LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِAugust 11/2010

Bible Of the Day
1 Samuel 16:7: "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Today's Inspiring Thought: God Sees Your True Beauty
It's easy to feel bad about your appearance nowadays. With so many "beautiful people" on TV and in the movies, the rest of us feel pretty plain in comparison. But that's not how God sees you. He looks at the beauty and honesty in your heart. In God's eyes, it's not looks that count, but character. He created you as a unique person so he could love you with a one-of-a-kind love.  Never underestimate your preciousness to God. He sacrificed his only Son so you could live with him forever. Rejoice in the unconditional love he has for you. /Naharnet

Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Monday press conference text/Agencies/August 10/10
Send them to the gallows”/By: Hazem Saghiye/August 10/10

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August 10/10
Ban: UN probe won't assign individual blame/Ynetnews
Lebanon unconvinced by Nasrallah's 'proof'/Ynetnews
Israeli Official: Nasrallah's Accusations Ridiculous/Naharnet/Naharnet
Islamic Republic offers aid after US suspends/Ynetnews
Tel Aviv will be hit by rockets in upcoming war, says Israeli deputy minister/Now Lebanon
Future bloc says STL is only valid authority to investigate Hariri crime/Now Lebanon
Qassem says Israel deserves to be indicted in Hariri assassination/Now Lebanon
Hof Reportedly Warned Qahwaji against Accepting Iranian Aid/Naharnet
One Cannot Separate Hizbullah's Campaign on Hariri Court from Iran Sanctions, Report/Naharnet
Israeli Military Drill Following Nasrallah's Press Conference/Naharnet
Israeli Media Stopped Nasrallah's Live Broadcast when Aerial Footage was Aired/Naharnet
Ahmadinejad: Israel Trying to Sow Discord among Regional Resistance Forces, Lebanon, Syria/Naharnet
Ban: Court Not Under My Authority/Naharnet
Velayati: Charges against Hizbullah 'Zionist'/Naharnet
Nasrallah’s information on Hariri murder is noteworthy, says Iranian FM/Now Lebanon
Nasrallah: Israel killed al-Harari to get Syria out of Lebanon/Ynetnews
US military aid to Lebanon put on hold/AP
Iran denies cracks appearing in ties with Syria/Reuters
Lebanon compiles long list of spy cases/Arab News
Syrian Press: Damascus Shaping the Region's Future/MEMRI (blog)
Meet the Women of Hezbollah/CBS News
Nasrallah Unveils 'Israeli Drone Footage' of Hariri Murder Site: If STL Ignored My Proofs, That'd Prove It's Politicized/Naharnet
Analysis: Hizbullah 'Israeli Footage' Fails to Convince/Naharnet
Karam Faces Arrest Warrant/Naharnet
Wakim: Lack of Government Interest in Nasrallah Circumstantial Evidence 'Scandal'/Naharnet
Fatfat Urges Nasrallah to Give all Data so Spies - Big or Small - Can be Arrested/Naharnet
Ahmed Hariri: Mustaqbal Will Go Along with International Tribunal Decision/Naharnet
Gemayel: Nasrallah's Evidence Not Absolute Proof/Naharnet
Things May Get Complicated after Hariri Ignored Nasrallah's Help/Naharnet
Mottaki in Beirut Tuesday for Talks with Suleiman, Shami, Nasrallah/Naharnet
Jumblat: Resolution 1559 Led to Hariri's Murder/Naharnet
Alloush: Nasrallah's Evidence Circumstantial Indication Only/Naharnet
Aoun: Nasrallah's Valuable Evidence Enough to Open New Hariri Murder Probe/Naharnet
Congressional Research Service: Lebanon is a War Battleground/Naharnet
State Department: No Evidence U.S.-supplied Equipment Used in Adeisseh Clashes/Naharnet
Lebanese Migrant Helps Fund Lebanese Army/Naharnet
Abadi to Qahwaji: Iran Ready to Help Lebanese Army/Naharnet

