LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِAugust
24/2011
Bible Quotation for today.
The Good News According to Mark
6/45-52/“Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid".
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the
other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away. After he had
taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray. When evening had
come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the
fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have
passed by them, but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed
that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were troubled. But
he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be
afraid.” He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they
were very amazed among themselves, and marveled; for they hadn’t
understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Event of the day:
Elias Bejjani: Lebanon and its free patriotic citizens all over the world
remembered yesterday with pride, honor and pain the 29th remembrance day when
their "Dream" leader Sheik Bachir Gemayel was elected president for Lebanon on
23 August/1982. Bachir was assassinated by Syrian agents before he was able to
assume his presidential responsibilities. Bachir who successful led the Lebanese
Christian resistance against the PLO and the Arab dictatorship and fanatic
regimes and their terrorist organizations is seen as unique hero in many
Lebanese eyes. He is still considered to be a remarkable leader that they love
and cherish. God bless his soul.
Latest
analysis, editorials, studies, reports, letters & Releases
from
miscellaneous
sources
Libyan rebels victory terrifying
al-Assad/By
Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/August
23/11
Xanax for the Arabs/Now
Lebanon/August 23/11
The Libyan Mandela/By
Tariq Alhomayed/August
23/11
Latest News
Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for August 23/11
Earthquake rattles East US Coast,
no deaths
Decision on connected cases
marks 'new chapter': STL
Quake Rattles Washington, Pentagon
Evacuated
Qaddafi flees Tripoli with family.
Guerrilla and/or tribal warfare feared next
Rebels seize Gadhafi compound; UN
envoy says Libya to be liberated in 72 hours
Libyan rebels declare victory in
Tripoli
Gadhafi to 'fight to the end' as
Obama, Sarkozy agree his rule nearly over
Rebels Seize Bab al-Aziziya
Compound, No Trace of Gadhafi, Sons
War Crimes Court had No
Confirmation of Seif's Arrest
Seif al-Islam: Gadhafi and Family
Still in Tripoli
Egypt diplomat: Cairo will not
withdraw ambassador to Israel
'Iranian confesses to aiding Mossad
in assassination of nuclear scientist'
Lebanese Govt. Recognizes Libya
Rebel Council, Tasks FM with Following Up Sadr Case
Syrian Dissidents Set Up 'National
Council'
U.S. Ambassador Visits Southern
Syria
UN rights council orders probe into
Syria violations
Syrian dissidents set up “national
council”
EU extends Syria sanctions, but
stops short of oil embargo
Britain: ‘Brutal repression’ in
Syria must stop
Saad Hariri meets with Saudi king
Lebanese Govt. Recognizes Libya
Rebel Council, Tasks FM with Following Up Sadr Case
Lebanese Cabinet Postpones
Electricity Plan Debate to Wednesday
Aoun: Govt. May Collapse but Our
Dignity Will Remain Intact
Future bloc says Hezbollah
“protecting” STL suspects
Hezbollah's Mohamad Raad: STL
Indictment is Fake, Resistance Will Defend Itself Appropriately
Lebanon: Lassa Cleric Attacker
Roaming Freely in Town under Eyes of the State
Geagea: Libya Must Resolve Mystery
of Sadr’s Disappearance
Hezbollah condemns Akkar shooting
incident
Patrirch
Rai: Christian leaders to meet
over draft electoral law
Decision
on connected cases marks 'new chapter': STL
August 23, 2011/The Daily Star
BEIRUT: The prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Tuesday that the
court’s recent decision that it will investigate attacks on three other Lebanese
figures marked a “new chapter” in its work. Earlier this month Pretrial Judge
Daniel Fransen ruled that the three cases came under the court’s jurisdiction
and requested the relevant files from the Lebanese judiciary. “The Pre-Trial
Judge’s decisions mark a new chapter in the Office of the Prosecutor’s work,”
said a statement on the tribunal’s website Tuesday.
The decision on the three cases was the first time the court ruled that cases
other than the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri came under its jurisdiction,
meaning they are “of a nature and gravity similar to the attack,” according to
the STL’s statute. “Following Pre-Trial Judge Fransen’s recent rulings on
connectivity and deferral, the Office of the Prosecutor looks forward to
receiving the relevant files from the Lebanese authorities,” in relation to the
attempted assassinations of former Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh
and former Deputy Prime Minister Elias El Murr in October 2004 and July 2005
respectively, and the assassination in June 2005 of Communist Party leader
George Hawi.The court now has exclusive jurisdiction over the case. In the
statement on the STL’s website Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare was said his team
would “continue to work tirelessly in the pursuit of justice.”
Rai: Christian leaders to meet over draft electoral law
August 23, 2011 /By Antoine Amrieh The Daily Star
DIMAN, Lebanon: Christian political leaders will meet on Sep. 23 to draft an
electoral law ahead of the 2013 parliamentary elections, Maronite Patriarch
Beshara Rai revealed Tuesday.
An expanded Christian meeting will be held in Bkirki on Sept. 23 to draft a
final version of the bill … that would be presented to the relevant authorities
for debate,” Rai announced from Diman, the summer residence of the Maronite
patriarch. Christian leaders were leaning toward a proportional representation
system. Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces of Samir
Geagea, the Kataeb party headed by former President Amin Gemayel and Suleiman
Franjieh’s Marada Movement announced their intention to endorse an electoral
system based on proportional representation after a meeting sponsored by Rai
Friday. The September meet is designed to reach a common position after in-depth
talks on the partition and size of electoral districts.The talks also aimed to
outline a “road map” to reach a united stance among Christian parties which are
divided over the geographic partition of electoral districts and a voting system
that would suit such geographic partitions, sources close to the church have
said.
Quake
Rattles Washington, Pentagon Evacuated
Naharnet /A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 struck the U.S. east coast on
Tuesday, rattling buildings in downtown Washington and causing evacuations of
buildings as far away as New York. The Pentagon was evacuated after the region's
rare temblor, which according to the U.S. Geological Survey had its epicenter
near Richmond, Virginia. The USGS said the quake's center was 54 kilometers from
Richmond, Virginia, and 139 kilometers from Washington. The quake was felt over
a wide area, and prompted the evacuation of a number of towers in New
York.*Source Agence France Presse
Qaddafi flees Tripoli with family. Guerrilla and/or tribal
warfare feared next
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report August 23, 2011
Muammar Qaddafi, his sons and military and political elite are reported by
debkafile's military sources to have abandoned their Bab al Aziziya fortress
early Tuesday, Aug. 23, using his son Saif al-Islam's surreal appearance before
foreign reporters earlier in the day to cover their escape.
