LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
January 17/08

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 1,29-39. On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

Releases, Editorials, and reports
The Arab League might get results by moving the battle of Beirut to Cairo. The Daily Star. January 16/08
An AUB election model we can do without.By John Jeha. January 16/08

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for January 16/08
Bush from Cairo Urges Syria, Iran to Stop Meddling in Lebanon-Naharnet
U.S. Embassy Limits Staff Movement after Karantina Blast-Naharnet
No Street Action before Jan. 27, No Elections before March-Naharnet
Lebanon Tightens Security as Probe into Karantina Blast gets underway-Naharney
Karantina Bombing draws Local, World Condemnation-Naharnet
Lebanon probes anti-US attack-The Times
US Restricts Staff After Lebanon Blast-The Associated Press
Hezbollah warns against US attack on Iran-USA Today
Syria astonished over Bush's statements on Palestinian right of return-Xinhua
Thai satellite company says it has ended broadcasts of Hezbollah ...PR-Inside.com
Face to Face with Hezbollah-MWC News
Iran backs Arab League efforts to end Lebanon deadlock-AFP
Sfeir calls on Lebanese to find 'local' solution to crisis-Daily Star
Franjieh paints Sfeir as foreign stooge-Daily Star
At least three Lebanese freeze to death in recent cold snap-Daily Star
Protesters block road to airport for second day-Daily Star
Shattered glass, bloodied bystanders mark site of latest bombing-AFP
Three killed by bomb meant for US Embassy vehicle-Daily Star
Thousands of non-ID Palestinians to receive legal status-Daily Star
Sayyed renews demand to be set free-Daily Star
Electoral reform takes back seat amid political paralysis-Daily Star
Bush faces chilly reception in Egypt-Daily Star
Rice hails 'remarkable' political progress in surprise Baghdad visit-AFP
US says bombing aims to undermine Lebanon's stability-AFP
Rice expresses US 'outrage' over Lebanon bombing-Africasia
Beirut attack on US embassy car kills four-Telegraph.co.uk
This Is Not the Time for Provocation: Saud-Arab News
Suleiman Franjieh: Sfeir is Employed by US-French Ebassies-Naharnet
War starts with words,” warns Patriarch Sfeir-AsiaNews.it - Italy
Sfeir Criticizes Calls for Election of President by People-Naharnet
France Condemns Attack on U.S. Embassy Vehicle-Naharnet
Powerful Blast Targets U.S. Embassy Vehicle, No Americans Hit-Naharnet
Explosion rocks suburb of Beirut-BBC News
Beirut attack on U.S. Embassy vehicle kills four-AP
Car Bomb Targets U.S. Embassy Vehicle-Naharnet
Three dead in attack on US embassy vehicle in Lebanon-Guardian Unlimited
Merkel says no all clear for Iran after US report-Reuters
US Uses Probe to Pressure Iran-Wall Street Journal
Suleiman Franjieh: Sfeir is Employed by U.S-French Ebassies-Naharnet

The World Council of the Cedars Revolution
Representing the hopes and aspirations of many millions of Lebanese in Lebanon and throughout the Diaspora
2300 M Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC, USA 20037
Phone + 1 202 416 1819, Fax + 1 202 293 3083
www.cedarsrevolution.org
cedarsrevolution@gmail.com
Press release
An explosion in Beirut killed 4 people, this is an act of terror ordered by Tehran's Pasdaran
Washington, Cedarsnews, Jan 15th, 2008
The Counter Terrorism and Security Advisor of the WCCR, Ret Col Charbel Barakat considered this terror act as directed by Hezbollah's war room against the United States and Lebanese citizens. "It is an act of terror ordered by Tehran's Pasdaran against a US diplomatic target in Lebanon as President Bush is visiting the region. It should be investigated by both Lebanese and international authorities." Barakat warned from further Terror attacks by Hezbollah against US personnel and targets in Lebanon. "The Lebanese Government must investigate this crime with the persons in charge of Hezbollah's security operations. This is the only major armed organization in Lebanon outside the state and the UNIFIL.