Sayyed Nasrallah: Israel behind Hariri's Assassination
Hussein Assi Readers/Almanar
09/08/2010 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah accused on Monday the Israeli enemy of involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, presenting tangible proof and evidence of an Israeli potential role in the crime as well as other crimes that hit Lebanon during the few past years.
His eminence unveiled footage intercepted from Israeli surveillance planes of the site of the 2005 murder of ex-Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri prior to his assassination. Several clips, each minutes long and undated, showed aerial views of the coastline off west Beirut on various days prior to the Hariri assassination.
Sayyed Nasrallah was speaking during an exceptional press conference he held at Shahed hall in Beirut's southern suburb of Beirut. The conference, attended by media outlets' top editors and journalists, was set to mark political turning point in the case of Hariri's murder and open new horizons that the court could pick up and build on "if it wanted to be impartial."
ISRAELI AGENT SOUGHT TO DELUDE HARIRI
His eminence started his speech by recalling that the Israeli enemy had been plotting to delude former PM Rafiq Hariri since 1993 and make him believe that Hezbollah wants to assassinate him. "In 1993, Hezbollah was organizing a protest in the southern suburb against the signing of the Oslo Accord, after which clashes broke out. At the time, tension increased between Rafiq Hariri and Hezbollah. An Israeli agent at the time told Hariri that Hezbollah wants to kill him and mentioned the name of Imad Mugniyah."
Sayyed Nasrallah was pointing to Israeli spy Ahmad Nasrallah who was arrested and interrogated by the Resistance in 1996. "After interrogating Ahmad Nasrallah and his confession of photographing houses of Hezbollah leaders, he also admitted that he had been blackmailing Hariri. He admitted that he had been trying to control the course of Hariri's motorcade through deluding him into believing that Hezbollah wants to murder him," his eminence said.
Hezbollah Secretary General went on to reveal that spy Ahmad Nasrallah deluded the former Prime Minister into thinking that Hezbollah had a plan to assassinate his sister, MP Bahia Hariri, and hence to force him to go to Sidon to receive condolences so that he would be assassinated there.
"We handed over Hezbollah member Abu Hassan Salameh to the Syrians over a false claim by Ahmed Nasrallah that Salameh had been plotting to murder Hariri, but later on we found out that Salameh was innocent," Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized.
To document the words of Sayyed Nasrallah, a first video was broadcast, showing the Israeli spy Ahmad Nasrallah giving his revelations himself. The video showed the spy confessing that his claims to former PM Rafiq Hariri that Hezbollah aimed to kill him were mere lies. He acknowledged working for Israel and saying that he was asked by his Israeli handlers to warn Hariri's men of the assassination plot.
ISRAEL HAS CAPABILITY TO CARRY OUT HARIRI'S MURDER
Hezbollah Secretary General then turned to the second part of the press conference, the part in which he would directly accuse the Israeli enemy of standing behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
After showing another video of Israeli accusations against Hezbollah of involvement in Hariri's murder, Sayyed Nasrallah decided to change the roles, pointing out that Israel has the capability to carry out an operation like the one that targeted former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on February 14, 2005.
"Israel has the capability to carry out this type of operations, such as Hariri's assassination and the other assassinations that targeted Lebanon during the few past years," Sayyed Nasrallah said, recalling that Israel's history was full of assassination operations against high-ranking figures and leaders.
While noting that it has become known that Israel has plenty of spies in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the Zionist entity also had the motive because the Resistance is Israel's major enemy. "It has an animosity toward Syria, so it wouldn't miss a chance to create uproar. Israel wouldn't miss a chance to create uproar and use Hariri's blood to drive Syria out of Lebanon and besiege the Resistance," his eminence said.
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah quoted Syrian President Bachar Assad as personally telling him that an Arab leader in 2004, before the issuing of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, informed him that the US does not mind keeping Syrian forces in Lebanon, but on two conditions: disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions in Lebanon. "Assad told them that Hezbollah is part of Lebanon's national security, hence he denied the US' request. Then came the project to force Syria out of Lebanon and isolate Hezbollah."
Speaking about Israel's methods of operation, Hezbollah Secretary General noted that the Israeli enemy has wiretapping devices, aerial and field surveillance in addition to logistic support to carry out the assassination operation in the Lebanese interior.
ISRAEL INTERESTED IN PERFORMING OPERATIONS NEAR SEAFRONT
In a third part, Hezbollah Secretary General pointed to revelations made by the Israeli collaborators, who were arrested between 2009 and 2010, in an attempt to answer the question about intelligence operations conducted in Lebanon after 2004.
Philippos Hanna Sader, who was born in 1964, was the first spy highlighted during the press conference. He started spying for the Israeli enemy in 2006 and was arrested in 2010 by the Lebanese authorities. His role was to gather information about the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and political figures. Israel assigned him to collect information about President Michel Sleiman's house and its distance from the shore and about Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji's yacht. "Israel is interested in performing assassination operations near the seafront," Sayyed Nasrallah said, commenting the data. "Does a spy inspect a site only to gather information, or to also plot for a certain operation?" his eminence wondered.
The second spy presented in the press conference was Said Tanios Alam. He was arrested in 2009 and confessed to collecting information about Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and Prime Minister Saad Hariri. He started spying for the Israeli enemy in 1990. He was asked to monitor Geagea and to determine when Hariri visits him according to official investigations led by the Lebanese authorities, not Hezbollah. "Why does Israel want to monitor Saad Hariri and Samir Geagea, who are March 14 leaders?" Sayyed Nasrallah wondered, commenting the data revealed. "This is the answer for the people asking why March 14 members were the ones who were assassinated. The answer is that Israel wants the blame to fall on Syria and Hezbollah," his eminence said.
Other spies highlighted during the press conference were Nasser Nader, Fayssal Maqlad, Adib Alam and his wife Hayat. Nader, who was arrested in 2009, confessed to being involved in the 2004 killing of Hezbollah official Ghaleb Awali. Maqlad confessed to harboring Israeli troops in Lebanon and transporting weapons. Alam confessed to monitoring Lebanese regions as well as being involved, along with his wife, in the killing of Islamic Jihad Movement officials Mahmoud and Nidal al-Majzoub in 2006 in Saida.
While noting that the revelations made by the spies, although they only constitute a sample, confirm that Israeli intelligence operations in Lebanon didn't stop during the last few years in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah called for collecting the spies' confessions in order to draw a diagram of their work.
"As Israel murdered the Hariri and civil strife didn't erupt, the enemy planned to murder the Shiite Speaker Nabih Berri to drag Lebanon into the strife which didn't occur after Hariri's death," his eminence warned.
EVIDENCE SHOWN: CAPTURING OF MK DRONE IMAGES!
"The secret I want to reveal tonight is that before 1997, Hezbollah was able to catch an Israeli spy plane photographing South Lebanon and sending them to an Israeli operations center," Sayyed Nasrallah went on to say.
"Before 1997, the Resistance managed to capture the transmission of an MK drone and we managed to access this transmission which enabled us of capturing the images transmitted by the drone as the enemy's operation room was receiving them," Hezbollah Secretary General explained.
"The capturing of the MK drone images by the Resistance's operation room led to the foiling of the enemy's amphibious assault on Ansariyeh on September 5, 1997," Hezbollah Secretary General revealed, before showing details of the Ansariyeh operation and explaining how this tactic helped the Resistance fighters foil the Israeli attempt.
FOOTAGE: ISRAEL CAREFULLY MONITORED HARIRI'S MOVEMENTS
Hezbollah Secretary General then turned to the most sensitive part of the press conference: tangible proof showing the Israeli enemy carefully monitoring the movements of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and his locations.
In this regard, Sayyed Nasrallah unveiled footage intercepted from Israeli surveillance planes of the site of the 2005 murder of ex-Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri prior to his assassination.
"Israeli drones had carefully monitored the movements of Hariri's motorcade in Beirut and on the Farayya-Faqra road," Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out. "Was that a coincidence?" his eminence wondered. "Such footage generally comes as the first leg of the execution of an operation."
Several clips, each minutes long and undated, showed aerial views of the coastline off west Beirut on various days prior to the Hariri assassination. "Are there any Hezbollah offices in these areas monitored by Israel? Why is Israel monitoring these locations?" Sayyed Nasrallah wondered.
HEZBOLLAH HAS DEFINITE INFORMATION ON ISRAEL'S AERIAL MOVEMENTS ON FEBRUARY 14
This is not everything: another revelation is to be made by Sayyed Nasrallah. "We have definite information on the aerial movements of the Israeli enemy the day Hariri was murdered. Hours before he was murdered, an Israeli drone was surveying the Sidon-Beirut-Jounieh coastline as warplanes were flying over Beirut," his eminence declared.
A video broadcast in this regard shows that Israeli reconnaissance planes flew over Saida on February 13, 2005, while several warplanes flew over Beirut hours before Hariri was killed. On February 14, 2005, an Israeli AWACS plane flew over Beirut along with another Israeli spy plane.
"This video can be acquired by any investigative commission to ensure it is correct. We are sure of this evidence, or else we would not risk showing it," Sayyed Nasrallah said, hinting that Hezbollah keeps other evidence and secrets to be revealed at the appropriate time.
SPY GHASSAN JEDD WAS PRESENT AT CRIME SCENE
"We have evidence that Ghassan al-Jedd, an alleged Israeli spy who hosted Israeli operations teams, was present at the Rafiq Hariri crime scene," Sayyed Nasrallah revealed. "We presented the evidence to the Lebanese authorities, but Jedd escaped from Lebanon before he was caught," his eminence added.
Jedd was born in 1940 and became an Israeli spy in the early 1990s, before he escaped from Lebanon in 2009. He hosted Israeli officers in Lebanon. In March 2004, Israeli officers entered Lebanon through the sea and were hosted by Jedd for 50 hours in a location in Mount Lebanon. IGNORING EVIDENCES PROVES STL POLITICIZED/ Asked about Hezbollah reaction in case the Special Tribunal for Lebanon decided to simply ignore the evidences presented, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that would prove the Resistance party's belief that the STL was politicized. Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that Hezbollah does not trust the international tribunal. "However, if the Lebanese government is willing to form a Lebanese commission to investigate the matter, we will cooperate," his eminence said. "There are some who spent $500 million in Lebanon to distort the image of Hezbollah. That's why we're engaging ourselves in a battle for public opinion, especially that some are working night and day to defend Israel's innocence."