Our sources believe they exited the compound through one of the underground
tunnels of the compound's military complex. But regional intelligence experts
are baffled by the enigma of the mysterious sudden disappearance of Qaddafi's
divisions overnight. It's as though the ground swallowed them up leaving no
trace.
No one knows Qaddafi's destination but informed observers expect him to make for
Sebha in southern Libya where the local tribes are loyal to whom and where he
established a whole range of subterranean military facilities. And that is where
he located Libyan nuclear facilities in 2000, which he later agreed to
dismantle. Qaddafi may have equipped a place of asylum at Sebha with military
and residential facilities form which to launch a guerilla war against
whomsoever takes power in Tripoli and against NATO targets in Libya and Europe,
as punishment for his downfall.
Thousands of fighters from the tribes loyal to Qaddafi are reported by
debkafile's military sources to have been streaming to the desert town in recent
weeks. Prominent among them were members of his own Gaddadfa tribe which numbers
some 100,000 members and is based in Sirte, a town lying on the Mediterranean
coast in the north between Tripoli and the rebel base of Benghazi. Qaddafi will
need the help of tribes other than his own in a region 800 kilometers south of
his home town on the fringes of the Sahara, for waging a guerrilla war against
the new rulers in Tripoli.
debkafile reported earlier Tuesday:
debkafile's military sources report that British, French, Jordanian and Qatari
Special Operations forces Tuesday, Aug. 23, spearheaded the rebel "killer
strike" on Muammar Qaddafi's regime and Tripoli fortress at Bab al-Azaziya,
Tripoli. This was the first time Western and Arab ground troops had fought
together on the same battlefield in any of the Arab revolts of the last nine
months and the first time Arab soldiers took part in a NATO operation.
Our military sources report that the British deployed SAS commandoes and France,
2REP (Groupe des commando parachutiste), which is similar to the US Navy DELTA
unit, as well as DINOP commandos. Fighting too were Jordan's Royal Special
Forces, specialists in urban combat and capturing fortified installations like
the Qaddafi compound in Tripoli, and the Qatari Special Forces, which were
transferred from Benghazi where they guarded rebel Transitional National Council
leaders.
According to our military experts, even after getting through into the compound,
this combined force faced four obstacles to before reaching its military heart
which is largely underground:
1. Because it is too small to carry the two tasks of breaking into the heart of
the Bab al-Azaziya complex which covers some 6 square kilometers and at the same
time overwhelm Qaddafi's 12th Tank Division also underground, this force needed
to be backed by larger trained contingents armed with anti-tank weapons, which
would advance into the labyrinth under close air cover from assault helicopters.
Britain and France transferred Apaches to Libya two months ago but never used
them in Tripoli where they would be vulnerable to Qaddafi's anti-air missiles.
2. The main body of the rebels to the rear of the combined foreign force was
nowhere near being a unified military force.
The rebels who took part in the first major push into Tripoli Sunday, Aug. 21,
turned out to be mostly Berber tribal fighters from the Nafusa Mountains in the
West, divided into small groups of no more than 100, each representing a
different village. They have never trained together or acquired experience in
urban warfare. NATO imported better-trained fighters by sea from Benghazi and
Misrata. 3. The great black clouds seen over the compound and caused by NATO jet
bombardments and anti-tank fire may look menacing but they are not evidence of
heavy fighting in or around the compound. And indeed it was soon over. As the
rebel forces burst in, there was no sign of Qaddafi himself or his family and
commanders. They were presumed to have fled. 4. NATO was short of specific
intelligence about the military nucleus of Bab al-Aziziya. Most of its key
facilities are underground and proof against bombardment.
Western alliance warplanes pummelled the compound month after month from March
19. They flattened the surface residential buildings and command centers, but
their ordnance never reached the buried facilities. Our military sources say
these chambers are interconnected by a network of corridors, some broad enough
to accommodate tanks. The network branches out to the sea and locations outside
Tripoli. Sunday, Aug. 21, debkafile's military sources reported that the Qaddafi
regime has fallen in Tripoli, but there is quite a way to go before the war is
over.
Libyan rebels victory terrifying al-Assad
By Dr. Hamad Al-Majid/Asharq Al-Awsat
The recent crushing victories achieved by the Libyan popular uprising gives the
impression that the Gaddafi camp’s house of cards has suddenly collapsed:
Gaddafi’s battalions have been defeated by the revolutionaries on their own
ground in Tripoli, and the morale of Muammar Gaddafi's inner circle has broken
down. Even if Tripoli does not fall in the next few days, the victories achieved
by the Libyan rebels on the ground in strategic oil-producing towns such as
Brega and Zawiya, their arrival on the outskirts of Tripoli, and their gaining
control of some areas of the Libyan capital, is extremely significant, at least
in refuting the theory – adopted by some analysts – that the struggle between
the Libyan popular uprising and Gaddafi is in a state of deadlock.
The most important aspect of the Libyan rebels’ recent victories is the positive
impact this has had on the “maturing” of the Syrian popular uprising. Prior to
this, the defeats suffered by the Libyan rebels at the hands of Gaddafi’s
battalions, and the Libyan leader’s ability to regain control of several Libyan
towns from the rebels, inspired the Syrian regime. Such a frustrating situation
brought hope to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which began to believe that the
Western alliance [NATO] would be driven to despair, and would refrain from
supporting the Syrian popular uprising. Thus, the dramatic change that has
occurred in favor of the Libyan popular uprising will certainly cause a positive
change in the Syrian arena. In brief, Gaddafi is horrified – as are the key
figures in the Syrian regime – at the consecutive victories achieved by the
Libyan rebels. The Libyan rebels are knocking on the doors of Tripoli, and
Bashar al-Assad can hear this [in Damascus].