U.S. Embassy Limits Staff Movement after Karantina Blast
The U.S. Embassy restricted the movement of its staff Wednesday and called on Americans to be on the alert a day after an explosion targeted one of its vehicles, killing three people and wounding 26 others, in the first attack in more than two decades against American diplomats in Beirut.
Tuesday's bombing at the seaside Karantina district north of Beirut took place as U.S. President George Bush was touring the Mideast and on the eve of a visit by Arab League chief Amr Moussa who is due to arrive here later in the day. The blast also highlighted the growing chaos in Lebanon, which has descended into violence over the last three years after almost a decade of calm following its long civil war. U.S. diplomats are deeply involved in the country's fractured politics, supporting the government against the Syrian-backed opposition. The feuding sides have been deadlocked over choosing a new president.
The armor-plated Embassy car was damaged in the bombing, and its Lebanese driver and an American teacher at a nearby church were among 26 people wounded. Police on Wednesday identified the victims as Lebanese Joseph Khoury, a Sin el-Fil resident and owner of the Fiat that took the brunt of the attack, Fouad Kamal al-Abas from Tripoli, and Ghassan Hussein al-Mohammed, a Syrian bystander.
Lebanese troops set up checkpoints and diverted traffic Wednesday near the north Beirut seaside highway where the bomb exploded -- a road that embassy staff would have had to take to attend a farewell reception for the departing U.S. ambassador Jeffrey Feltman scheduled later Tuesday. It was canceled.
The targeted car was apparently one of the embassy vehicles that routinely scout roads before U.S. diplomats travel, Lebanese security officials said.
It was the first such attack in 23 years in Lebanon, where targeting Americans in the 1980s became so notorious, during the tail end of the country's 15-year civil war, that the United States imposed a blanket ban keeping Americans from traveling to the country -- lifted only in 1997. The Embassy advisory did not specify how much its personnel were now limited in movement. The embassy, about 13 kilometers from the explosion site in the suburban hills northeast of Beirut, already is heavily fortified, protected by American and Lebanese security with a strong Lebanese army presence in the area.
"The Embassy ... reminds all Americans in Lebanon to maintain a high level of vigilance, especially when planning travel," the advisory said. "Americans are also advised to avoid popular gathering spots." U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed outrage over the attack. "The United States will, of course, not be deterred in its efforts to help the Lebanese people, to help the democratic forces in Lebanon," she said in Saudi Arabia, where Bush was touring.
Political tensions are high in Lebanon, more than a year into the crisis marked by a series of bombings and political assassinations that began in 2005. Most attacks have targeted anti-Syrian politicians and journalists. But the latest harkened back more to the bloody 1980s – when Lebanon was the site of some of the deadliest terror attacks against Americans ever, including the 1983 Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. service members.
That same year, the U.S. Embassy was also hit by a car bomb, killing 63 people including 17 Americans. In 1984, the embassy's new compound at Aukar was also targeted by a suicide bombing, killing 12. The United States had deployed military units in Beirut at the time, in the aftermath of Israel's invasion of the country, but then-U.S. President Reagan withdrew them after the Marine barracks attack.
The U.S. withdrew all diplomats from Beirut in September 1989 and did not reopen its embassy until 1991. Even before Tuesday's attack, U.S. diplomats in Lebanon were subject to strict security rules that prohibit them from bringing their children to live with them, and require them to travel with armed guards.
In 2002, an American missionary, Bonnie Penner, was killed at a Christian center in the southern city of Sidon. Tuesday's bomb was hidden among garbage containers near the main Mediterranean coastal highway in north Beirut's predominantly Christian Dora-Karantina neighborhood. The powerful blast went off as the armor-plated U.S. Embassy SUV passed. The blast's brunt was taken by another vehicle behind, a Fiat in which two Lebanese were killed, police said. The explosion sent a pall of gray smoke over the highway, damaged several other cars and blew out nearby windows. The Syrian man who died had been riding a scooter on the road. Mathew Clason, a Minnesota native, said he was at the nearby National Evangelical Church where he teaches when the bomb went off.
"The windows blew in and I fell down -- I was knocked out," Clason told The Associated Press while sitting in the emergency room corridor of Jeitawi Hospital. His head and right leg were bandaged.(Naharnet-AP) Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 08:50

Bush from Cairo Urges Syria, Iran to Stop Meddling in Lebanon
U.S. President George Bush told Syria and Iran on Wednesday to stop "interfering" in Lebanon's affairs and urged the country to hold presidential elections.
Bush voiced hope OPEC will increase oil output to combat high world prices, after his talks with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, the world's top crude producer.
"The president said there's a hope that as a result of these conversations that OPEC would be encouraged to authorize an increase in production," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Wednesday after Bush arrived in Egypt from Riyadh. "He says that the king says that he understands the situation," Perino told reporters traveling with Bush on his eight-day tour of the region, which wraps up on Wednesday in Egypt. "He's worried about high oil prices and how they can negatively affect economies around the world." During his two-day visit to OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, Bush had said that he planned to discuss with the monarch "the fact that oil prices are very high, which is tough on our economy." The United States is facing recession fears at home after prices surged to a record 100 dollars at the start of the year and the state of the economy has been a key issue in the campaign for the November presidential election.
"The president reiterated the issue of there being tight supply and very high and rising demand, not just in America, but around the world, especially in India and China," Perino said. But OPEC Secretary General Abdullah al-Badri told AFP that high oil prices were not caused by a shortage of oil supplies and that other factors were to blame. "Let me be clear, the high prices which we are witnessing are not because of any shortage of crude oil in the market," Badri said in a statement emailed to AFP. Badri is currently on his first visit to the tiny Mediterranean island of Cyprus and is due to address the Nicosia chamber of commerce on Wednesday. Bush's comments on Tuesday urging action by oil producers had an immediate impact on world oil prices, which continued lower on Wednesday with New York's main futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in February, down 48 cents to 91.42 dollars per barrel in Asian trade.
The 13-member Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is due to meet in Vienna on February 1 under pressure to calm prices after shrugging off calls to increase output at its last meeting in December. After Bush's comments Tuesday, Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali al-Nuaimi had declared: "We will raise production when the market justifies it, this is our policy." In December, OPEC left its daily crude output quota unchanged at 27.25 million barrels despite strong speculation that the cartel would slash output by 500,000 barrels a day as gesture to calm fears that higher energy prices might dampen global growth.
Saudi Arabia is the number one oil exporter and sits atop the world's largest proven oil reserves -- 261.2 billion barrels, or more than a quarter of the global total.
It produces around nine million barrels of oil per day (bpd), but the figure varies at different times.(AFP) Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 14:19

