LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS
BULLETIN
April 17/08
Bible Reading of the day.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12,44-50. Jesus cried
out and said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the
one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the
world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in
darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not
condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the
word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak
on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I
know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father
told me."
Free Opinions, Releases, letters & Special Reports
Israel's paramount prism is the Iranian threat-By
Yossi Alpher 16/04/08
If UNIFIL wants to keep the peace, it has to start
standing up for itself-The Daily Star 16/04/08
Maid to
serve in Lebanon. By Simba Russeau 16/04/08
Latest
News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for April 16/08
Berri blasts Siniora bid to portray Syria as root of
crisis-Daily Star
Jumblatt calls for review of events under Syria's
watch-Daily Star
Gemayel, Zaki headline reconciliation confab-Daily
Star
General warns Israel faces 'elimination' if it
attacks Iran-AFP
7 Kuwaitis charged over eulogy of slain militant Imad Mughniyeh-The
Associated Press
Progress report on Paris III conference gives good
marks to Lebanon-Daily Star
Barak: Syria supplying Hizbullah with rockets-AFP
Israel tests target vehicle for missile shield-AFP
Makkawi hopes Nahr al-Bared donors will meet in
mid-June-Daily Star
Carter meets Hamas official in West Bank, but Jewish
state keeps him out of Gaza-AFP
Judiciary questions three residents of Jbeil after
failing to find 'mass grave-Daily Star
AUB lecture takes closer look at history of reform in
Islam - and its future-Daily Star
Phase one of repairs at Jiyyeh plant due to be
completed by end of May-Daily Star
Sidon municipality quietly washes hands of dump,
expects conversion into park-Daily Star
Luck of the draw for foreign laborers in Lebanon-Inter
Press Service
No Mass Grave Found in Halat-Naharnet
French Embassy Hosts Hizbullah Official
for Lunch-Naharnet
Syria arming Hezbollah despite UN resolution: Israel-AFP
Syria is getting Russian air-defense system-Russia-InfoCenter
Berri discusses Lebanon crisis in Qatar-Khaleej
Times
Berri Criticizes
Adding Lebanese-Syrian relations to Arab Initiative-Naharnet
Lavrov Urges
Lebanese to Prevent Foreign Intervention-Naharnet
Assad to Hoss: Ready
to Help 'Brethren-Naharnet
Barak For U.N. Move to Enforce 1701-Naharnet
PLO Accuses FPM of Victimizing
Palestinians-Naharnet
Time is short before situation in Lebanon gets worse, says Moussa-AsiaNews.it
U.S. Denies British
Report on Back-Channel Talks on Iran-Naharnet
Suleiman Rejects Violating Taef by Heading Interim Cabinet-Naharnet
Suleiman Rejects Heading Interim Cabinet-Naharnet
Lebanon May be
Open-Minded, But...-Naharnet
Khalil: Opposition,
Majority should Engage in Serious Dialogue-Naharnet
Jumblat Points Finger at Jamil Sayyed in
Deadly Church Bombing-Naharnet
Government Backs Detention of Ex-Generals
in Hariri Murder-Naharnet
Moussa Cautions: The Lebanon Situation
Could Deteriorate-Naharnet
Livni Puts Israel, Moderate Arabs in Same
Camp, Says Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas are Threats-Naharnet
Saniora Demands 'Details' on Israeli
Incursion-Naharnet
Berri Discusses Lebanon With Qatari Oil
Minister-Naharnet
Lebanese Demand Facts of Missing Believed
to be in Syria-Naharnet
Aoun Renews Naturalization Charges-Naharnet
Tent City 'Militiamen' Attack Restaurant
Clients-Naharnet
Jamaa Islamiya Supports Berri's Call for
Dialogue-Naharnet
U.S. Warships to Protect March 14-Naharnet
Israel Not Interested in Prisoner Swap
with Hizbullah-Naharnet
Livni Puts Israel, Moderate Arabs in Same Camp, Says Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas are
Threats
Naharnet/Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni sought Arab support against Iran,
warning Monday that groups like Hizbullah and Hamas are trying to sabotage
regional peace efforts. Livni told delegates at a democracy and trade conference
in Qatar that Israel and Arab states are mired in the same struggle with
extremists who "refuse to recognize our democratic rights." "When I say `our,' I
mean the rights of Israelis, moderate Palestinians, moderate Arabs and pragmatic
Muslim regimes alike," Livni said Monday during a panel discussion. "We, the
moderates of the region, are all members of the same camp," she said. It was
Livni's first visit to Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf state that supports the
Palestinian movement Hamas and has no diplomatic ties with Israel. "Iran
represents the extremists in the region and this is a threat and challenge to
the entire region," Livni told reporters when asked if she had sought support
against Iran's nuclear program during her meetings. Livni, on the second day of
her visit to Qatar, said Iran tries to undermine other regimes, works with
"radical" Shiite elements such as Hizbullah, and supports Hamas, a "terrorist
organization" controlling Gaza "by weapons, training and money."(AP-AFP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 04:28
No Mass Grave Found in Halat
Naharnet/The judiciary on Tuesday interrogated three suspects on charges of spreading
misguiding information regarding an alleged mass grave in the northern region of
Halat and released them pending completion of the investigation.
Regional Prosecutor for Mount Lebanon Ghassan Oueidat also ordered the
interrogation of journalist Manal Shaayaa in connection with reporting on the
alleged mass grave, but she failed to report to his office pending interference
by the newspaper editors' syndicate.
The three were identified as Jacqueline Elias al-Rai, Milad al-Rai and Joseph
Abi Sharr.
They were interrogated for four hours and released pending completion of the
investigation, a reliable source said.
The interrogation was launched after a police force completed excavations in the
site in search of the alleged mass grave, but found nothing.
The state-run National News Agency said the search for the alleged mass grave
ended by 3 p.m. after digging through 80 meters of the highway in the northern
Halat region "without finding a trace to the (alleged) mass grave."MPs Shamel Mouzaya and Abbas Hashem, members of Gen. Michel Aoun's Change and
Reform Bloc, expressed reservation regarding the whole search operation.
Mouzaya said the operation was carried out "without proper measures."
He called for expanding the search by three meters towards the east and west
from the center of the highway.
He described the search effort as "play acting."Hashem also said the operation should have sought the help of "experts in
criminology."
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 17:55
French Embassy Hosts Hizbullah Official for Lunch
Naharnet/The French Charge D'affaires to Lebanon Andre Parant on Tuesday hosted
Hizbullah's Nawaf Moussawi for lunch, the state-run National news Agency
reported.
Moussawi, who is in charge of Hizbullah's international relations, said he held
"lengthy talks with the charge d'affaires that covered the Lebanese crisis … and
reviewed domestic and external initiatives aimed at finding consensus
settlements."Moussawi also said he clarified to the French official "the importance of the
resistance's role in the liberation and defense (process)."The report did not include any remarks by the senior French diplomat.
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 18:19
Moussa Cautions: The Lebanon Situation Could Deteriorate
Naharnet/Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa warned on Monday that the
situation in Lebanon could deteriorate soon. Moussa also said "Lebanon should
not be left without a president.""Time is short before things in Lebanon
deteriorate to what is worst," he told a news conference in London on the
sidelines of a book fair. "It is a long road (to go) but time is short," the
Arab League chief added. The Lebanese-Syrian relations "are important and they
are part of the Arab initiative," he said. "The most important development at
the Damascus summit was that it underlined the importance of these relations,
they are the responsibility of Arabs," Moussa added. He said the Lebanese topic
is "as important as the Palestinian issue, which is the mother cause for the
Arabs." Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 17:59
Suleiman Rejects Heading Interim Cabinet
Naharnet/Army chief Gen. Michel Suleiman has rejected a proposal
to head an interim cabinet, saying such a move is against the constitution.