Ban: UN probe won't assign individual blame
UN chief convenes first meeting of panel appointed to investigate IDF flotilla raid, says members must seek ways to examine and identify circumstances, context of incident and recommend ways of avoiding future incidents Yitzhak Benhorin Published: 08.10.10, 20:36 / Israel News
WASHINGTON – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convened a panel investigating the IDF raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla Tuesday for the first time since the members were appointed.
Ban met former prime minister of New Zealand, Geoffrey Palmer, outgoing Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, Israeli representative Joseph Ciechanover, and Turkish delegate Özdem Sanberk at the UN Headquarters in New York. In a statement to the press, Ban said the panel was "not designed to determine individual criminal responsibility, but to examine and identify the facts, circumstances and the context of the incident, as well as to recommend ways of avoiding future incidents". On Tuesday evening the four panel members are set to hold their first work meeting. Ban stressed that as part of their task, they should "seek the fullest cooperation of the national authorities". On Monday Ban denied having made any agreement with Israel stipulating that the panel would refrain from questioning military commanders. Israel responded firmly to the secretary-general's denial, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterating that "Israel would not participate in any panel which wants to question IDF soldiers."

Israeli Official: Nasrallah's Accusations Ridiculous
Naharnet/Israel has dismissed Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's accusations of the Jewish state's involvement in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination. "The international community, the Arab world, and most importantly, the people of Lebanon all know that these accusations are simply ridiculous," a senior Israeli official told The Associated Press. On Monday, Nasrallah presented aerial reconnaissance footage that he said implicates Israel in Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination. "This is evidence, indications ... that open new horizons for the investigations," Nasrallah said at a lengthy press conference in which he spoke to reporters via satellite link. It was clear that the accusations were "coming from the pressure on (Nasrallah) over the international community's suspicions about Hizbullah's involvement in Hariri's murder," said another Israeli official.(AP-AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 08:06

Tel Aviv will be hit by rockets in upcoming war, says Israeli deputy minister
August 10, 2010 /LBCI television reported on Tuesday that Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai warned that Tel Aviv would be hit by rockets in any possible upcoming war.
“Tel Aviv will be hit by rockets, and the quicker we prepare ourselves, the better chances we have of saving the lives [of Israel’s people],” Vilnai said. -NOW Lebanon

Qassem says Israel deserves to be indicted in Hariri assassination
August 10, 2010 /Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Tuesday that Israel deserves to be indicted in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday presented alleged evidence of Israeli involvement in the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri, including footage he said came from Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). “We are now fully confident that Israel [is involved in the Hariri crime],” Qassem said. He also said that he holds the Lebanese government responsible for the information presented by Nasrallah on Monday. Qassem called for empowering the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), adding that “the LAF and the Resistance complement each other, they do not compete.”-NOW Lebanon

Nasrallah’s information on Hariri murder is noteworthy, says Iranian FM
August 10, 2010 /Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said on Tuesday that Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s information presented during his Monday press conference was noteworthy, Akhbar Al-Yawm News Agency reported. Nasrallah on Monday presented alleged evidence of Israeli involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, including footage he said came from Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) monitoring Rafik Hariri and a confession from a suspected Israeli spy. “Israel’s [survival] is based on inciting sedition in the Middle East,” Mehmanparast said.He also said that “the presence of foreign troops in the region threatens its security.”
-NOW Lebanon

Future bloc says STL is only valid authority to investigate Hariri crime
August 10, 2010 /Following its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the Future bloc issued a statement that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is the only valid authority to investigate into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday presented alleged evidence of Israeli involvement in the assassination of former PM Hariri, including footage he said came from Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) monitoring Rafik Hariri and a confession from a suspected Israeli spy.
The Future bloc said that the information related to the Rafik Hariri killing must be presented before the STL to uncover the truth behind the crime. The bloc also said it praised President Michel Sleiman’s call last week to empower the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Sleiman said during his visit to the Aadaiseh village on Saturday that Lebanon will work with friendly countries to provide the LAF with more advanced equipment. Lebanese and Israeli troops exchanged fire last week at the border of Aadaiseh in the fiercest clashes since the 2006 July War, with two Lebanese soldiers, a journalist and a senior Israeli officer killed in the violence.-NOW Lebanon