Iran Supports Arab League Bid to End Lebanon Crisis
Iran on Wednesday said that it backs efforts by Arab League chief Amr Moussa to persuade warring Lebanese factions to agree on a compromise plan allowing the election of a new president. "We appreciate the efforts exerted by the Arab League and we consider it to be a good base to solve the Lebanese problems," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters. "We support the Arab initiative presented by Mr. Amr Moussa to all Lebanese sides," he said at a joint press conference with visiting Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Mohammed al-Sabah.
Moussa is to return to Beirut on Wednesday for another attempt to persuade rival leaders to agree on a plan to end the crisis in Lebanon, which has been without a president since pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud stepped down in November. The Lebanese parliament has been unable to elect a successor to Lahoud because of the rivalry between the majority March 14 alliance and the Hizbullah-led opposition, which is supported by Syria and Iran.
The Arab initiative is based on a three-point plan calling for the election of army chief General Michel Suleiman as president, formation of a national unity government in which no one party has veto power, and adoption of a new electoral law. Although the ruling coalition has given the Arab plan its full support, Hizbullah is insisting that the opposition has a third of the seats in a new government in order to have veto power.(AFP) Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 14:00

No Street Action before Jan. 27, No Elections before March
Naharnet/The opposition will not resort to street action before Jan. 27 and presidential elections will likely not take place until after March, the daily An Nahar reported Wednesday. The paper, citing opposition sources, said the opposition will not resort to "escalation" or street protests before Jan. 27, the date set for a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to review the outcome of a mission by Arab League chief Amr Moussa. The report, carried by the daily An Nahar on Wednesday, also said no election was likely to take place until after the March Arab summit in Damascus or even after legislative elections due in early 2009. Moussa said he would be traveling to Damascus on Thursday for talks with Syria's leadership which has been accused of standing in the way of ending the crisis. Several politicians and Beirut newspapers are already predicting that the Arab initiative is doomed to failure. Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 13:06

Lebanon Tightens Security as Probe into Karantina Blast gets underway
Lebanese forces tightened security in Beirut on Wednesday as a probe into the bombing that targeted a U.S. embassy vehicle got underway.
Local newspapers said the attack was a message to U.S. President George Bush during his visit to the region and was aimed at undermining efforts to end Lebanon's long-running presidential crisis. Arab League chief Amr Moussa was due back in Beirut on Wednesday in a fresh bid to resolve the deadlock between pro- and anti-Syrian political factions that has left the country without a president for almost two months.
Tuesday's blast left three people dead and 26 injured, including the Lebanese driver of the U.S. embassy car and an American passer-by on a brief visit to Lebanon, security officials said. Security was tight around Beirut with army checkpoints set up in many areas as Lebanese and U.S. investigators gathered evidence at the blast site in Karantina. It was the first anti-American bombing in Lebanon since the 1980s, when U.S. military and diplomatic missions were hit and Islamic fundamentalists seized several American hostages at the height of the civil war. "The bomb targeting a vehicle from the U.S. embassy was a message to Bush," said the Ad-Diyar newspaper, which is close to the opposition that is backed by Syria and Iran.
Other newspapers and politicians said it was clear that the 15-kilograms (33 pound) bomb, which had been planted on the side of the road, was aimed at torpedoing efforts by the Arab League to end Lebanon's political stalemate. "The bombing targeted a vehicle from the US embassy or the convoy of the Arab solution?" the pro-opposition As-Safir questioned, referring to an Arab League plan to end the crisis pitting the Hizbullah-led opposition against the pro-government majority March 14 coalition. Lebanon has been without a president since November 23, when pro-Syrian head of state Emile Lahoud stepped down with no elected successor. Moussa was excepted to arrive in Beirut later Wednesday on his second visit this month to try and prod feuding politicians to agree to the Arab initiative that calls for the election of army chief General Michel Suleiman as president. Moussa said on Tuesday the bomb attack was clear evidence of the urgency to end Lebanon's political crisis. The plan also calls for the formation of a national unity government in which no one party has veto power and the adoption of a new electoral law. Parliament is due to meet on January 21 for a presidential vote but 12 previous sessions have been cancelled.
Although the ruling coalition has given the plan its full backing, Hizbullah is insisting the opposition be granted a third of the seats in a new government so as to have a veto over key decisions.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 12:02