It is notable that the Libyan uprising's recent victories have also incorporated
a number of figures that used to be close associates of Colonel Gaddafi, the
latest being [former Libyan Prime Minister] Abdul-Salam Jalloud. In fact
Jalloud's revolutionary speech [after switching loyalties], whose content was so
anemic, and whose timing was so blunt, has been portrayed by some as “a goal
scored after the final whistle". Such opportunism is reminiscent of the Pharaoh
of Egypt’s repentance, who “when the (fate of) drowning overtook him, he
exclaimed: I believe that there is no Allah save Him” [Surat Yunus; Verse 90].
Even if the Libyan rebels accept repentance under such circumstances, as Prophet
Muhammad did following the conquest of Mecca when he pardoned his former enemies
and accepted them in Islam – over the objection of some Muslims – according to
the principle of “have you searched their hearts?”, it is incumbent that
Abdul-Salam Jalloud withdraws to the background in the transitional period,
following the fall of Gaddafi and his regime. In fact, with the number of people
killed and injured in this revolution rising to 20,000, and many symbols of the
Gaddafi's regime being implicated in crimes committed against their own people,
it would be a genuine insult to the people of Libya if such figures participated
in the forthcoming crucial phase in the decision-making process, having long
spread corruption and suffering during the Gaddafi rule.
Ensuring that the former symbols of the Gaddafi regime – that have defected from
his regime and repented for their past actions – step aside and retreat to the
background will aid the cohesion of the Libyan revolution. The Libyans must also
learn their lesson from the assassination of Major General Abdul-Fattah Younis,
particularly if one version of events is proven correct, namely that Younis was
assassinated by an armed group within the rebel camp who decided to kill him
because they held him responsible for the murder and torture of Libyan political
dissidents when he was Minister of Interior under Gaddafi. This is something
that would certainly undermine the Libyan popular uprising. If the political
symbols who defected from the Gaddafi regime continue to be “installed” in the
ranks of the rebel leadership, then it is highly probable that we will see a
repetition of the Younis assassination. Following this, it would appear to the
world as if the Libyan revolution had begun to devour its own children. I am not
calling for the defectors to be branded as traitors or excluded from political
participation, but I am warning against installing them in leadership positions,
and placing them on the front lines. The door for repentance is open, and the
revolutionaries must accept the repentance of the former regime’s symbols, until
Gaddafi draws his last breath.
The Libyan Mandela
By Tariq Alhomayed/Asharq Al-Awsat
Libyans are entitled today to celebrate the fall of the tyrant Muammar Gaddafi,
after nearly four decades of farce and madness. However, the Libyans today can
also celebrate another gain they have achieved through their cruel revolution,
namely Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Chairman of the National Transitional Council.
Of course I do not know Councilor Abdul Jalil personally, but men are known for
their positions, and this is what is important. Among the positions declared by
the Councilor, one stands out in particular, which he announced on the al-Jazeera
satellite channel, following the recording of shots being fired in the residence
of Mohammed Muammar Gaddafi, the day before yesterday, in a live telephone
interview with the Qatar-based channel. At the time, it seemed that a break-in
and assassination attempt had occurred, and afterwards al-Jazeera contacted Mr.
Abdul Jalil to confirm the safety of Gaddafi's son. The al-Jazeera anchor
expressed concern that Gaddafi's son had been subjected to a calculated
assassination attempt, and this is another story worth highlighting later.
Significantly, Abdul Jalil came out on the Qatar-based channel, on the night
that Tripoli was liberated, speaking quietly as a dignified, wise man, aware of
the difficulty of what was to come in Libya. He was not arrogant or gloating
with regards to Gaddafi's son, whose father described members of the National
Council, chaired by Abdul Jalil himself, as outside agents, traitors and rats.
Abdul Jalil spoke on air to reassure al-Jazeera that Mohammed Gaddafi was fine,
clearly and firmly ruling out the principle of revenge, and threatened that if
revenge was indeed the goal of the rebels, then he would announce his
resignation. Furthermore, Abdul Jalil admitted that among the rebels were
Islamic extremists, who do not consider him their leader. Yet he said that
relations between them and the Council would be reconciled after the fall of
Gaddafi, and after all arms have been collected. Otherwise, Abdul Jalil stated
that he would resign from chairing the Council. He said quietly and confidently
that he only fears God, is indifferent to death, and is not greedy for power.
Thus, he will never accept revenge, but rather he wants Libya to cross its
upcoming phase in peace, and for all those who have committed crimes against
Libya and the Libyans to be tried in front of a fair and impartial trial. In
other words, he does not want to treat Gaddafi's sons and his associates the
same way that Gaddafi acted for decades.
Thus, if this is truly the position and essence of Mr. Abdul Jalil, then the
Libyans should congratulate themselves for the emergence of a Libyan Mandela
among them, and a genuine revolutionary leader cut from the same cloth as Gandhi
and other leaders who were mighty in their wisdom, rather than violence, like
Gaddafi. Libya's Mandela - Mustafa Abdul Jalil, by adopting a position of moral
courage, namely by defending the son of the Colonel on the day his father's
regime collapsed, is able to give hope to all those who have watched the Libyan
situation unfold with concern for the coming days, especially with the talk of
tribal status, the presence of Islamic extremists, and other controversial
issues. Thus, all Libyans must rally around the Libyan Mandela today, and the
Arabs must do likewise. They must give him confidence and support so that he can
launch the project to rebuild a respectable Libyan state, rather than the state
which hosted Africa's "King of Kings", who squandered the capabilities of the
Libyan people for four decades with his absurd and crazy ventures.