Analysis: Hizbullah 'Israeli Footage' Fails to Convince
Naharnet/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's "evidence" implicating Israel in the murder of ex-premier Rafik Hariri has failed to sway his political rivals and left analysts divided over its impact. "The press conference is likely part and parcel of a strategy of self-defense," Mustafa Alloush, a former MP and member of the Mustaqbal Movement founded by Hariri, told Agence France Presse on Tuesday. "If the aim is to convince us of Israel's guilt, this evidence should be placed in the hands of the relevant authorities and jurisdiction." At a Monday night press conference, Nasrallah unveiled several undated clips of aerial views of various areas in Lebanon, including the site of the Hariri assassination in west Beirut.
Nasrallah, who has accused Israel of the February 14, 2005 bombing which killed Hariri and 22 others, said the footage was intercepted from unmanned Israeli MK surveillance drones.
He conceded the images were not conclusive proof but noted that his party -- which is believed constantly under surveillance by its arch-foe Israel -- had no offices, positions or presence in the areas surveyed.
Hariri's allies initially blamed Syria for his killing but Damascus has consistently denied the allegations. Syria nonetheless withdrew its troops from Lebanon under international pressure in April 2005, ending a 29-year presence. Nasrallah last month said he was aware the U.N.-backed tribunal on the Hariri murder, which is expected to issue an indictment this year, would indict members of his Syrian- and Iranian-backed party, slamming the probe as an Israeli project. But his highly anticipated address Monday failed to live up to the expectations of the Lebanese and was at best received as circumstantial evidence -- and a show of counter-espionage prowess. "No one took the evidence seriously or considered it objective," said Hilal Khashan, a political science professor at the American University of Beirut. "Nasrallah was simply addressing his public," Khashan told AFP. "He promised solid proof but instead offered new elements to support his rebuttal of the tribunal's credibility and request they start anew." Asaad Abu Khalil, a political science professor at California State University at Stanislaus, said the event was "a great political show" that aimed to sway Arab public opinion. "The expectations were high for the speech: in Lebanon, Hizbullah's enemies did not want anything less than pictures of Israelis pulling the triggers on Hariri. That was not provided," Abu Khalil wrote on his "Angry Arab" blog. "Hizbullah did something entirely different in this press conference: it recaptured Arab political opinion... with images, and visual effects and background music and graphics."
But Fadia Kiwan, who heads the political science department at Saint Joseph University, said Nasrallah's revelation was "extremely dangerous." "There is no conclusive evidence on the involvement of Israel but (Nasrallah presented) relevant arguments that make it inevitable that this hypothesis be seriously examined," she told AFP. Nasrallah's statements have raised fears of a replay of the events of May 2008, when 100 people were killed in a week of fighting sparked by a government crackdown on the Shiite militant party's private communications network. The government later repealed its decision.
The Shiite leader on Monday said he was willing to cooperate with the Lebanese government on the Hariri murder and present the cabinet, which includes two Hizbullah ministers, with his findings. He refused to specify what measures Hizbullah would take should the U.N. tribunal implicate the Shiite party. But a high-ranking government official, who requested his name be withheld, told AFP on Tuesday that he did not expect Hizbullah to take any drastic measures. "The indictment will be issued by an international body so even withdrawing from the government would be a very artificial, contrived step that would cause problems here in Lebanon without presenting any corroboration of the evidence presented yesterday," the official said. "Turning the table on the Lebanese government would seem to me taking Lebanon hostage and saying 'I'm threatening the international community that my own country will be paying the price'," he added. "I don't expect that." Israel on Tuesday dismissed Hizbullah's claims as "ridiculous."(AFP) Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 16:37

Hof Reportedly Warned Qahwaji against Accepting Iranian Aid
Naharnet/Washington sent its top Syrian-Lebanese expert Fredric Hof to Beirut to warn Army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji against accepting Iranian aid or again embarking on cross-border aggression against Israel, DEBKAfile said. It said Iranian ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Abadi advised Qahwaji during a visit he made to his office Monday to "invoke" the new Iranian-Lebanese military accord for replacing the U.S. with Iran as the Lebanese army's main arms supplier. Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 14:08

Lebanon Seeks to Assure U.S. after Military Aid Halt
Naharnet/Lebanon criticized the U.S. decision to suspend military aid over concerns that Hizbullah may have influence over the army, saying Tuesday it was unwarranted and weakens American-backed efforts to build up its national forces. The chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Howard Berman, said Monday he suspended $100 million in assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces on Aug. 2. "The U.S. government is quite familiar with the reliability and importance of the Lebanese armed forces as a central institution in our country's quest for peace and security and for asserting state authority throughout the country," Mohammed Shatah, an adviser to Prime Minister Saad Hariri, told The Associated Press. "The last thing that the U.S. or any other friend of Lebanon should do is to weaken the effort to build up our national army," he said. He added that government officials were contacting Washington "to make sure that there is a better and fuller understanding of the situation in Lebanon and along the border."(AP) Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 12:51

Congress Freezes $100 Million Aid to Lebanese Army
Naharnet/Congress froze $100 million aid to the Lebanese army following last week's deadly clash between Lebanese and Israeli troops in the border town of Adeisseh.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman announced Congress's decision to freeze the aid package "until more information is made available regarding the (Adeisseh) incident, the nature of Hizbullah's influence on the Lebanese army is determined, and to make certain that the Lebanese military is a responsible institution." Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 07:34

Aoun: Those Serving Israel's Cause with Their Political Stands are the Ones Betraying the Country
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Tuesday that sides issuing political positions are the ones who are betraying their country, and not those "relaying a minor piece of information." Commenting on the arrest of senior FPM official Fayez Karam: "Violent reactions were made against the FPM because nothing in our history satisfied the state as every year members of the movement have been arrested, but they have all been innocent.""We will follow up on the matter, but we have been harmed by the accusation directed against him," he added. He stressed: "Any failure on our part is an exception, while for others failure is a rule."Aoun made his statements after the movement's weekly meeting on Tuesday.
"Security sources exaggerated a political, intelligence, and media earthquake that took place last week. The lack of a comment by ministries has however restored the development to its actual size," he added. "I hold the ministries of interior, defense, justice, and information responsible for harming the morale of a large portion of the people. These ministries are responsible for controlling rumors," said Aoun. Addressing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he noted: "The STL failed when it refused to conduct an honest investigation."He also said that the information revealed by Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday "is valid enough to launch an investigation." "This is an opportunity to reconsider the STL and we cannot stay silent over what is currently taking place," he stressed. "I don't believe Syria will return to Lebanon. It is concerned with protecting its borders as we would also do," Aoun remarked. Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 18:25

Aoun: Those Serving Israel's Cause with Their Political Stands are the Ones Betraying the Country
Naharnet/Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said Tuesday that sides issuing political positions are the ones who are betraying their country, and not those "relaying a minor piece of information." Commenting on the arrest of senior FPM official Fayez Karam: "Violent reactions were made against the FPM because nothing in our history satisfied the state as every year members of the movement have been arrested, but they have all been innocent." "We will follow up on the matter, but we have been harmed by the accusation directed against him," he added. He stressed: "Any failure on our part is an exception, while for others failure is a rule." Aoun made his statements after the movement's weekly meeting on Tuesday. "Security sources exaggerated a political, intelligence, and media earthquake that took place last week. The lack of a comment by ministries has however restored the development to its actual size," he added. "I hold the ministries of interior, defense, justice, and information responsible for harming the morale of a large portion of the people. These ministries are responsible for controlling rumors," said Aoun. Addressing the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, he noted: "The STL failed when it refused to conduct an honest investigation."He also said that the information revealed by Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Monday "is valid enough to launch an investigation." "This is an opportunity to reconsider the STL and we cannot stay silent over what is currently taking place," he stressed. "I don't believe Syria will return to Lebanon. It is concerned with protecting its borders as we would also do," Aoun remarked. Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 18:25