Future News TV reported that Suleiman's visitors quoted him as saying the
proposal is an outright violation of the Taef accord and averts efforts aimed at
facilitating the election of the army commander president. Only an elected
president can appoint a head of an interim government. But Lebanon has been
without a head of state since the term of Emile Lahoud ended. While bickering
politicians have agreed on Suleiman as a consensus candidate, his election has
been held up because the opposition is demanding veto power over government
decisions, something the majority strongly rejects.
Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun was quoted Friday as proposing a
compromise based on appointing Suleiman head of an interim cabinet that would
sponsor parliamentary elections.
George al-Aaraj, representative of the so-called Liberal Tigers faction, told
reporters he discussed the idea with Aoun.
"Gen. Aoun said the idea is part of his perspective," Aaraj added.
Suleiman's visitors also said that the army chief, who was scheduled to retire
on November 21, insisted that he would leave his post on August 21.
They said he will spend his accumulated vacation days outside Lebanon.
According to the TV report, Suleiman also said that he would only accept
parliament to extend his mandate for a short period but on another condition
that the extension bill clearly states his functions on one side and that
bickering politicians commit to elect a president on the other side.
His visitors quoted him as saying that he would have accepted for the defense
minister to make the extension proposal and the cabinet to agree on it. But
given the current situation in Lebanon, extension of his mandate should be made
by parliament.
Suleiman reportedly was also not against the appointment of Army Chief of Staff
Maj. Gen. Shawki Masri as his successor.
The army commander reassured the Lebanese that the security situation is stable
in Lebanon. "The situation is stable and there is no fear of any security jolts
particularly since the armed forces" are working hard to keep security tight.
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 05:34
Hizbullah Denies Report it will Launch Offensive in
Occupied Territories
Naharnet/Hizbullah has denied a report by the Iranian News
Agency, Fars, that it will launch an offensive on Israel in Palestinian
territories occupied in 1948 if the Jewish state wages a new war. "We would not
initiate war but in case they wage any war in the future …there will be a
counter attack behind the front lines…and for the first time since 1948 in
Palestine itself," Fars quoted a Hizbullah Shura Council member as telling
Syrian magazine al-Hakika.
Hizbullah said in a statement that al-Hakika magazine "did not conduct an
interview with any of the Shura Council members, and thus, remarks attributed to
the so-called Shura Council member to Fars news agency are absolutely not true."
The high-ranking Hizbullah official was also quoted as revealing in his remarks
to al-Hakika that the body of slain commander Imad Mughniyeh was moved to
Lebanon before Syrian secret service agents had the chance to examine it.
Mughniyeh was assassinated in a Damascus car bombing Feb. 12. Hizbullah leader
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah ordered Mughniyeh's body to be transferred "immediately"
to Lebanon minutes after the bombing, Fares quoted the Hizbullah official as
saying. He added that Syrian President Bashar Assad asked Nasrallah to keep the
identity of the assassinated official secret but the Hizbullah leader refused.
The Shiite group accused Israel of killing Mughniyeh and pledged to avenge his
death. The Iranian news agency also quoted the Hizbullah Shura Council member as
saying the investigation into Mughniyeh's killing "has ended but we will
announce its results in the right time." Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 11:06
Khalil: Opposition, Majority should Engage in 'Serious
Dialogue'
Naharnet/MP Anwar Khalil of Speaker Nabih Berri's Development and
Liberation bloc said Tuesday that the Hizbullah-led opposition and the
pro-government March 14 coalition should engage in "serious dialogue" to get
Lebanon out of its political crisis. Khalil said Berri's Arab tour was a "real
and serious attempt" towards obtaining the necessary support for all-party
national talks. He said difficulty in resuming dialogue between the feuding
political camps "increase snags … and will not lead to significant results."
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 13:39
Lebanon May be Open-Minded, But...
