavailable for comment. But the spotlight-loving Jamil al-Sajjid
could soon be embarking on a new career. He is under consideration for the post
of Lebanon's next justice minister.
Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan.