LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

Bible Quotation for today/God hates those who are haughty and conceited
Psalm 101/I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises. I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart. I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me. A perverse heart will be far from me. I will have nothing to do with evil. I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won’t tolerate one who is haughty and conceited. My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me. He who practices deceit won’t dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood won’t be established before my eyes. Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh’s city.

STL Appoints Investigator to Probe Unauthorized Disclosures of Witness Identities
Naharnet /Acting Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Daryl Mundis appointed Mr. Stephane Bourgon, Ad.E., of Canada as amicus curiae to investigate the three events that are the subject of allegations of contempt, announced the tribunal in a statement on Tuesday. “The appointment follows the decision of the Contempt Judge David Baragwanath on April 29, 2013 to initiate proceedings in three incidents which could potentially be considered interference with the administration of justice through publication of alleged witness identities,” it added. Bourgon will report back to Baragwanath within the next few months on whether there are “sufficient grounds” to start contempt proceedings, it explained. Baragwanath has also requested the acting registrar to appoint Mr Hugo Keith QC of the United Kingdom as amicus curiae to be available for consultation on specific issues in this context if needed. On April 11, the STL condemned “in the strongest possible terms” what it called “the latest attempt to interfere with the proper administration of justice by publishing a list of alleged witnesses and potentially endangering the lives of Lebanese citizens.” The website of al-Mustaqbal newspaper, which is owned by slain former Premier Rafik Hariri's family, was hacked and its front page was replaced with the alleged names of the “secret witnesses in the STL” by a group calling itself “Journalists for the Truth.” “Any attempt to knowingly and willfully interfere with the judicial process, including disclosure of confidential material or threatening, intimidating, or otherwise interfering with potential witnesses, is taken very seriously by the four organs of the Tribunal,” the STL warned in April.

Al-Rahi Meets Suleiman, Qahwaji, Urges Lebanese to Support Army
Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi voiced on Tuesday his “complete support” to the army in its efforts to preserve Lebanon's unity and peace. He called on the Lebanese people “regardless of their political or sectarian affiliations to support this national institution.” “The army helps unite the people and acts as a guarantor of peace for the nation,” he remarked after holding talks with Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji. “The army acts as the country's salvation against the repercussions of the regional crises and internal developments,” stressed al-Rahi. His visit to Qahwaji came amid a growing dispute among political powers over extending his tenure and in light of the recent clashes in the southern city of Sidon. Earlier on Tuesday, al-Rahi had held talks on the latest developments with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Palace. Eighteen soldiers were killed and 50 were wounded in clashes in Sidon between the army and armed supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir on June 22 and 23.

Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Meets Aoun, Urges Political Powers to Resume Dialogue to Resolve Disputes
Naharnet/Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri stressed on Tuesday the kingdom's “unwavering” support for Lebanon, saying that the country does not meddle in Lebanese affairs. He said: “We urge political powers in Lebanon to resume dialogue in order to resolve disputes.” He made his statements after holding talks with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun at Rabieh. “We urge wise leaderships to help bridge the gap between the rival parties,” added the ambassador. “We agreed with Aoun on a number of national issues and he is welcome to visit the kingdom,” said Asiri. Prior to his visit to the MP, the ambassador slammed Hizbullah's behavior that is against the Lebanese and Lebanon's best interests, pointing out that it leads to further division and endangers the country. “A wide range of the Lebanese and the Shiite sect reject Hizbullah's actions in Lebanon and abroad,” Asiri told the state-run National News Agency. Aoun is allied with the party. The ambassador called on Hizbullah to reconsider its policies, which harm Sunnis and other sects, as the Lebanese are bound to coexist together. He urged Hizbullah to launch dialogue with its foes instead of further “escalating tension and discrimination.”“The critical stage that Lebanon is passing through requires a large amount of wisdom,” Asiri said. He also called on media outlets to end sectarian mobilization. Asiri expressed concern over the security incidents that have taken place in various areas in Lebanon, attributing them to “Hizbullah's involvement in the Syrian conflict. He stressed that Saudi King Abdullah is keen on maintaining Lebanon's stability and unity. The monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council decided on June 10 to impose sanctions on alleged members of Hizbullah, targeting their residency permits and financial and business activities in reprisal for the group's armed intervention in Syria. The GCC is made up of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. The Syrian military has gained momentum after seizing the town of Qusayr last month with the help of Hizbullah fighters, capturing villages on the roads linking Damascus to the border area with Lebanon.