Suleiman's Advisor Criticizes U.S. Congressman over Military Aid
Naharnet/President Michel Suleiman's top political advisor, ex-MP Nazem al-Khouri, criticized on Tuesday a decision by a top U.S. lawmaker to put on hold 100 million dollars in military aid to Lebanon, saying support for the army was central to upholding Lebanon's sovereignty. "It is in the interest of those who claim to defend Lebanon's sovereignty that Lebanon have a strong army," Khouri told Agence France Presse. "The United States says it supports that sovereignty, but these statements should also be translated into acts," he added.
"It is time the Lebanese army be adequately armed, and we are counting on the friends of Lebanon to help the army. Khouri's comments came a day after announcement of the freeze in the wake of a deadly border clash last week between Israeli and Lebanese troops. Congressman Howard Berman, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he had placed on hold 100 million dollars in aid to Lebanon's military. Berman said in a statement he could not be sure the country's armed forces were not working with Hizbullah, which Washington lists as a "terrorist organization." "Until we know more about this incident and the nature of Hizbullah influence on the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) -- and can assure that the LAF is a responsible actor -- I cannot in good conscience allow the United States to continue sending weapons to Lebanon," Berman said.(AFP) Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 19:11

Karam Faces Military Court Trial
Naharnet/State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza obtained early Monday the case file of Israeli spy Fayez Karam. The state-run National News Agency said Mirza, after studying the file, referred Karam, a retired army officer, at noon to the military court for prosecution. Karam is also a senior official with Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement. He was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of spying for Israel. Karam, 62, graduated from the military school in 1972 as lieutenant. He held several leadership positions in the army, including head of the counter-terror and spying bureau. Karam quit the military after Aoun was forced into exile in France in 1991. He returned with Aoun to Lebanon in 2005 when Syria withdrew its troops after a 29-year hegemony. Beirut, 09 Aug 10, 14:54

Saqr for Handing Over Any 'Concrete Evidence' to Tribunal
Naharnet/MP Oqab Saqr called for handing over to the international tribunal any evidence that Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah would provide about Israel's involvement in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's murder. "We are eagerly waiting for Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's conference and we hope it would have concrete evidence to condemn Israel," Saqr told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Monday. "It would be an honor for every Lebanese who has backed Hariri's cause for Israel to be behind" the assassination, he said.
"We expect a calm and promising speech from Sayyed Nasrallah who is aware of the sensitive (situation) in Lebanon and the region," the lawmaker added. Beirut, 09 Aug 10, 11:11

Ahmed Hariri: Mustaqbal Will Go Along with International Tribunal Decision
Naharnet/Al-Mustaqbal Movement Secretary-General Ahmed Hariri expressed his confidence in the seriousness of the "Arab safety net" provided for Lebanon by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. While reiterating his faith in diplomatic resistance despite the slow results, Hariri said armed resistance "remains forever."
"We are a moderate movement based on dialogue and freedom of the individual and we believe that the page with Syria has been turned," Hariri said in remarks published Tuesday by the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa. He pointed out that Future Movement will go along with the international tribunal decision. "Of course, what it will say will be documented and supported by documents to convince public opinion," Hariri said. Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 10:03

Fatfat Urges Nasrallah to Give all Data so Spies – Big or Small – Can be Arrested
Naharnet/Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat on Tuesday urged Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to present the Justice Ministry with all the data in his possession so that spies – big or small – could be arrested. "If it is proven, that during the investigation, members from Mustaqbal Movement were involved in the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri we will accuse them of treason and accomplices in crime and they will be prosecuted as spies," Fatfat said in an interview with the Qatari newspaper al-Raya. Fatfat called on Nasrallah to offer all the data and facts in his possession "so that spies, big or small, could be arrested." "Otherwise, let everyone shut up," he added. Fatfat said Hizbullah will be stripped of the "Resistance" title in the event May 7 incident was repeated. Beirut, 10 Aug 10, 13:22

Lebanon unconvinced by Nasrallah's 'proof'
MPs say evidence displayed by Hezbollah regarding Israel's involvement in Hariri plot is circumstantial
Roee Nahmias Published: 08.10.10, 18:50 / Israel News
Lebanese leaders appear none too stricken with the "evidence" brought forth by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah for Israel's involvement in the murder of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. "He didn't convince anyone except for the production team that prepared his speech yesterday," said Lebanese MP Mohammad Kabbara, a member of the anti-Hezbollah camp, in a statement.
Press Conference
Nasrallah describes 1997 ambush / Roee Nahmias
Hezbollah chief claims group intercepted Israeli drone transmissions, used footage to set up ambush for commando troops which killed 12. In same speech Nasrallah also accuses Israel of involvement in Hariri murder plot "If Nasrallah doesn't trust the international tribunal, we ask the Lebanese people, who is the official or party he is trying to affect with this take on the assassination he's marketing?"  Other officials in Beirut said Nasrallah's "evidence" was solely circumstantial, and therefore inadmissible.
Al-Mustaqbal movement official Mustafa Alloush, also of the anti-Hezbollah camp, said that "DNA and fingerprints are material evidence, but what Nasrallah displayed were pictures, which count as circumstantial". "A criminal investigation team is the only authority that can rule whether the pictures he showed are real and important, or not" Alloush added.
The general coordinator of March 14, MP Fares Soueid, said the speech hurt Nasrallah's reputation. "Next time there is a similar speech, I will wait for the next day to read about it in the paper," he scoffed. "The press conference was not worthy of a man with such prestige and the secretary-general of an organization. It served neither him nor Hezbollah. The only convincing move will be his handing over everything in his possession to the international tribunal." Former Lebanese President Amin al-Jumayyil was also doubtful. "The data displayed by Nasrallah is insufficient in and of itself. These are simple, circumstantial testimonies that cannot be relied upon. If the international tribunal has hard evidence, it can move forward with the investigation without delay due to what Nasrallah said," the politician, a known Hezbollah rival, told Al-Jazeera in an interview late Monday. Nasrallah said Monday that his organization had intercepted transmissions by Israeli drones, which allowed it to set up an ambush for IDF commandoes raiding the Lebanese coastal village of Antsaria in 1997. In an especially vehement televised speech, Nasrallah also attempted to shift blame for the murder of Rafik Hariri to Israel, saying the state had used spies to try to convince the Lebanese prime minister Hezbollah was trying to hurt him. Meanwhile a Lebanese military prosecutor charged on Tuesday a Christian party member who was formerly an army general with spying for Israel, the first politician to be charged in a widening espionage case. Judge Sakr Sakr accused Fayez Karam of the Free Patriotic Movement of dealing with "the enemy's intelligence and meeting their officers abroad, and giving them information by phone", according to the charge sheet.