Libyan rebels declare victory in Tripoli
August 23, 2011 /Libyan rebels have "won the battle" in Tripoli, the insurgents'
commander in the capital told Al-Jazeera television from inside Libyan leader
Moammar Qaddafi's compound. "We have won the battle," Abdel Hakim Belhaj said,
adding that Qaddafi and his cronies had "fled like rats.""The military battle is
over now," he said, adding that 90 percent of Qaddafi's compound at Bab al-Aziziya
"has been secured" with some pockets of resistance remaining.Libyan rebels began
their campaign in Tripoli on Sunday, with their troops quickly overrunning the
city. -AFP/NOW Lebanon
Rebels
Seize Bab al-Aziziya Compound, No Trace of Gadhafi, Sons
Naharnet /Rebel fighters captured Moammar Gadhafi's heavily fortified Bab al-Aziziya
compound and headquarters in Tripoli on Tuesday after a day of fierce fighting,
an Agence France Presse correspondent witnessed.The defenders had fled, and the
whereabouts of Gadhafi or his family were unknown after the insurgents breached
the defenses as part of a massive assault that began in the morning. "Bab al-Aziziya
is fully under our control now. Colonel Gadhafi and his sons were not there;
there is nobody," Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani said from the rebel bastion of
Benghazi. "No one knows where they are," he added.However, a member of the rebel
National Transitional Council (NTC), Fathi Terbel, said "we are sure that he is
not in Tripoli.""This is an end which was expected, especially once rebels got
inside Tripoli. It is now a matter of time to capture Gadhafi."The correspondent
said the rebels had "breached the surrounding cement walls and entered inside.
They have taken Bab al-Aziziya. Completely. It is finished," the correspondent
said."It is an incredible sight," he said, adding that the bodies of a number of
apparent Gadhafi fighters were lying inside, as well as wounded.The
correspondent said rebels found an armory in one of the buildings and were
seizing quantities of ammunition, pistols and assault rifles.
Another AFP correspondent said hundreds of fighters were celebrating, shouting
Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), and that whenever they encountered a foreigner
they would say "thank you NATO." The buildings around the compound were
completely destroyed. Footage from Al-Jazeera television showed a young rebel
climbing atop a huge sculpture of a fist gripping an airplane -- a symbol of a
U.S. attack on the compound in 1986 -- trying to break off a piece of it.
Another rebel proudly brandished a seized rifle with a gold-plated barrel and
stock saying "Gadhafi people killed us with it." As young men tore up a poster
portrait of Gadhafi, others were seen kicking around metallic mask of Gadhafi.
One young man, a green bandana around his head, then picked it up and held it
above his head like a trophy, flashing a smile. Commenting on the seizure of the
compound, a rebel official in the western city of Misrata said that "at the same
house used by Gadhafi before to describe the Libyan people as rats, today the
independence flag is flying on its roof." Amid reports that ordinary citizens
were beginning to stream into the complex of several hectares, rebel television
Al-Ahrar called on people to stay away so that insurgent fighters could mop up
inside.It also urged police in Tripoli to remain at their posts in order to
guarantee security. On Tuesday morning, Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam, who was
reportedly under arrest, made a surprise appearance in Tripoli and announced
that his father and family were still in the capital. However, he declined to
say where. "Gadhafi and the entire family are in Tripoli," Seif told reporters
at the Rixos Hotel where many foreign journalists are housed. Seif also said the
regime's forces had deliberately not tried to prevent the rebels from entering
the capital. "Allowing the rebels to enter Tripoli was a trick," he said,
without elaborating. NATO, meanwhile, said Gadhafi was "not a target" for the
military alliance. "NATO does not target individuals," said Operation Unified
Protector spokesman, Colonel Roland Lavoie. "Gadhafi does not constitute a
target," he told reporters in Brussels via video-conference from the mission's
Naples headquarters. In the hours that led up to the storming of the compound in
central Tripoli, the sound of the fighting was the most intense heard in the
city since rebels arrived three days ago. The correspondent said rebel forces
coming from the western city of Misrata had reinforced the offensive during the
afternoon. The rebel official in Misrata said one of their commanders had been
killed in the assault on the compound. The sky was filled with the sound of
heavy and light machine guns as well as mortars, with the overhead roar of NATO
jets that had been carrying intensive over flights though it was unclear if
there were any air strikes. Even two kilometers from the fighting, the almost
constant whistle of falling bullets could be hear from the rooftops, as the
city's mosques chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest). Outside of the capital,
the rebels said they had cut off a column of pro-Gadhafi troops attempting to
march on Tripoli from the city of Sirte, the leader's hometown. According to a
NATO official in Brussels, loyalist forces fired a Scud missile in the direction
of the rebel-held western city of Misrata during Monday fighting. The
"surface-to-surface Scud" was launched "from the vicinity of Sirte," chief NATO
spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said. It "landed in the coastal area of Misrata, most
likely in the sea or on the shore," she said, adding "we are not aware of damage
or casualties."**Source Agence France Presse
War
Crimes Court had No Confirmation of Seif's Arrest
Naharnet /The International Criminal Court (ICC) "never" had confirmation of the
arrest of Seif al-Islam, one of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's sons said to
have been captured by the rebels, a spokesman said Tuesday. "After yesterday's
announcement, we communicated with the National Transitional Council to have
confirmation of the arrest, but we never received it from the NTC," the ICC's
spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah said -- after Seif al-Islam spoke to journalists to
refute the "lies" about his capture.
The chairman of the NTC Mustafa Abdel Jalil told al-Jazeera television overnight
he had "information that Seif al-Islam has been captured".
"He is being kept in a secure place under close guard until he is handed over to
the judiciary," Abdel Jalil said, without giving a date or place for his
reported capture.
The ICC prosecutor in the Hague Luis Moreno-Ocampo told Agence France Presse
later "I have received confidential information stating he has been arrested."
But in a dramatic twist, Seif el-Islam appeared in person to journalists in a
vacant lot outside his father's Bab al-Azizya compound in Tripoli in the very
early hours of Tuesday to demonstrate that he had not been taken and proclaim
that the capital remained under the regime's control.
Before the revolt which erupted in February, he was increasingly seen as the
successor to his father, despite publicly ruling out any dynastic ambitions in
the North African country. He long served as the face of the regime in the West
as he appeared in suits and ties and spoke fluent English.Along with his father,
he is wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity.
Source Agence France Presse
U.S. Ambassador Visits Southern Syria
Naharnet /The U.S. ambassador to Syria on Tuesday visited a town in the south of
the country where 15 people were killed last week, an embassy spokesman said.