Karantina Bombing draws Local, World Condemnation
Naharnet/Lebanese as well as world leaders condemned the bombing that targeted a U.S. embassy vehicle in northern Beirut, killing three people and wounding more than 20. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed "outrage" over the attack, calling it an act of terrorism. "The United States will, of course, not be deterred in its efforts to help the Lebanese people, to help the democratic forces in Lebanon, to help Lebanon resist force and interference in their affairs," she told reporters while visiting the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the latest stop in President George Bush's tour of the Mideast this week. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the bombing, saying that "it is imperative that the Lebanese authorities find the perpetrators of this cowardly crime and bring them to justice."
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement: "We strongly condemn a new terrorist attack in Lebanon and express our sincere condolences to the relatives of the victims." "We hope that attempts at destabilizing the situation don't hinder the Lebanese in their pursuit of finding a way out of the crisis by the election, as soon as possible, of a consensus president," the statement added.
The U.S. embassy in Beirut issued a statement that condemned the incident "in the strongest term.""The embassy is outraged that there are still those who work to undermine Lebanon's stability through murder and intimidation," the statement said. "The Lebanese people deserve to live in peace and security in an independent and united Lebanon," it added. It said "crimes" like Tuesday's bombing will not weaken the international partnership working to support and strengthen Lebanon's independence and democracy." Hizbullah leader Sayyaed Hassan Nasrallah condemned the Karantina bombing, saying, "We condemn and denounce any explosion that takes place on Lebanese territory, regardless of who is targeted, especially if innocent people are killed." MP Saad Hariri said the bomb targeted stability in Lebanon, adding that the perpetrators do not wish to see the country return to normality."We regret that innocent Lebanese had paid a heavy price for continuous attacks targeting their country," Hariri said. Hariri said he telephoned U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman to express regret over the explosion victims. Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 09:20

Nasrallah attacks Bush, says: Whole World Cannot Impose Solution upon us
Naharnet/Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah condemned the bombing at Karantina and warned that the "whole world cannot impose (a solution) upon us that does not comply with our interests."Nasrallah stressed that internationalizing the Lebanon political crisis was "useless." "In Lebanon there is willpower, as well as independent and national forces and the majority of the Lebanese people that have specific interests. The whole world cannot impose (a solution) upon it that does not comply with its interests," Nasrallah said in a late Tuesday speech broadcast on a giant screen in front of thousands of supporters in downtown Beirut. He warned that "No one can put pressure on us," neither through threatening to internationalize the Lebanon crisis nor through rallying world support against Hizbullah. Nasrallah also accused Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government of politicizing bombing attacks, charging that the cabinet "always covers its failure to discover the criminals by politicizing the attacks."
He said that any U.S. attack on his patron Iran would be "the biggest folly" in American history. Nasrallah's comments came as U.S. President George Bush toured the Middle East on a trip used in part to drum up Arab opposition against Iran, which Bush called "the world's leading state sponsor of terror."
Responding to Bush, Nasrallah said Iran would defend itself against any U.S. attack. Nasrallah also mentioned that some of the information that was given to him concerned the possibility of another Israeli war on Hizbullah. "But these dreams are false and those who bet on Israel will lose."
"If America launches a war against Iran, it will be the biggest folly committed by America in its history," he cautioned. Nasrallah suggested that if the U.S. attacked Iran, there would be such a backlash that American interests in the region would be destroyed. "Who said that a war on Iran will achieve America's expectations?" he asked. Beirut, 16 Jan 08, 08:12

March 14: Election of Suleiman is a Priority
Naharnet/March 14 Alliance follow-up committee said Monday that electing Gen. Michel Suleiman president is a priority in this period.
The committee, after a meeting at Quraitem, said in a statement "Electing Gen. Michel Suleimen president is a critical political priority in this period."
"we welcome Arab League Secretary general Amr Moussa come back and sincerely call for a positive response with the proposed Arab solution," the statement added.The committee warned against Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah's reference to an Islamic government, saying that such words "worry a big portion of the Lebanese."March 14 Alliance accused March 8 forces of "practicing hideous ways for blocking the political situation and the constitution and sabotaging the economy." Beirut, 15 Jan 08, 21:59

Government Denounces 'Act of Terror' that targeted Lebanon, U.S. Embassy Vehicle
Naharnet/Premier Fouad Saniora's government denounced the explosion that targeted a U.S. embassy vehicle on Tuesday labeling it an "act of terror … aimed at security and stability in Lebanon." Information Minister Ghazi Aridi told reporters after an extraordinary cabinet meeting the government "denounces the act of terror … and stresses that acts of terror, threats and escalation … would not affect our will and determination to resort to dialogue." The attack "took place on Lebanese soil and, therefore, it targeted security and stability in Lebanon," Aridi added. "The response to this attack is by adhering to the Arab decision to elect a president, form a government and adopt a new election law," He said.Aridi expressed the government's "sympathy" with staffers of the US. Diplomatic mission in Lebanon and said the executive authority is "determined" to protect all foreign embassies.  Beirut, 15 Jan 08, 20:25

Suleiman Franjieh: Sfeir is Employed by U.S-French Ebassies
Naharnet/Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh on Tuesday said Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir Is employed by the U.S. and French diplomatic missions. "With due respect to our patriarch he is an employee for the U.S. embassy and for the French embassy," Franjieh told reporters after talks with former president Emile Lahoud. Asked to comment on the alleged French threat to take the Lebanese crisis to the U.N. Security Council, Franjieh said: "Let them do whatever they want. What would internationalization do? They would bring us another Hamid Karazi. We already have a Hamid Karazi. "What would they do? They would bring us another one like (Premier Fouad) Saniora?" he asked.  "Let them do what they want to do. Eventually, what is important is that this country would not be settled unless true entente is achieved," he added. Beirut, 15 Jan 08, 19:14

War starts with words,” warns Patriarch Sfeir
The cardinal urges once again his fellow Lebanese to take personal responsibility for their future. Arab League’s Moussa announces his return to Beirut next Wednesday but refuses to say whether he is optimistic or pessimistic. Egyptian President Mubarak warns that if Arab League initiative fails, the Arabs “will wash their hands” of the Lebanese crisis.
Beirut (AsiaNews) – “War starts with words” is an old saying that Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir quoted yesterday to warn people that Lebanon on the edge of an abyss towards which the entire country is slipping. In doing so he warned his compatriots to assume their personal responsibilities and make decisions for the future. “We are flooded with proposals that contain enigmas that can lead to a disastrous situation.”“Of course we have to seek help from the outside, but first it should come from within us,” Cardinal Sfeir said. “We cannot let others accomplish our aspirations. People help us, but they help themselves before helping us. They help us at our expense because they have their own goals.”The patriarch spoke a day after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stated unequivocally that the Arabs would “wash their hands” of the whole country if the Arab League initiative to solve the crisis caused by the failure to elect Lebanon’s president was not implemented. Arab League chief Amr Moussa is leading the charge in favour of the initiative and will be back in Beirut this week. “I am coming back because the situation remains dangerous,” he said. On Saturday he refused to say whether he was optimistic or pessimistic, saying only that “efforts and consultations with Lebanese political figures” and “Arab and international parties continues. He added that a” lot of details, and even key issues, still have to be discussed” and that a “problem which has gone on for more than a year cannot be settled in a day, but I hope that it will not take a year.” (PD)

LFO condemns latest terrorist attack.
LFO: Terrorist attacks are abhorrent no matter who they target.
For Immediate Release-15.1.08
Amsterdam Holland: The Lebanese Freedom Organization(LFO) deplores the latest terrorist attack to hit Lebanon. The LFO extends its deepest condolences to the families of the innocent victims who perished in the attack.  The LFO’s thoughts and prayers are also with those who were injured and we wish them a quick recovery. We hope that these atrocities cease in order for the Lebanese to live in peace and harmony. We affirm the fact that we find terrorist acts despicable no matter who they target and call on all groups to unite against terrorism. Terror and violence in all its forms must be stopped immediately. We urge all political groups to help create an atmosphere of peace and stability and to ensure that the safety and security of innocent civilians is guaranteed.
The LFO is disappointed in the effort of the Lebanese Government in finding the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. The assassinations, assassination attempts and bombings have continued consistently for the last 2 years with no arrests being made in any crime. It is not enough to simply refer the crimes to the International Tribunal. The Lebanese Government must assume its responsibilities to the people it is meant to serve. It has a duty to ensure that the people of Lebanon are safe and free from violence and terror. If the Government cannot assume its responsibilities it should do the honourable thing and resign.
The Lebanese Government must find and bring to justice all those who committed the series of assassinations, assassination attempts and bombings that have hit Lebanon. It is unacceptable for crimes to be committed and the perpetrators are never brought to justice. The LFO demands that a full investigation be conducted immediately and those responsible for this latest attack found and brought to justice.
The LFO also calls on the Lebanese Government do more to protect lives and property from those who seek to destabilise Lebanon. We also deplore any attempt to exploit the deaths of innocent civilians for political gains. We call upon all Lebanese leaders to assume their responsibilities and help create a suitable environment for dialogue. The Lebanese government thus far has reneged on its duty to the people it’s meant to protect it has continually failed to act against those who are committing acts of terror. It is remarkable that there have been 20 terrorist attacks and not one person has been labelled as a suspect, let alone arrested. The Lebanese people are still paying the price for their government’s failure. The LFO affirms its solidarity with the people of Lebanon at this crucial time. The LFO stands with the people of Lebanon in their quest for a truly sovereign and independent Lebanon.The Lebanese Freedom Organization
www.lebanesefreedom.org