“Send them to the gallows”
Hazem Saghiyeh, August 9, 2010
Now Lebanon
Fighting espionage and spies is part and parcel of every country’s national security, and all states and governments – without any exception – put it at the top of their security and defense priorities. Yet the concern resulting from the current wave of anti-espionage activities is due, among other things, to the fact that it comes along with continuous – or even increasing – calls for executing the death penalty and “sending spies to the gallows.” Such calls are the object of competition among politicians, and some commentators have followed suit in newspapers and on TV screens.
This is a contaminated and dangerous atmosphere:
In reality, countless studies prove that executions, regardless of their shape, have not resulted in curbing the rate of the crimes that called for death sentences in the first place. The crime here is espionage. A spy’s trial should be transformed into an occasion to educate citizens about the significance and dangerousness of this crime and to sentence the criminal to watch from prison how national life has isolated him, and how the reasons underlying espionage were executed rather than the person itself.
It goes without saying that the countries where the death penalty is much applied later discover that some of those who were put to death were wrongly sentenced. But then, what’s done is done.
In the end, the death penalty serves two functions:
First, it unleashes primal and pagan rites and provides an outlet for collective frustrations that take the shape of mobilization and tension, allowing for denunciation, vindication and, ultimately, an attempt to score victory over dead bodies. Second, it scares citizens and forces them to accept all propositions brought forth by the sitting regime or situation. Merely staying alive becomes an objective per se, or – at best – a grace for which power holders or decision makers are to be thanked. This channels everyone’s attention away from the sitting regime or situation, and even adds to its avowed popular enthusiasm as a result of “the acquired benefit of getting rid of spies” and preserving “national security.”
These two functions have often been reflected in the death penalties carried out by totalitarian and dictatorial regimes, which used to hang the bodies of those executed for days as “an example,” whereas “the masses” pretended to support this glorious historic acquired benefit.Needless to say, we would love for our country to acquire another kind of benefit.
This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW Arabic site on Monday August 9, 2010