Naharnet/Lebanon is a liberal Middle East country with unfettered
Internet access, but state censorship is also rife on any topics that touch upon
Israel or sensitive issues such as religion. Oscar-winning films such as
"Schindler's List," the music of late violinist Yehudi Menuhin, the songs of
Enrico Macias... the list of artists and their works deemed to be inappropriate
is long. "There has been ruthless censorship in Lebanon for decades, using
absurd criteria and under the pretext of national security," said Bassam Eid,
production manager at movie distributors Circuit Empire. Hollywood stars
including Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman have long been banned
for their perceived support for Jews or because they were in a film directed by
a Jew as Lebanon scrupulously applied an Arab League blacklist boycotting
Israel. The most recent production to be censored concerned not Judaism but
Islam, however. The Oscar-nominated "Persepolis" which annoyed Tehran for its
critical portrayal of the Islamic revolution was briefly banned by Beirut in
March.
"I know that with the Internet censorship may appear to be ridiculous, but we
ban works damaging to religion because it is such a sensitive topic" in a
multi-confessional state, Gen. Wafiq Jizzini, head of the general security
department at the interior ministry, told AFP. Censorship is applied in Lebanon
if a work is thought to incite religious dissent, damage morals or state
security or contribute to Israeli propaganda. "Sensitivities must be handled
carefully," said Jizzini, who implied that he comes under pressure from the
country's all-powerful religious leaders. "Otherwise they'd make it very
difficult. Imagine if we allowed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed or the Dutch
film 'Fitna'!"
Far-right MP Geert Wilders earned worldwide attention after releasing the
17-minute anti-Islam film "Fitna," or "Discord" in Arabic, on the Internet in
March.
"The Da Vinci Code" -- both the book and the film -- were also pulled after the
church in Lebanon intervened, saying the work impinged on Christian beliefs.
"Lebanese society is too steeped in religion to accept attacks on the sacred,"
said one bookshop manager, speaking under cover of anonymity. "In March, a
special issue of the French magazine Le Point on Israel was seized. Often
publications arrive with pages torn out because of an article about the beauty
of a town in Israel, for example." Some works linked to Israel are available,
however.
These include the novels of Israeli writer Amos Oz and the work "Israel: Etat de
Choc" (Israel: Shock State) by France's Frederic Pons about the 2006 war against
Hizbullah in Lebanon. "Such and such a film can't be brought into the country,
but because of satellite dishes even kids are able to see it," said Eid.
Music does not escape either. "About 80 percent of Death Metal is seized"
because of anti-Christ content, according to one record store owner in Beirut
who asked not to be named.
"To ban the Israeli Philharmonic is understandable, but not top world violinist
Jascha Heifetz who's Jewish but not Israeli. Even so both Daniel Barenboim and
Gilad Atzmon are OK because they're seen to be anti-Zionist!"
Some Lebanese works are also affected. A satirical play about the country's
1975-1990 civil war by Rabih Mroue was banned last year before later being
allowed.
Jizzini denied that "Persepolis" was banned because he is close to Hizbullah
which is backed by Iran, saying that a work by Lebanese writer Roger Akl was
also censored "for attacking the Saudi regime" that supports the government. He
said he wanted "to be rid of this poisoned chalice," saying that "censorship
should come under the ministry of culture," not interior. However Culture
Minister Tareq Mitri wants to abolish what he called an "outdated" practice. "A
draft law is in the works that would abolish censorship and set up an
independent 'committee of wise men' instead," he said.(AFP) Beirut, 15 Apr 08,
11:53
Government Backs Detention of Ex-Generals in Hariri Murder
Naharnet/Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government has conveyed a
letter to the U.N. office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights backing the
detention of the four pro-Syrian ex-generals charged with involvement in the
assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. "The arrest of the four former
security chiefs and four other people is in compliance with Lebanese and
international laws," said the letter. The four generals are: Brig. Gen. Mustafa
Hamdan, ex-commander of the Presidential Guards Brigade, Brig. Gen. Raymond Azar,
ex-director general of military intelligence, Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed, ex-chief
of General Security, and Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj, former director general of the
Internal Security Forces. The letter said that a decision by Investigating
Magistrate Saqr Saqr to hold the seven detainees in custody "was in line with
articles 108 and 363 of the Lebanese penal code." "Articles 108 and 363 are
clear and state that the period of reserve detention is unlimited if the case
has been assigned to the Judicial Council and if the crime reflects on state
security," the letter explained. It said Saqr wished to keep the seven detainees
in captivity, "in order to protect their lives and prevent them from seeking
refuge in another country, which is likely to have harmful effects on the
overall probe." The letter said that Saqr sees that their detention is essential
so long as the international investigation committee and the Lebanese judiciary
have not completed the probe into Hariri's Feb. 2005 murder. Beirut, 15 Apr 08,
07:25
Jumblat Points Finger at Jamil Sayyed in Deadly Church
Bombing
Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat called for opening old case
murder files like that of the deadly 1994 bomb attack against Sayedet al-Najat
Maronite Catholic church. Jumblat, in an interview with the daily Al Mustaqbal
on Tuesday, pointed the finger at former chief of General Security Maj. Gen.