Thai satellite company says it has ended broadcasts of Hezbollah TV channel
2008-01-16 06:15:03 -
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A Thai satellite company said Wednesday it stopped airing broadcasts of a Middle East-based television channel after learning it was tied to the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, a company spokesman said. The broadcasts of Al-Manar were halted last Friday after just several days of a «test run» beamed through THAICOM  satellites, said Piyanuch Sujpluem, a spokeswoman for Shin Satellite Public Company. Piyanuch said the contract with Al-Manar was a purely commercial deal «without knowledge that such a station had connections to a terrorist group.» She said the deal was terminated after the company found out about the channel's background from foreign media. The U.S. government in 2006 declared the station a «terrorist entity.The Media Line, a nonprofit news group focused on Middle East coverage, and the Jerusalem Post reported last week that the THAICOM satellite was beaming the channel to Asia, Australia, the Middle East and most of Europe. The Jerusalem Post quoted the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in Israel as saying the Thai satellites had «significantly boosted the resonance of Al-Manar's propaganda messages around the world after other satellites had stopped airing the channel. The center is a nongovernment group tied to Israel's intelligence community. «We would like to confirm to you that we do not provide the ... Al-Manar TV Channel on any THAICOM satellites at the moment and will not do so in the future,» Piyanuch told The Associated Press. Thailand is faced with a Muslim insurgency in its southernmost provinces, which has left more than 2,800 dead over the past four years. Authorities say the rebels are in part inspired by jihadist propaganda from the Middle East. Shin Satellite was once owned by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra whose sale in 2006 of the parent company, Shin Corp., to a Singapore state-owned investment firm sparked outrage in Thailand and contributed to his downfall.Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless military coup in September 2006.

Hezbollah-backed TV channel is backFont Size: Decrease Increase
 Natalie O'Brien | January 16, 2008
THE Hezbollah-backed television channel al-Manar is once again broadcasting into Australia, despite a tightening of laws that prohibit programs supporting terrorism. The Lebanese channel has been picked up by the Thai satellite communications company Thaicom, and is currently being broadcast across Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia. A spokeswoman for the Australian Communications and Media Authority said yesterday it would commence inquiries to "determine whether and how the service is being broadcast in Australia, and will then consider any appropriate action".
The Israel-based Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre issued an alert regarding al-Manar, saying the broadcasts "compromised the efforts of the international community to limit the spread of Hezbollah's incitement programming".
Al-Manar is the mouthpiece of Hezbollah - or the Party of God - an Islamic Shia group formed in Lebanon in the mid-1980s to fight the Israeli occupation of Lebanon. The former federal government proscribed the militant arm of Hezbollah, calling it a terrorist group under the nation's new counter-terrorism laws.
Anyone who is found belonging to, training with, funding or recruiting members for the group could be jailed for up to 25 years.
Hezbollah - which is also banned in Britain, Canada and the US - has been blamed for launching suicide attacks against Israelis, the US and Western targets.
ACMA, Australia's telecommunications watchdog, has received complaints in the past that al-Manar was available in Australia, allegedly raising funds for Hezbollah and inciting the hatred of Jews. A previous review of programs raised concerns that it could breach codes of practice requiring accurate and fair representation of news and current affairs programs, as well as breach requirements that there be no programs likely to incite hatred or vilification against any person or group on the basis of their ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. As a result of the investigation, ACMA introduced standards banning television services that recruited people to join or participate in the activities of a terrorist organisation, or solicit funds for a terrorist organisation.