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
August 9, 2010
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah held a press conference on Monday to allegedly present irrefutable evidence that Israel was behind the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
“I promised to hold a press conference to present information accusing Israel of being involved in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Ever since I made the declaration, a certain party questioned the timing of my press conference. I will answer that question at the end of my press conference.
I welcome you all. I thank all media outlets that will broadcast what we have to say tonight. The first thing we have to say is: Israel accused Hezbollah of being involved in the Rafik Hariri crime. In 1993, Hezbollah was organizing a protest in Dahiyeh against the signing of the Oslo Accord, after which clashes broke out. At the time, tension increased between Rafik Hariri and Hezbollah.
An Israeli agent at the time told Hariri that Hezbollah wants to kill him and mentioned the name of Imad Mugniyah [the Hezbollah military commander assassinated in Damascus in 2008].
After September 13, 1993, Syrian intelligence ordered the arrest of Ali Dib, a Hezbollah official. Days after his arrest, I went to Aanjar and asked the Syrians why Dib was arrested. [Former Syrian Interior Minister] Ghazi Kanaan told me at the time that Rafik Hariri visited him and told him that there was a person close to Imad Mugniyah who took part in a meeting where Mugniyah and others were plotting to kill Hariri.
Dib was sent to Damascus and the investigation of him continued in Damascus. In 1996, Hezbollah was tracking an Israeli spy, called Ahmad Nasrallah. I went to meet Syrian official Ali Douba, after which [I was told] Ahmad Nasrallah’s claims were unfounded.
Ahmad Nasrallah lied to Rafik Hariri’s [security] that Hezbollah wanted to kill him. He even told Hariri that Mugniyah was plotting to kill [Rafik Hariri’s] sister, MP Bahia Hariri, after which [Hezbollah] would kill Rafik Hariri when he would attend her funeral. Ahmad Nasrallah told Hariri once that Hezbollah will kill him with a car bomb.”
Al-Manar broadcasts a video about Ahmad Nasrallah, which says that “Ahmad Nasrallah was arrested in 1996 and released in 2000, after which he escaped to Israel through the southern border. His family later joined him.”
The video shows Ahmad Nasrallah confessing that his claims to Rafik Hariri that Hezbollah aimed to kill the former PM were lies.
Nasrallah says, “We have to assume that Rafik Hariri at the time not only informed Syrian intelligence, but also told [country’s friendly to him], including France. This is how Israel was plotting from the beginning to link [Rafik] Hariri’s murder to Hezbollah.”
A video is shown on Israeli accusation against Hezbollah, which says that “On February 14, 2005 [the day of Rafik Hariri’s murder], Israeli radio reported that Rafik Hariri had disputes with Hezbollah; on Feb 17, 2005: [Israeli newspaper] Yediot Ahrononot also mentioned a similar report. [Israeli journalist] Amos Heril on May 25, 2010 wrote a report in [Israeli newspaper] Haaretz accusing Hezbollah of killing Rafik Hariri. On February 10, 2010, Israeli website Nana 10 reported that Hezbollah killed Hariri.”
Nasrallah continues, “Let us now move on to the second part [part of the press conference] entitled, We Accuse Israel of Killing [Rafik] Hariri. Israel has the capacity to carry out an operation that targets Rafik Hariri. Lebanon is the best place for Israel to carry out its operations, due to its geographical location, etc.
Israel has collaborators in Lebanon in all fields. [As for] motive; everyone knows that Israel’s rivalry with Hezbollah is extremely [fierce]. Israel hence seeks the opportunity [to act against Hezbollah]. Israel had no problem with Syria when [it was in] Lebanon. Israel has problems with Syria because it supports Hezbollah.
Syrian President [Bashar al-Assad] told me in 2004, before the issuing of [UN Security Council] Resolution 1559, that the US does not mind having Syrian forces in Lebanon, but on two conditions: [They need] to disarm Hezbollah and Palestinian factions in Lebanon.
Assad told [the US] that Hezbollah is part of [Lebanon’s] national security, hence he denied [the US’ request].
Then came the project to force Syria out of Lebanon and isolate Hezbollah.
The Rafik Hariri assassination was used against Syria and Hezbollah. [I will discuss] Israel’s methods of operation [which] will help us understand the evidence I will present.
Israel depends on aerial surveillance. Israel uses the MK [unmanned aerial vehicle] to [spy on] towns in Lebanon. Second, [I will discuss] Israel’s use of technical support, including the telecom sector. Third, [I will discuss Israel’s] use of spies.
Has Israel [conducted intelligence operations] in Lebanon since 2004? When we answer this question, we will be able to understand the killings that were made.
We start with the Israeli collaborators, who were arrested between 2009 and 2010. We start with the collaborators’ confessions to the Lebanese security forces.
Let us take a sample of the collaborators, after which I will make some remarks.”
A video shows the names of some of the collaborators who confessed to being spies include “Philippos Hanna Sader, who was born in 1964, started spying [for Israel] in 2006, and was arrested in 2010. His role was to gather information about the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and political figures. He confessed to providing information on President Michel Sleiman, and his residence in Amchit. Sader also confessed to gathering information on LAF commander [General Jean] Kahwaji.”
Nasrallah says, “I have to say that field inspections and the gathering of information is a phase that precedes the implementation [of a certain operation]. Does a spy inspect a site only to gather information, or to also plot for a certain operation?
[Sader] confessed to inspecting Kahwaji’s yacht. Could he have inspected [the yacht] because he wanted to put a bomb [in it]? Why did the International Independent Investigation Commission [commissioned by the UN to investigate Rafik Hariri’s assassination] not question Sader or other collaborators to see if they were involved in other killings?
Syrian officials were questioned by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), but none of the Israeli officers [handling] Israeli collaborators in Lebanon were questioned.”
Another video is shown on an alleged Israeli spy, which says that “Said Tanios Alam, who was arrested in 2009, started spying for [Israel] in 1990. He confessed to monitoring PM Saad Hariri and [Lebanese Forces leader] Samir Geagea as well as the movement of politicians in the Jbeil area.”
Nasrallah continues, “Alam was asked to monitor Geagea. He was asked to determine when Saad Hariri visited Geagea. Why does Israel want to monitor Saad Hariri and Samir Geagea? This is the answer for the people asking ‘why were March 14 alliance members assassinated?’ Who goes to Jbeil coffee shops? Most [politicians visiting Jbeil] were from the March 14 alliance.
A video is shown on an alleged Israeli spy, which says that “Nasser Nader, who was arrested in 2009, confessed to being involved in the 2004 killing of Hezbollah official Ghaleb Awali. When Awali was killed, Jund al-Sham issued a statement that it was behind the assassination.”
A video is shown on an alleged Israeli spy, which says that “Faysal Maklad confessed to harboring Israeli troops in Lebanon and transporting weapons.”
A video is shown on an alleged Israeli spy, which says that “Adib Alam confessed to monitoring Lebanese regions as well as being involved, along with his wife, in the killing of [Islamic Jihad Movement officials Mahmoud and Nidal al-Majzoub in 2006 in Saida].”
Nasrallah continues, “The secret I want to reveal tonight is that before 1997, Hezbollah was able to catch an Israeli spy plane photographing South Lebanon and sending them to an Israeli operations center.
Hezbollah managed to access Israel’s spy maneuvers. This was a technical achievement for Hezbollah.
We kept this to ourselves at first. The images we intercepted were difficult to analyze.
No one is capable of directly understanding these intercepted [images]. Our capacities did not allow us to intercept all the images taken by Israeli spy planes over Lebanon.
Israel later encrypted their [spy plane] operations, so sometimes we could not decipher what they photographed.
Hezbollah caught pictures of Israel taking pictures from the shore to a road that leads to the [southern] town of Ansariya.”
Nasrallah says, “We identified the place that Israel was focusing on. We questioned if Israel wanted to conduct an operation at that location. On September 5, 1997, Israel commandos landed on the beach and took the road [to Ansariya that had been photographed by the Israelis], after which there was a clash.
We were not able to intercept the images of the Ansariya battle [itself].”
A video is shown of an Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicle’s (UAV) footage. The video shows where Hezbollah planned an ambush against Israeli commandos. The video then shows an Israeli helicopter approaching to rescue the commandos. The video also shows Hezbollah rockets targeting the Israeli soldiers waiting for the helicopter’s rescue.
The narrator of the video says, “Until now it is uncertain if the commandos were going to plant a bomb to target a Hezbollah official or to kidnap a Hezbollah official. The intercepted UAV’s footage proves that an assassination attempt was being planned.”
A video is shown of more UAV footage. The video shows surveillance of Hezbollah official Ali Dib as the plane flies over his house in Saida. Another spy plane monitors where he worked in Saida. The narrator of the video says, “The monitoring was conducted for two years, before Dib was killed by a car bomb on the Saida road.”
A video is shown of more UAV footage. The video depicts a surveillance operation over Mahmoud al-Majzoub’s residence and workplace in Saida. The narrator of the video says, “Majzoub was killed in Saida in 2006.”
Nasrallah says, “After Rafik Hariri was killed, I visited his family. [They] asked for Hezbollah’s help in [discovering who was behind the assassination]. The public, at the time, accused Syria [of the assassination], until German magazine Der Spiegel published an article [in May 2009 accusing Hezbollah of murdering Rafik Hariri].
Hezbollah held a meeting addressing Israeli collaborators. We assumed many collaborators escaped from Lebanon, but a few others remained in Lebanon. We decided to go back to archives we had since 2005 to see if we can intercept Israeli UAV footage of roads used by Rafik Hariri that could be targeted by Israel.
We will display footage of Israeli [UAV] surveillance, mostly over Beirut.
You will notice that the surveillance we intercepted is being made from different angles. It is not being made [just] to conduct surveillance in general, but to prepare for a possible operation.
I want you to watch how they spied on the [turns] in the routes [taken by Rafik Hariri].
A video is shown of Israeli UAV surveillance of routes used by Rafik Hariri. Hariri’s house in Beirut is circled [by the UAV], as is the PM’s palace, Nejmeh Square and the Parliament. The UAV also follows [a road taken by Hariri] along the sea, including the Saint George area [where Hariri was killed].
Surveillance focusing on the Saint George area in detail is shown. A red circle shows the spot where Rafik Hariri was killed.
“Are there any Hezbollah offices in these areas monitored by Israel? Why is Israel monitoring these locations? Is it a coincidence [that Israel is monitoring Rafik Hariri’s routes]?” asks the Hezbollah chief.
A video is shown of Israeli UAV surveillance. The footage focuses on the Nahr al-Kalb tunnel, Jounieh, Dbayeh, after which the UAV focuses on the Faqra-Ayoun al-Siman area, which is covered in snow. The footage then shifts to the Yasou al-Malak road, which is the only road that leads to Rafik Hariri’s spa in Faqra.
A video is shown of Israeli UAV surveillance. The plane monitors the Jiyeh highway and the Saida entrance.
A video is shown of Israeli UAV surveillance. The UAV reaches Nejmeh Square, after which it flies over the residence of Rafik Hariri’s brother, Chafik.
Nasrallah says, “We think that these videos were made in preparation for an operation. Now we will move on to Israel’s activity on February 14, 2005, the day of Rafik Hariri’s assassination.
A video is shown on Israeli aerial activity over Lebanon on February 13 and 14, 2005. The video reports that Israeli reconnaissance planes flew over Saida on February 13, 2005, while several warplanes flew over Beirut hours before Hariri was killed. On February 14, 2005, an Israeli AWACS plane flew over Beirut along with another Israeli spy plane.
“This video can be acquired by any investigative commission to ensure it is correct. We are sure of this evidence, or else we would not risk showing it.
We have evidence that Ghassan al-Jedd, an alleged Israeli spy who hosted Israeli operations teams, was present at the Rafik Hariri crime scene. We presented the evidence to the Lebanese authorities, but Jedd escaped from Lebanon before he was caught,” Nasrallah continues.
A video is shown on Jedd. Jedd was born in 1940 and became an Israeli spy in the early 1990s, before he escaped from Lebanon in 2009. He hosted Israeli officers in Lebanon. In March 2004, Israeli officers entered Lebanon through the sea and were hosted by Jedd for 50 hours in a location in Mount Lebanon.
“We will hold on to the rest of our information for another time,” Nasrallah concluded.
Reporters ask questions following the press conference.
What will be your reaction if the investigation into the Rafik Hariri assassination overlooked the evidence?
Nasrallah: This will prove the international commission investigating [Hariri’s murder] is politicized.
You presented information linking Israel to Hariri’s murder. Will Hezbollah present this information to the STL?
Nasrallah: Unfortunately, Hezbollah does not trust the international investigation, but if the Lebanese government is willing to form a Lebanese commission to investigate the matter, we will cooperate.
How did you uncover information on [alleged Israeli spy] Ghassan al-Jedd?
Nasrallah: I will not answer this question.
Why did Hezbollah cover up evidence for all these years while tension in Lebanon was boiling? Including the story about Ahmad Nasrallah, which dates back to 1996. Why did Hezbollah not speak out before now? Second, Israel takes images of all of Lebanon. Can we doubt that the images showed tonight we cut and gathered to make it look like Israel was monitoring these places in particular?
Nasrallah: If I presented the evidence in 2005, 2006 or 2007 they would have asked us [at the time], ‘Why are you talking about it? You are not accused.’ As for the videos, they show surveillance efforts focusing on certain points at certain times, which is evidence that something is being prepared. Investigators can prove it.
Who do you want to convince that Israel killed Hariri?
Nasrallah: I am saying that I want to uncover the truth. Part of the battle is to distort Hezbollah’s image. Some [in reference to the US] spent $500 million against Hezbollah. We only want to show that Hezbollah is innocent, while there are others working day and night to ensure Israel comes out innocent.