Jamil al-Sayyed in the church bombing that left 10 worshipers killed. Lebanese
Forces leader Samir Geagea was arrested and charged in Sayedet al-Najat attack
and his war file was reopened. He served several life sentences for political
murders and other killings during the 1975-1990 civil war, spending 11 years in
solitary confinement in a cell at Lebanon's defense ministry before he was freed
in July 2005. Geagea has always said he was a political prisoner victimized for
opposing Syria's military role in Lebanon. Jumblat hoped that the judiciary will
"re-open Sayedet al-Najat (case) file when the ringleader was head of General
Security and re-open the assassination case of Ramzi Irani and the case of
martyr Samir Kassir and the Bank al Madina case, (which took place) during the
days of the ringleader of the General Security and his partner Raymond Azar who
used to terrorize the Lebanese, acting under orders from their superior Rustom
Ghazaleh," the former head of Syria's military intelligence in Lebanon. Brig.
Gen. Raymond Azar was former director general of military intelligence. Sayyed
and Azar as well as two other former generals -- Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hamdan,
ex-commander of the Presidential Guards Brigade and Maj. Gen. Ali Hajj,
ex-director general of the Internal Security Forces -- were arrested in August
2005 on charges of involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri. "We remember how the ringleader (Sayyed) … created Sayedet al-Najat
case to throw Samir Geagea in prison, but he was later pardoned," Jumblat said.
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 09:47
Saniora Demands 'Details' on Israeli Incursion
Naharnet/Prime Minister Fouad Saniora on Monday demanded "details" on a brief
Israeli incursion into Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency said.
It said Saniora held telephone contacts with the commands of the Lebanese army
and the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon to learn more about the Israeli
violation of Lebanese territory. The Lebanese army on Monday said Israeli
soldiers made a brief incursion at the weekend into Lebanon near the disputed
Shabaa Farms territory. Yasmina Bouziane, spokeswoman for the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), told AFP that the U.N. was investigating the
incident. "A joint UNIFIL-Lebanese army investigation team was sent east of Kfar
Shouba to look into the circumstances of an alleged IDF (Israeli Defense Force)
Blue Line violation," Bouziane said, referring to the demarcation line between
the two countries. "The investigation is still ongoing and UNIFIL is in touch
with both parties to clarify the matter."(Naharnet-AFP) Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 19:40
Lebanese Demand Facts of Missing Believed to be in Syria
Naharnet/Lebanese families fighting to learn the fate of hundreds of their
relatives believed to be held in Syria have been encouraged by the unexpected
release of a prisoner after 16 years in Syrian detention. "Milad Barakat, a
Lebanese, arrived in Beirut about a month ago after spending 16 years in a
Syrian prison. His family had lost trace of him for seven years," said an
organization called Support of Lebanese in Detention and Exile (Solide).