"Ambassador Robert Ford went this morning to Jassem, 65 kilometers south of
Damascus as part of his routine diplomatic duties," the spokesman, who declined
to be named, told Agence France Presse. Ford returned to the embassy after the
visit, the spokesman added. Jassem is in southern Daraa province, epicenter of
anti-regime protests that broke out in mid-March, where according to activists
15 people were killed on Friday by security forces when they opened fire to
crush a demonstration. Ford in July angered Syrian authorities when he visited
the flashpoint central city of Hama, along with the French ambassador to Syria
Eric Chevallier. The July 7 visit came after two huge protests in Hama during
which almost half a million people rallied each time against the regime of
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to activists. About two weeks later
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem warned Ford and Chevallier not to travel
outside Damascus. "We will impose a ban on any (diplomatic) travel more than 25
kilometers outside Damascus, if the ambassadors continue to ignore (our)
guidance," Muallem said. "I hope that we will not be forced to impose the ban,"
he told the envoys at a meeting broadcast by state television on July 20. "We
did not expel the two ambassadors because we had hoped to maintain better
relations in future," he said. During the visit to Hama the U.S. envoy met
several protesters and the embassy later issued a statement saying Ford had
wanted to see for himself developments on the ground and that the visit was not
aimed at incitement. The ambassador "wanted to see with his own eyes what was
happening on the ground," said at the time U.S. embassy spokesman JJ Harder, as
"the lack of uninhibited access for international media makes this even more
important." "Happily," Ford "did not witness violence from either the government
or the protesters," he said at the time. Damascus swiftly denounced the move as
an incitement to violence and a meddling in Syria's internal affairs. "The
presence of the U.S. ambassador in Hama without previous permission is obvious
proof of the implication of the United States in the ongoing events, and of
their attempts to increase (tensions), which damage Syria's security and
stability," the foreign ministry said in a statement. Syria's interior ministry
claimed that Ford had met "saboteurs" in Hama "who erected checkpoints, cut
traffic and prevented citizens from going to work."Ford "incited these saboteurs
to violence, to demonstrate and to refuse dialogue" with Assad's government, the
interior ministry said.*Source Agence France Presse
.
Syrian Dissidents Form 'National Council' as Evening Demos Staged
Naharnet /Syrian dissidents meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday established a
"national council" to coordinate a campaign to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
In a final declaration, activists said the council rejected foreign intervention
or the rule of any one ethnic group and emphasized the national character of the
"revolution." "By this (council), the first steps of a large-scale
transformation in Syria are taken," it said. "(The) coming together of all
groups is a must despite all dangers. This delegation will bring different
groups together," it added.
Months of "sacrifice" in Syria, where many have died in a crackdown by Assad's
regime, had created a "sense of unity," activist Ahmed Ramadan said following
the four days of talks.
The council would hold its first meeting in about two weeks to elect a
chairperson and secretary. "The council represents all the forces of the
opposition from the left to the right," said Louay Safi, a U.S.-based political
scientist, adding that it would look at "ways and means" to support the
revolution and ensure the regime was "dismantled."Half the council members would
be from opponents inside Syria, said Bashar al-Heraki, an engineer who was among
the organizers of protests in the Syrian city of Daraa. "Syrian people are very
interested in such a council, they have been waiting this for a very long time,"
he said.The activists gathered in Istanbul were mainly from an Islamist
background, but other opposition groups also took part. Syrian dissidents have
held several meetings in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey in recent weeks as
Assad's regime stepped up its crackdown on protestors across the country. UN
rights chief Navi Pillay on Monday said 2,200 people had been killed since the
mass protests in Syria began in mid-March. The European Union piled the pressure
on Assad's regime by adopting Tuesday sanctions against 15 more people and five
businesses as diplomats said more measures were in the offing. On the ground
security forces conducted arrests in eastern Syria while tanks were seen heading
towards the town of Al-Bukamal near the border with Iraq, activists said. In the
evening, protesters took to the streets in the capital Damascus and its suburbs
and in the regions of Homs, Aleppo, Deir al-Zour and al-Qameshli, opposition
activists said on their Facebook pages. Security forces arrested dozens on
Tuesday in the Mayadin region of eastern Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights said. It also quoted witnesses saying that tanks were rumbling towards
the nearby town of Al-Bukamal near the border with Iraq while security forces
raided at dawn the Ghota district in the central city of Homs.*Source Agence
France Presse
Geagea:
Libya Must Resolve Mystery of Sadr’s Disappearance
Naharnet /Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Tuesday Libya to resolve
the mystery of the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr and his companions, said
the LF media department in a statement. It added: “An issue of this gravity
cannot but be a priority for us and the liberated Libyan people.”“Sadr has
always called for peace and championed the oppressed,” it continued. “Libya is
required from all the Lebanese people to immediately resolve this mystery,” it
said.Geagea also congratulated the Libyan people on the success of their revolt
against the rule of Moammar Gadhafi.Sadr vanished, amid mysterious ircumstances
and was last seen in Libya where he was invited by Gadhafi.
He headed to Libya to try to negotiate an end to the Lebanese civil war
(1975-1990).
Lebanese Cabinet Postpones Electricity Plan Debate to Wednesday
Naharnet/The cabinet on Tuesday postponed its discussions on the electricity
plan suggested by Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil to another session
that will be held Wednesday at the Baabda palace. “We discussed the issue of
electricity following Monday’s discussions and progress has been made and an
agreement was reached on a lot of points,” acting information minister Wael Abu
Faour told reporters after Tuesday’s session in Beiteddine. Abu Faour also
revealed that an agreement was reached on “the possibility of engaging the
private sector in the (electricity) production process in future stages and on
the technical team that will run the suggested plan.” He noted that the cabinet
has almost reached consensus on the mechanism of funding the first phase of the
plan, but added that “everything will be discussed during tomorrow’s session.”
Cabinet convened at the Beiteddine palace on Tuesday under President Michel
Suleiman and with 67 articles, including the electricity file, on its
agenda.Suleiman held a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on
local developments before the session.Asked before entering the session if
ministerial unity was in jeopardy, the president responded: “Certainly
not.”Replying to the same question, Miqati said: “Several opinions have been
proposed over the electricity file.”“As long as we share a common goal, we
should not be asked about ministerial unity,” he added.“We are tackling the
matter in a calm manner and we will address its technical details today,” he
continued. A ministerial meeting was held on Monday in an attempt to reach a
final agreement on the electricity plan suggested by Bassil, under which $1.2
billion would be earmarked to build plants that would produce 700 Megawatts of
electricity.