Islamic Republic offers aid after US suspends military funding to Lebanon over fatal border incident with Israel
Reuters Published: 08.10.10, 18:03 / Israel News
Iran has offered support to Lebanon's army, a week after a deadly cross-border clash between Lebanon and Israel which prompted US lawmakers to block funding to the Lebanese military.
The offer from Iran, which supports Lebanon's militant Shiite group Hezbollah, could fuel Western concern that Tehran is increasing its influence near Israel's northern border
Israel said it had complained to Washington and Paris about funds to the Lebanese army after a skirmish left two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and a senior Israeli officer dead in the worst border violence since 2006 war between
Iran's ambassador to Lebanon met Lebanese army chief Jean Kahwaji on Monday and said Tehran was ready to "cooperate with the Lebanese army in any area that would help the military in performing its national role in defending Lebanon".
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to visit Beirut next month.
Preserving army neutrality
Two US Democrat lawmakers said they were holding up $100 million (about NIS 375 million) that was approved for Lebanon's army but not yet spent. A senior House Republican, Eric Cantor, said future funding should be stopped too, pending an inquiry into the clash.
Cantor said the lines between Hezbollah, the Lebanese military and the government had become "blurred".
But US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said US President Barack Obama was not planning to re-evaluate its military cooperation with Lebanon.
"It allows the government of Lebanon to expand its sovereignty. We think that is in the interest of both of our countries and regional stability as a whole," he said on Monday.
The Lebanese army is seen as woefully under-equipped compared to Hezbollah, which is believed to have been rearming since the 2006 war with Israel. The military lost 170 troops when battling an al Qaeda-inspired Islamist group holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in 2007.
The United States has provided more than $720 million (about NIS 2.7 billion) in assistance to the Lebanese army since 2006.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said it was a mistake to arm Lebanon's military with advanced weapons because they were being used by the army against the Jewish state.
Crowley said he was not aware that any US equipment was used during the incident.
The fact that Lebanon's national unity government includes politicians allied to the United States, France and Saudi Arabia as well ministers from Hezbollah, supported by Iran and Syria means, theoretically at least, the army could get support from both sides.
Support from both sides
Beirut-based analyst Rami Khouri said it remained to be seen whether the military, which has sought to maintain neutrality from Lebanon's factional politics, could absorb support from both sides. "My guess is that everybody will be careful that the army won't be politicized. If that is the case it could become a tool of political control and therefore sectarian battles and it could fall apart," he told Reuters. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman announced on Saturday a plan to build up the armed forces "regardless of the position of some countries", in apparent reference to Israel's complaints.
A statement from Suleiman's office said he had received numerous phone calls "from Lebanon and Lebanon's friends who expressed the desire to contribute to arming the military."
Israel said a Lebanese army sniper opened fire last week on two IDF officers as they watched a tree-pruning operation on the Israeli side of a security fence below the UN "Blue Line".
The Lebanese army said it first fired warning shots, and then Israelis fired at their soldiers. IDF artillery and tank fire followed.
Hezbollah did not take part in last week's clash, although the organization's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has said his powerful Shiite guerrillas would intervene if Israel attacked the army again. Khouri said Lebanon's leaders would be careful to "safeguard the neutrality and the integrity of the army."
"But at the same time they need equipment," he said. "The Lebanese are willing to get arms from different sources, as long as you make it clear to everybody that they're not buying their loyalty."