Barakat is one of 650 people whom the organization says remain in Syrian
custody. "To put it bluntly, they either remain in Syria or died as a result of
torture they endured while in Syrian custody in Lebanon or Syria," Solide
president Ghazi Aad told AFP. He was referring to a 1987 Amnesty International
report that documented 38 methods of torture practiced by Syrian security forces
at the time. "Lebanese intelligence arrested Barakat in April 1992 and turned
him over to Syrian intelligence," Aad said, adding that a Syrian court sentenced
Barakat to 15 years in prison for fighting the Syrian army in 1990, after which
he was tortured.
The organization said that Barakat refuses to see anyone except his family as he
remains in a state of shock after being confined under difficult conditions for
so long.
Toward the end of Lebanon's 15-year civil war, Gen. Michel Aoun headed a
temporary government and launched a "war of liberation" against Syria, which had
troops deployed in eastern and northern parts of Lebanon.
Syria's forces spread throughout most of the country on October 13, 1990, the
day on which many of those still missing were captured. The Lebanese army was
split at the time, with most supporting Aoun and the rest Syria. Aad said that
Barakat's mother, similar to many of the missing, had visited him in the Sednaya
prison in Syria until 2000 when she lost track of him and reported him missing.
"Many families reported visiting their sons in prisons in Syria only to find
them gone thereafter," Aad said, adding that most depend on released prisoners
for news of their loved ones. Solide drew up a list of names, including
Barakat's, of those held or missing in Syrian prisons and submitted it to a
Lebanese-Syrian commission established in 2005 for this purpose. According to
Aad, the Syrian response was terse: "We do not have any information about any of
the names on this list."
In spite of this, Barakat was released to the great joy of his family who had
spent seven years in the dark about his whereabouts.
Aad said that the Syrian authorities kept Barakat in prison for an additional
year after he served his sentence, finally releasing him in the fall of 2007. He
returned to Lebanon in mid-March. Aad said that the case of George Shaalawit is
similar. He is also Lebanese and like Barakat, was included on the list of the
prisoners who the Syrian authorities denied were on their territory.
"Shaalawit's parents lost all contact with him around the year 2000. They were
pleasantly surprised by his release in December 2005 after 11 years in a Syrian
prison without due process", said Aad. Members of Solide have pleaded the case
of missing Lebanese thought to be in Syria to political leaders of all
confessions.
Fifteen lawmakers from the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority put a petition
before the Lebanese government urging it "to strive to find a final solution to
this issue as soon as possible with or without the Syrian government". Sonia Eid
is the president of the Commission of the Parents of Missing. She is seeking her
son, a Lebanese soldier detained by Syrian forces in Lebanon in 1990 when he was
20 years old. She remembers having visited him only once in a Syrian prison in
1990. Until 1996, Eid continued to receive news of her son from prisoners who
were released. But she hasn't heard anything since 1996.
"I went to see Barakat three times after his release in the hopes of hearing
something about my son. But the former prisoner was in a state of shock and
completely refused to speak," said Eid. "All that I ask the government is that
it works faster and more seriously on the case of the missing," said the mother
whose son would be 38 years old on Monday.(AFP) Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 18:22
Aoun Renews Naturalization Charges
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader Gen. Michel Aoun on
Monday accused Premier Fouad Saniora of "flooding Lebanon with debts" with the
alleged aim of facilitating the naturalization of Palestinians. Aoun,
talking to reporters after a meeting by members of his Change and Reform
parliamentary bloc, also called on the government to adopt "practical measures
that would prevent naturalization of Palestinians."He said the Saniora
Government and the United States are "responsible for the presidential void."He
said additional MPs would joint his bloc "but we don't want to disclose their
names due to concerns related to their safety." Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 17:05
Tent City 'Militiamen' Attack Restaurant Clients
Naharnet/MP Atef Majdalani on Monday accused "militiamen" deployed at the
Hizbullah-controlled Tent City in downtown Beirut of attacking with daggers
clients at a nearby restaurant, wounding some of them. Majdalani, in a
statement, said the restaurant clients were attacked Saturday evening by
"militiamen based in the tents."The victims, according to Majdalani, sought
police help but were told the area is off limits to law enforcing agencies. The
Hizbullah-led opposition set up the Tent City in downtown Beirut 16 months ago
with the declared objective of toppling Premier Fouad Saniora's government that
remains in office.
Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 16:43
U.S. Warships to Protect March 14
Naharnet/An activist with a pro-Israeli U.S. organization said U.S. warships in
the Mediterranean would protect the Lebanese majority alliance if it faced an
attack by allies of Syria and Iran, an-Nahar's Sarkis Naoum wrote Tuesday. The
unnamed activist also said that the United States and Israel "do not want regime
change in Syria at present," Naoum wrote. The activist said "there was talk in
Washington and Jerusalem about regime change in Syria nearly three years ago,
but it stopped."
However, "if the international tribunal proceeded with its mission and disclosed
important issues that had not been disclosed, maybe that would re-activate talks
about change within Syria," Naoum quoted the U.S. activist as predicting.
Beirut, 15 Apr 08, 13:36
Israel Not Interested in Prisoner Swap with Hizbullah
Israel believes its two soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah have passed away and is
not prepared to negotiate a swap of their bodies, an-Nahar's Sarkis Naoum
reported on Monday. Naoum, quoting an activist with a pro-Israeli U.S.
organization, said the "price demanded by Hizbullah in return for bodies of the
two soldiers is very high. That is why Israel is not prepared to negotiate for
their bodies."Israel, the source added, is more interested in negotiating a swap
of its soldier held in Gaza "who is believed to be alive, or at least he was
believed to be alive two months ago."The source said Israel "would not launch
new war on Lebanon unless provoked by Hizbullah."He said Syria "thought after
the 2006 war in Lebanon that it could imitate Hizbullah. It has a bigger army
and more capabilities and tried to behave like Hizbullah.""However, Syria found
out after the Sept. 26 air raid, when Israeli jet fighters demolished a building
allegedly used as a nuclear facility, that it remains weak militarily,
especially in confronting Israel, so it gave up the idea," the source concluded.
Beirut, 14 Apr 08, 13:40
7 Kuwaitis charged over eulogy of slain militant
KUWAIT CITY (AP) — Seven Kuwaitis will be put on trial for allegedly sending a
statement to Lebanese and Iranian television stations eulogizing slain Hezbollah
militant Imad Mughniyeh, their lawyer said Tuesday.
Prosecutors charged the men, who are all Shiite Muslims, with "spreading false
news about the situation in the country" for sending the statement that
"weakened the position of the state abroad," said defense attorney Abdul-Karim
bin Haidar.
He said his clients deny any connection to the statement that eulogized
Mughniyeh, a top Hezbollah commander who was killed in a February car bombing in
Syria.
The statement was broadcast by the Shiite Muslim militant group's Al-Manar TV
station in Lebanon and Iran's state-run Arabic satellite channel Al-Alam.
Shortly after Mughniyeh's death, hundreds of Shiites gathered in a Kuwait City
suburb to mourn him as a martyr and a hero. The ceremony provoked an uproar in
this predominantly Sunni U.S. ally that blames Mughniyeh for hijacking a Kuwait
Airways flight in 1988 and murdering two of its passengers.
Mughniyeh is also accused of killing hundreds of Americans in suicide bombings
in Lebanon the 1980s. He was blamed for taking Westerners hostage and the 1985
hijacking of a TWA airliner in which a U.S. Navy diver was killed.
Hezbollah and its Iranian backers have accused Israel of killing Mughniyeh.
Israel has denied any role in the killing.
A Kuwaiti criminal court will begin hearing the case against the men, who
include four former legislators and one cleric, on April 30, bin Haidar said. If
convicted, they could face a minimum of three years in jail, he said.
Shiites make up about 30 percent of Kuwait's 1 million people. Sectarian
tensions surfaced during the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war because of Kuwait's support
for neighboring Saddam Hussein's Iraq. There also have been signs of tension
since the empowerment of Iraq's Shiite majority following Saddam's ouster after
the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.