Aoun: Govt. May Collapse but Our Dignity Will Remain Intact
Naharnet /Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that
society is not aware of the size of our efforts in government. He said after the
Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “We are working within a political
society that has had shortcomings in dealing with its duties.” These
shortcomings were caused by its mismanagement of public funds, which the led the
country towards chaos, he added. “Lebanon is not a garbage dump and the Lebanese
people must become aware of the size of the conspiracy being devised against
them,” the MP stated. “The militia mentality has ended and the government may be
toppled, but our dignity will remain intact,” Aoun stressed. “If we fail, it
will fail as well,” he remarked.
“I have no personal interests to achieve, but I cannot remain silent over
errors,” he noted. Regarding the electricity file, he said that it is now being
dealt on a “base level.”
“We want the establishment of a state that can protect the citizens, while
others view it as their own private company,” he said. “It’s important that the
people realize that an electricity plan is available and another is available to
destroy mafias,” the FPM leader added. “They accused us of seeking to avoid the
audit bureau, but on the contrary we want the bureau and the government to look
into the plan,” Aoun said. Parliament failed to approve an electricity draft law
proposed by Aoun that allows Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to receive
$1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.
The March 14-led opposition says that the draft law gives the minister the
freedom to use the amount of money without referring to the cabinet or without
any monitoring by the Audit Bureau. On the security situation in Lebanon, Aoun
accused the Mustaqbal movement of seeking to create sectarian strife in Lebanon,
adding: “The gates of hell won’t be able to destroy this small country.”
Addressing the Lassa land dispute, he remarked: “This issue dates back to 70
years. It can be resolved through the law seeing as it is not political and it
has nothing to do with Hizbullah.” Property disputes erupted in Lassa a few
weeks ago when Hizbullah members prevented a Maronite League team from surveying
land owned by the Maronite Patriarchate in the predominantly Shiite town of
Lassa in the Jbeil District. They also came after members of the same party
prevented an MTV crew from filming a report on the issue in the town.
Raad: STL Indictment is Fake, Resistance Will Defend Itself
Appropriately
Naharnet /The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad
slammed on Tuesday the indictment in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as “fake”,
accusing the investigation of being politicized in order to target the
Resistance.He said in a press conference to refute the indictment: “The
Resistance will determine the way it will defend itself from the indictment and
tribunal.”He added: “We had stated in the past that this tribunal does not
respect the minimum amount of standards of justice, it does not want to achieve
the Lebanese people’s interests, and it has adopted circumstantial
evidence.”“Such a tribunal cannot be expected to achieve justice and we would
not be surprised if it was employed for the interests of imposing foreign
hegemony over Lebanon,” the MP continued.“The tribunal’s shortcomings in
adopting international standards bolsters our assessment that it is aimed at
wrongfully accusing noble resistance fighters,” Raad stressed.The indictment has
accused four Hizbullah members of being involved in the assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
“The indictment is a political decision dictated by American and Israeli
interests,” Raad continued.
“Those behind the incitement are delusional in thinking that they can tighten
the noose around the Resistance and blackmail it,” he added.
Lebanon is being forced to choose between strife and between subjecting Lebanon
to American and Israeli hegemony, the MP noted.
“The indictment revealed that STL Prosecutor Judge Daniel Bellemare is part of a
political investigation based on fabrications aimed at reaching a political
decision,” he said.
The indictment’s terminology demonstrates that the investigation team and the
international tribunal are aimed at seeking revenge from the Resistance, Raad
stressed.
“The indictment was weak and it justified this by saying that it has not
revealed all of its findings,” he stated.
The indictment lacked any direct evidence, he continued.
“The Lebanese have unanimously agreed on reaching the truth and justice, but the
STL cannot achieve them,” the MP remarked.
“A legal investigation should take into consideration any lead and the evidence
we had presented in the past demonstrated that Israel was involved in Hariri’s
investigation,” he added.
“The evidence was enough for Bellemare to launch an investigation in Israel’s
involvement in the crime, but he didn’t because the investigation is
politicized,” he said.
“We are now confronted with a politicized indictment, which was published by an
untrusted side,” he added.
“It chooses the timing to release it based on political factors in an attempt to
destroy the Resistance,” he continued.
“The Resistance will not accept the blackmail and it will not succumb to the
will of its enemies and its perseverance and national resolve will thwart the
goals of all the conspirators,” Raad declared. “The Resistance will determine
the way it wants to defend itself and its experience has demonstrated that it
can properly deal with the traps being set up by its enemies,” he concluded.
Lassa Cleric Attacker Roaming Freely in Town under Eyes of
the State
Naharnet /The situation in Lassa is expected to escalate in light of an attack
against a clergyman, Antoine Hakim, last week and the state’s failure to
apprehend the attacker even though he is roaming the town freely, reported the
Central News Agency on Tuesday.
March 14 General Secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid told the news agency that
the residents of the town are awaiting “strict measures” from the Lebanese state
against the attacker, “whose identity and whereabouts are known.”
“Such tangible measures have not been taken, which is a real blow to the state
before the eyes of the residents of the Jbeil District,” he added.
“Questions are being raised over the state’s lax approach in this matter and its
failure to present an explanation to its actions,” he continued.
“The state has refused to uphold the law against the attacker, which paves the
way for several repercussions,” Soaid warned.
Meanwhile, one of Hakim’s relatives told the Central News Agency that there are
fears that the land dispute in Lassa may negatively affect ties between the
residents.
“We have contacted all concerned sides and all we have heard are condemnations,”
he revealed.
“They are required to take serious steps that comply with our demands and halt
the attackers,” he stressed.
Property disputes erupted in Lassa a few weeks ago when Hizbullah members
prevented a Maronite League team from surveying land owned by the Maronite
Patriarchate in the predominantly Shiite town of Lassa in the Jbeil
District.They also came after members of the same party prevented an MTV crew
from filming a report on the issue in the town.
UN rights council orders probe into Syria violations
August 23, 2011 /The UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday ordered a probe into
violations committed by the Syrian regime during its crackdown on popular
protests.