The Many Faces of the Lebanese Shiite Organization
http://mwcnews.net/content/view/19429/26/1/2/
by Dan Lieberman - 16/01/08
They speak English, carry I-pods and listen to Santana and Guns and Roses. They don’t approach with anger and don’t behave overbearing. They seem well-educated, mostly from Beirut’s American University, and are alert to world happenings. They impress as being more secular than pious. They are spokespersons for Hezbollah – the Party of God.
Maybe they are a selected group of well-trained talkers for foreigners; a subtle means to convince the unwary that Hezbollah’s followers are just every-day guys and gals. Maybe, but observations and events were inconsistent with the media’s drastic descriptions of the militant Lebanese Shiite movement. The Party of God has insufficient support for exercising political control of Lebanon and knows it doesn’t have the numbers or the strength to turn the Levant into an Islamic Republic. Hezbollah’s clerics don’t indicate they intend to force Shari’a upon their constituencies. More an amalgam of differing viewpoints - religious, social, political and militant – Hezbollah is solidified by a common struggle for the dispossessed and a battle against corruption.
Meetings with Hezbollah and Lebanese officials together with a trip to southern Lebanon, as a member of a Council for National Interest peace delegation, revealed much about the nature of the Party of God. The voyage started in Beirut.
The tenement building in Beirut is indistinguishable from the adjoining buildings in a Shiite district of Beirut. Hezbollah followers crowd the sidewalk to greet and lead to a simple apartment on an upper floor. Sayyid Nawaf Al-Musawi, the head of Hezbollah’s International Relations, is dressed in conventional clothes.
The only indication of religious fervor is the beads he rotates in his right hand. He sits relaxed but talks seriously and with conviction. The female translator’s minor errors and dubious translations of colloquial expressions are politely excused. The head of Hezbollah’s International Relations has a lot to say - about everything.
The Region
“In Iraq there is a severe humane problem – same as in Palestine. The West Bank is now a prison. The US gives no importance to the Iraqi people. US policy is based on Israel safety and Middle East oil.”
“America is creating chaos and the region is under its hegemony. The regime is increasing the problems rather than resolving them. Now they are talking about a new war in Iran. Iraq was weak, but Iran is strong and it will be a much harder war. A barrel of oil and a barrel of gunfire will create a catastrophe that is beyond comprehension. A disaster is happening and Americans are given a story that is false. They were lying about WMDs in Iraq and now they are lying about nuclear issues in Iran. They told the people that the Iraqis would welcome them as liberators. This is an example of a delusion to the citizens of the US. American citizens deserve to know the truth. Colin Powell gave false information to the UN but he thought it was the truth. When someone tries to find the truth he is called a terrorist. America operates on misleading evidence.”
Governing Lebanon
“The one who rules must be accepted by all the others. Now the minority is ruling, but this is supported by the U.S. Why does the U.S. want this? For the benefit of the Israelis. We are a movement only against Israeli attack and Israeli occupation. We support unity. We encourage consensus. The Vatican, the Arabs want unity in Lebanon, but the American influences in Lebanon do not want this. We want a multi-ethnic nation and not as in Israel, which calls itself a Jewish country even though ¼ of its citizens are Christians and Muslims. We cannot have an election with 50% plus one because the text of the constitution is clear — there has to be a 2/3 majority. A person elected by 50% plus one is not the President and only an imposter.”
Israel
“Hezbollah will never recognize Israel. Israel (Palestine?) should be a democratic nation where all religions exist together and have equal freedom. In the 1919 Paris meeting, the Zionists presented a document which coveted South Lebanon and delineated four river basins they wanted to own.”
Sayyid Nawaf Al-Musawi ended his conversation with prophetic expressions”
“We don’t judge you on the basis of your stand on Israel. Do not judge us on that issue.”
“There are natural ties between Shia Lebanon and Iran. They have the same source. The fifteenth Century Iranian studies came from Lebanon”.
“The geography of Lebanon enabled the Shia to stay. It is tough to conquer Southern Lebanon because of its geography.”
Leaving Beirut for the South of Lebanon is similar to leaving any metropolis – traffic jams, new expressways, roadways that cut through residential areas. The Paris of the Middle East has lost much of its charm. It is heavy until the view of the blue green Mediterranean waters calm the atmosphere. Banana groves, similar to those that camouflaged the Hezbollah rocket carriers during the 2006 summer war, are prominent. Also prominent are posters of Rafiq Hariri, the assassinated and previous Prime Minister.
After the Sunni city of Sidon, a peaceful countryside of groves and orchards, with newly repaired bridges that cross ready-to-be-paved roads, leads to Tyre. The Shiite city has freshly sanded beaches and a picturesque seaside promenade. The poster have changed – they now feature Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s political leader,
Tyre is the home of Sheik Nabil Kaook, Hezbollah commander of South Lebanon. The Sheik narrowly escaped death when Israeli warplanes bombed his home in 2006 war.
In his presence, women are not greeted with handshakes, but with hands respectfully placed over the heart. The women sit veiled and separate from the men. The cleric is well groomed and well tailored – his white turban shows his status and his brown cloak matches the brown chair on which he sits, Words are spoken politely and softly. Nevertheless, the message, interspersed with feelings for the dispossessed, is harsh and accusatory: The Hezbollah Sheik has one succinct message: “The United States took the decision to go to war and to continue the war. It treats Lebanon as just another occupation.”
Tyre is also identified with the Al-Sadr foundation, which manages an orphanage under control of Rabab al-Sadr, sister of disappeared Shiite cleric Sayyid Musa al-Sadr. Shi‘a clerics who have the title of sayyid claim descent from Muhammad. Sayyid Musa al-Sadr is more famous than his designation. His life, a story of dedication, success and an eventual mystery, reveals strong links between Shiites from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.