By 33 votes in favor to four against and nine abstentions, the council passed a
resolution to "urgently dispatch an independent international commission of
inquiry... to investigate violations of international human rights law in Syria"
in recent weeks.The UN rights council had called an emergency session on the
situation in Syria, as investigators concluded that widespread and systematic
rights violations have been committed by President Bashar al-Assad's regime
since peaceful demonstrations began in mid-March.Opening the meeting on Monday,
UN rights chief Navi Pillay told the council that 2,200 people had been killed
since the mass protests began.However, China, Russia and Cuba led the opposition
against the council's resolution, saying that it was one-sided and
politicized."The draft remains one-sided and politicized. It does not take into
account positive steps by the Syrian leadership to stabilize the country, its
willingness to engage in conversation," said a Russian diplomat.He also charged
that the resolution "is aimed at removing a legitimate government."China's envoy
added that by adopting the resolution, "the council will only complicate the
situation, and injure the political process in Syria."
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Syrian dissidents set up “national council”
August 23, 2011 /Syrian dissidents gathered in Istanbul on Tuesday set up a
broad-based "national council" to coordinate their campaign to topple Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, an activist said.The panel was formed after four days
of discussions in this Turkish metropolis, the Syrian opponents told a press
conference."We have given martyrs and some of us are injured... With all these
efforts and sacrifices, as a result of this responsibility, a sense of unity has
been formed," activist Ahmad Ramadan said."The council will convene in about two
weeks to elect the chair and secretary... When it convenes it will adopt its
bylaws," added Louay Safi, a US-based political scientist.The dissidents
declined to give out the names of council members and said the body, which
brings together all opposition groups both from inside and outside Syria, will
elect them after its first meeting."Coming together of all groups is a must
despite all dangers. This delegation will bring different groups together," said
Halis Halihi.UN rights chief Navi Pillay said Monday said earlier in the day
that 2,200 people had been killed since the mass protests in Syria began in
mid-March.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Britain: ‘Brutal repression’ in Syria must stop
August 23, 2011 /Britain said on Tuesday that the “brutal” crackdown on protests
in Syria must stop and called for holding accountable “those responsible for the
violence.”
“I welcome today’s strong [UN Human Rights Council] resolution, which was passed
by a solid majority of Human Rights Council Members and sends a clear message to
the Syrian regime that the brutal repression must stop and that those
responsible for the violence will be held to account for their crimes,” British
Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne said.
“The recent report of the UN Fact-finding Mission on Syria cites first-hand
evidence of the horrifying repression of the Syrian people by President [Bashar]
al-Assad and his regime, including summary executions, torture, indiscriminate
targeting of civilians including women and children, and an apparent
shoot-to-kill policy for the dispersal of peaceful protestors,” a statement
issued by the British Foreign Office quoted him as saying.
The British official called on Assad’s regime “to allow access to the
independent international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged
violations of international human rights law since March 2011.”He reiterated
Britain’s call for Assad to “step aside.”Browne also said that his government
will continue to work with its partners and through the UN “to support the
Syrian people’s demands for reforms delivering the fundamental rights and
freedoms that are common to us all.”The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
adopted a resolution that condemns human rights violations in Syria and
establishes an independent Commission of Inquiry to identify those
responsible.Assad’s troops have cracked down on protests against almost five
decades of Baath Party rule which broke out mid-March, killing over 2,000 people
and triggering a torrent of international condemnation.-NOW Lebanon
EU extends Syria sanctions, but stops short of oil embargo
EU governments formally adopted sanctions on Tuesday against 15 more people and
five businesses, but stopped short of concrete moves to impose a full oil
embargo on Damascus.
The list of names covered by asset freezes and travel bans now runs to 50 people
and nine businesses, with legal enforcement entering play when they are
published in Wednesday's legislative log, the EU's Official Journal.But a
diplomat told AFP on Tuesday that despite a first discussion in Brussels on the
oil embargo, "no clear decision has yet been taken," with London in particular
determined to ensure that sanctions do not impact on the Syrian people.The
source said: "We are in a process of working through what further tools we want
to use.”
"We are open to all options -- the oil embargo, sanctions on banks and telecoms,
in line with the Americans -- but we want to make sure sanctions are targeted at
the regime of [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad.”"We are acutely aware of the
need to ramp up sanctions, but we don't want them to impact on the Syrian
people," he added.Some 90 percent of Syrian crude oil is exported to the EU,
where the main buyers are Denmark, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Austria and
Spain, in that order.US President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain,
France, Germany and Spain last week called publicly for Assad to quit power, a
first-time demand dismissed by Russia and Turkey.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon
Future bloc says Hezbollah “protecting” STL suspects
August 23, 2011 /The Future bloc issued a statement on Tuesday accusing
Hezbollah of “protecting” the four men who were indicted by the UN-backed
Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) for the 2005 assassination of ex-premier
Rafik Hariri.“[Hezbollah’s] arrogant logic in dealing with the STL has made the
party lose a lot,” the bloc said.
It also called on the Lebanese government to address a “clear proposal” to
improve Lebanon’s electricity sector.The bloc congratulated the Libyan people
“for the victories achieved in Tripoli,” and voiced hope for the achievement of
“democracy and freedom in Libya.”It also called on the cabinet to follow up on
the 1978 disappearance of Lebanese Shia cleric Imam Moussa al-Sadr in
Libya.Libyan rebels have been advancing on the capital, Tripoli, from the east
and the west in their bid to unseat Qaddafi who has ruled over Libya for more
than 40 years.Meanwhile, four Hezbollah members have been indicted by the STL
for the Rafik Hariri murder. However, the Shia group strongly denied the charges
and refuses to cooperate with the court.-NOW Lebanon
Xanax for the Arabs
August 22, 2011
The reaction to the investigation into the February 2005 killing of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri in general, and in particular the indictments handed down
to the four alleged Hezbollah members accused of carrying out the crime, is
arguably the most exquisite distillation of the Arab obsession with the
conspiracy.
Last year, Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, began sowing the
seeds of doubt, deploying all the tools at his disposal to convince us that the
killers could not have been anyone from his party. His most famous sleight of
hand was to show us dubious, not to mention out-of-date, aerial footage of
Beirut’s road network and offer it as proof that Israel had been tracking
Hariri’s movements so as to best plan its attack. By the time the envelope was
unsealed last week, the spell had long been cast. It was Israel. Nasrallah told
us so.
Had there been video footage of Nasrallah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
jointly flicking the detonator switch as Hariri’s motorcade sped past the St.
Georges Hotel on that fateful day, we would still believe they were Israeli
lookalikes. Israel is our security blanket, our Xanax—call it what you will. We
are a people who don’t want to consider any alternative to a safe but ultimately
stunting worldview that casts Tel Aviv as the villain. Buying into Israel as the
bogeyman is the drug we take to assure ourselves all is well.
When the March 14 coalition demands that Hezbollah surrender its weapons because
it wants to move forward and build a country in which the state controls all
arms, at best it is accused of hiding behind a clearly naïve argument—one that
connects Lebanese security from Israeli attack to the deterrence created by the
party’s armed wing—and at worst of being a key pawn in a fiendish Western
stratagem to destroy the Resistance.
Anti-Western conspiracy theorists will say that the million Lebanese who took to
the streets on March 14, 2005 did not force the Syrian army out of their
country; the Americans did. It couldn’t have happened without them. And yet they
will have no truck with an argument that suggests that Hezbollah would not be
the party it is without Iran. Both are true to a greater or lesser degree, but
the latter is perceived as morally stronger because it has Israel in its sights.
The Resistance is a pure, noble and brave institution, committed to Lebanon’s
national integrity, ready to defend its southern border from foreign—read:
Israeli—infection. The party and its supporters will laugh off suggestions that
it is first and foremost a powerful asset in Iran’s regional standoff with
Israel and the West. This is nonsense, we are told. It is a theory the West
would have us believe, a conspiracy within a conspiracy, if you will. As one NOW
Lebanon reader commented last week in defense of Nasrallah and his party,
“Hezbollah is our pride, our Honor, and our [sic] Lebanon’s Liberators.” It is a
mantra that tells part of the story.
Who needs the rest? Who cares about the decades of Arab authoritarianism,
corruption and repression? This is explained away as our chronic condition, our
lot in life, one that is somehow easier to deal with if the ever-present specter
of Israel hovering in the wings is ready to rush on stage like a pantomime
villain. To look inside ourselves would be too painful, and this is why the
Special Tribunal for Lebanon is a double-edged sword.
The Arab League has moved against Israel faster than it moves against its own.
Israeli troops killed five Egyptian border guards on Thursday, and an ambassador
was withdrawn. This is how it should be, but the Arabs need to move from their
obsession with the “plot.”
The “plot” will no doubt play a major role in the aftermath of the Libyan
revolution. There will be claims that the rebels could not have done it without
the firepower of NATO ships and planes. But to focus on the foreign assistance
is to ignore the aspirations of the Libyan people. The same can said for the
Syrians who are dying on the streets every day and, of course, the millions of
Lebanese who want justice and an end to a culture of killing as policy.Maybe
when that happens we will start to see things clearly.
Govt. Recognizes Libya Rebel Council, Tasks FM with
Following Up Sadr Case
Naharnet /Lebanon on Tuesday recognized Libya’s rebel National Transitional
Council, which has almost taken full control of Libya and ended the 42-year
reign of strongman Moammar Gadhafi, acting information minister Wael Abu Faour
said after a cabinet meeting. Briefing reporters after cabinet’s session in
Beiteddine, Abu Faour said the government also decided to task Foreign Minister
Adnan Mansour with discussing the case of the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr
and his companions with the leaders of Libya’s new government.
Regarded by Lebanon's Shiites as a key spiritual guide, Sadr vanished in 1978
amid mysterious circumstances and was last seen in Libya where he was invited by
Gadhafi.At the time, Sadr was trying to negotiate an end to the Lebanese civil
war (1975-1990), in which Palestinian factions were involved.Gadhafi was
believed to be shipping weapons to the Palestinians and other groups and Sadr,
according to reports, was hoping to convince the Libyan leader to refrain from
stoking the unrest in Lebanon. But his visit to Tripoli along with two aides,
Mohammed Yacoub and Abbas Badreddine, took a sour turn after he got into a
heated argument with Gadhafi who ordered that the three men be "taken away,"
according to an indictment against the Libyan leader issued by Lebanese
authorities. Libyan authorities have stated that the three officials left
Tripoli to Italy, who after conducting an investigation in the matter denied the
claims. In 2004, the passports of Sadr and Yacoub were found in a hotel in
Rome.In August 2008, Lebanon issued arrest warrants against Gadhafi and some of
his aides, accusing them of kidnapping Sadr and his companions. Relations
between Libya and Lebanon have been at a low point since the cleric's
disappearance, which dealt a heavy blow to the Shiite community.
Saad Hariri meets with Saudi king
August 23, 2011 /Opposition leader Saad Hariri met on Tuesday with Saudi King
Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting was held at the Safa Castle in Mecca, the SPA reported.However, it
did not elaborate further.Hariri has been out of Lebanon for almost five months
because, according to March 14 figures, there were fears over his security. His
last public appearance was on July 12 during an interview with MTV
television.Hariri’s cabinet was toppled in January by the Hezbollah-led March 8
coalition over the dispute about the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which
indicted four Hezbollah members for the murder of ex-premier Rafik Hariri.A new
cabinet dominated by March 8 and headed by Prime Minister Najib Mikati was
formed in June and granted parliament’s vote of confidence on July 7.
-NOW Lebanon
Hezbollah condemns Akkar shooting incident
August 23, 2011 /Hezbollah issued a statement on Tuesday condemning a drive-by
shooting of the residence of Sheikh Abdel Salam al-Herash in the Akkar town of
Aayed on August 17.
“The party condemns the attack that targeted an Iftar and resulted in the death
of Sheikh Bassam al-Mahmoud [on Monday],” the statement said.Hezbollah expressed
condolences to Mahmoud’s family and labeled the shooting as “an attempt to
incite strife and raise tension.”It also slammed “some parties’ assault of
Lebanese army troops” that deployed around the house following the incident.AFP
reported that the Iftar attendees included political figures close to Hezbollah.
However, the Shia group denied it.-NOW Lebanon