Born in Qom, Iran in 1928 to a Lebanese family of theologians, Musa al-Sadr studied theology in Najaf, Iraq. Being related to the father of Iraq’s Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraq was another home for him. In 1960 Musa al-Sadr moved to Tyre, his father’s birthplace. He soon became recognized as a strong advocate for the economically and politically disadvantaged Shi'ite population. His role in establishing schools and medical clinics throughout southern Lebanon led to the 1974 founding of the Movement of the Disinherited, whose armed wing became Amal, the other Shiite party in Lebanon. While successfully improving economic and social conditions for a disenfranchised Shiite population, he made enemies of landlords, corrupt officials, political establishment and members of the Palestinian Liberation Oganization. In 1978, while attending a conference in Libya, Musa al-Sadr mysteriously vanished. No clue to his disappearance has ever surfaced.
Musa al-Sadr‘s eventual disassociation with, what was then, a corrupt Amal, created other groups, some of whom later coalesced into Hezbollah. On February 16, 1985, an “Open Letter to the Downtrodden in Lebanon and the World,” alerted the world to Hezbollah’s formal existence.
Elegant chalets grace the barren hills of southern Lebanon. Many of them are homes of expatriate Lebanese, who have always been principal contributors to Lebanon’s economy. The expatriates from Sierra Leone, Gulf States and many from Dearborn, Michigan and other U.S. cities, send funds to their Lebanese relatives and purchase properties throughout Lebanon. Southern Lebanon has many retired Dearborns who have returned to their families and to a land they always cherished. But that’s not all – informed persons claim Southern Lebanon has diamond and drug smuggling that help finance Hezbollah and local communities. For expediency and revenue, the Party of God can depart from being a religious movement.
The elegant chalets emphasize the destruction to villages during the 2006 summer war. Bint Jbiel, “the daughter of the mountain,” rested in a path of the invading Israeli army. Israel’s military dropped leaflets that ordered the population to leave the village.
The inhabitants obeyed the order and now the old city, not the new part, is 70% destroyed; a mound of rubble that includes the 600 year old mosque. Homes along a near by dirt road are pocked with shell and bullet holes, evidence of tanks having discharged random fire at empty houses for no apparent reason except they were close to the path of the tank. A total of eighteen Israeli tanks broke down, crashed or were destroyed by Hezbollah ambush during the Israeli invasion.
The Israeli border is several kilometers away. From a hill close to the mined border with Israel, the deputy mayor of Marjayoun pointed to the verdant fields of Northern Israel. He claimed that in 1948 Israel seized one kilometer of Lebanese territory and that the houses in the distance are mainly empty.
Damage weary Lebanon is not confined to the border area. Timur Goksel, former senior advisor to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), who has been in Lebanon for twenty years, noted he had never witnessed so much wanton destruction. He said that Iran funds an Iranian Hezbollah that has no connections with Lebanese Hezbollah. Five hundred million dollars of these funds are being used to repair war-damaged southern Lebanon. In contrast, the U.S. is contributing 34 million dollars to repair a large bridge. Timor Goksel refutes the March 14 majority party charge that Hezbollah is obstructionist: “The Shiites (not all Hezbollah) are 30% of the country and cannot rule on their own. They want to have a role in the government and they want to be a mainstream party.”
Principal leaders in the Lebanese government support Goksel’s evaluation. Former general Michel Aoun, Christian head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, wants what Hezbollah wants; a new parliament where the new majority will be accepted. Aoun’s bloc has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hezbollah. He insisted the MOU is not an alliance but a strategy for integrating Hezbollah into a mutual defense of Lebanon.
Pictured ex-general and Maronite President of Lebanon, Emil Lahoud, agreed with Hezbollah’s determination to follow constitutional law and only elect a president with a 2/3 quorum. The Lebanese president describes Hezbollah as “one hundred percent Lebanese. Hezbollah takes material assistance from Iran and would take it from the devil if necessary to protect their country. They are not terrorists.”
Fawsi Salloukh, Lebanon’s Minister of Foreign Affairs talked from a prepared document that severely criticized Israel and the United States. He also wants a new election and not a litigious issue. He doesn’t believe Iran wants to dominate Hezbollah and stressed its natural for Shiites in Lebanon and Iran to establish good relations.
Forgotten amidst the rhetoric, but mentioned by Michel Aoun and Emil Lahoud are simple facts: Hezbollah has had electoral alliances with Saad HaririSaad-Hariri-Profile Sep-07 ’s Future Movement, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Noah Berri’s Amal . In 1999, Hezbollah members of Lebanon's engineering syndicate formed a coalition with the Phalange Party, a rightist Christian group, and the National Liberal Party, both allies of Israel during the civil war.
The Halifee restaurant in the Dahieh neighborhood is considered a popular dining place for Hezbollah followers; only two blocks from the Haret Hreil Hussineyeh mosque, whose senior cleric is Hezbollah religious leader Mohammad al-Husein Fadlalalh. Israeli bombers, during the July 2006 war, leveled the cleric’s home, as well as part of the surrounding area. The restaurant crowds with persons enjoying the food, enjoying the elegant surroundings, enjoying the evening. There is no indication of a particular type of person; no sign of a distinctive Hezbollah character.
La Terase is a restaurant located on Hadi Nasrallah, a street, named after Hasan Nassrallah’s deceased son. Huge craters from Israeli bombing still remain in the adjacent neighborhood. Enter la Terrase and first have a choice of a coffee bar. Go deeper and there is a cafeteria. Further in is a small restaurant. Climb the stairs and enter a huge restaurant surrounded by couches on which linger multitudes of young couples; drinking coffee, engaged in conversations and quiet embraces – hardly images of Hezbollah.
Innocent Americans were killed on September 11, 2001 by Al-Qaeda terrorists who considered the World Trade Center to be imperialist land - the center of the U.S. establishment. Innocent Lebanese were killed on July 15, 2006, one day of many bombardments that contributed to vast destruction of the Dahieh district by Israeli military who considered Dahieh to be Hezbollah land - the center of the Hezbollah establishment. The U.S. and Hezbollah establishments still exist. Many innocents died in both places. The U.S. remembers the day 9/11 as a bitter memory. Lebanon had a mid-summer nightmare of smaller 9/11’s; angry memories the residents of Dahieh will forever retain. The western world rightfully memorializes America’s tragedy but neglects Lebanon’s equal tragedies. It is that neglect which created Hezbollah, sustains Hezbollah and makes Hezbollah popular throughout the Arab world.
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