Lebanese-Swedish Citizen Denies Hizbullah Link in Thai Court
Naharnet /A Swedish-Lebanese man denied on Tuesday links to Hizbullah during his trial on charges of breaking Thailand's weapons laws. Atris Hussein, 48, was arrested in Bangkok in January last year and police later found chemicals that can be used to make a bomb at an address he rented. According to the charges, Hussein and some unidentified accomplices had packed more than six tons of ammonium nitrate into bags. In March, Thai authorities alleged Atris had connections to Hizbullah. Giving testimony for the first time Atris -- who was handed Swedish citizenship after claiming asylum -- denied the charges. "I know Hizbullah in general," he told a court. "But I don't have any relation -- either directly or indirectly -- with the group," he said, adding the movement is widely known in Lebanon and is part of the government. Ammonium nitrate is commonly used in agriculture, but mixed with other substances can make a bomb. Its possession requires a permit in Thailand. Prior to his arrest, the United States had warned of a "serious" threat of a terrorist attack on tourist areas in Bangkok. Two Iranians are currently on trial for suspected involvement in a botched bomb plot against Israeli diplomats in Bangkok in February 2012.
Source/Agence France Presse

Lebanese Army: Detainee in Shaker's Video Confessed to Smuggling Arms into Lebanon
Naharnet/The Army Command announced on Tuesday that the man arrested for appearing in a video alongside former singer Fadel Shaker had confessed to smuggling weapons into Lebanon. It said in a statement that Ghali Haddara confessed to smuggling arms and ammunition into the so-called security zone in Abra in the southern city of Sidon. He revealed that some of the weapons were smuggled into Abra two days before the eruption of the two-day clashes with the army on June 22, it added. Haddara who was arrested in a tourist resort on June 28 was found possessing equipment to make explosives, announced the Army Command. Eighteen soldiers were killed and 50 were wounded in clashes in Sidon between the army and armed supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir on June 22 and 23. More than 20 of al-Asir's supporters were killed, according to a security official. Dozens of them were also arrested, but there was no sign of the cleric. On Monday, unrest erupted in the northern city of Tripoli in light of Haddara's arrest.
He was arrested for interrogation after he appeared alongside singer-turned-Islamist militant Fadel Shaker in a video circulated in the wake of the Abra battle. Shaker is now on the run with fellow fugitive al-Asir.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Due in Beirut to Reassure Officials on Camps 'Neutrality'
Naharnet/Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due in Beirut Wednesday, where he is expected to offer the Lebanese authorities assurances that the Palestinian refugee camps will stay clear of the country's growing Syria-related unrest. During his three-day visit, Abbas is also expected to discuss the situation of Palestinians who fled Syria for Lebanon, which is already home to some 470,000 Palestinian refugees living in 12 official camps.
Abbas is slated to meet with President Michel Suleiman soon after his arrival mid-afternoon. Abbas will reassure the Lebanese authorities "of our firm and unwavering commitment to stability and security in Lebanon, and to the neutrality of the Palestinian camps" in Lebanon's unrest, embassy spokesman Hassan Sheshniyeh said. The main topic on Abbas' agenda for his Beirut visit is "security", including that of the Palestinian camps, researcher Michel Naufal told Agence France Presse. Abbas will insist "on the principle that the Palestinians are not a card that any (of Lebanon's political movements) can use", said Naufal, of Beirut's Institute for Palestine Studies. The visit comes a week after a fierce battle pitting gunmen loyal to Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir against the Lebanese army raged in the southern city of Sidon, in which 18 troops were killed.
Nearby, clashes broke out pitting the army against Islamist fighters on the edges of Palestinian Ain el-Hilweh camp, Lebanon's largest. Within hours, the violence there subsided thanks to the intervention of Abbas and the chief of the Hamas Islamist group which runs the Gaza Strip, Khaled Meshaal. Abbas "wants to offer his guarantees to Lebanese officials over the situation in the camps, after the situation in Sidon was successfully brought under control," added Naufal. He also "aims to ensure that attempts by some sides to drag (the Palestinians) to intervene on Asir's side are not repeated," said the researcher. The main groups in Lebanon's impoverished camps are Abbas' Fatah, its main competitor Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and several other Islamist groups. Barring Nahr al-Bared in the north, all camps are off-limits to the Lebanese army and security forces, turning some of them into a refuge for fugitives. Asir gained prominence in Lebanon over his virulent anti-Hizbullah discourse. Hizbullah is a close ally of the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad, and its fighters are engaged in the war, causing deep resentment among Lebanon's Sunnis. The conflict has meanwhile forced more than 500,000 Syrians to flee into Lebanon, the U.N. says. An additional 65,000 Palestinians who resided in Syria have also fled into Lebanon, many of them taking refuge in the country's squalid camps. Abbas will discuss the situation of Palestinian refugees forced out Syria with Lebanese officials, some of whom he will meet in the Palestinian embassy, Sheshniyeh said.
Having already visited Lebanon in 2010 and 2011, Abbas will also discuss the poor living conditions of Palestinian refugees in the country. Palestinians in Lebanon are barred from some 70 professions, and prohibited from owning property. Last year, an NGO described living conditions of Palestinians in Lebanon's camps as the "worst of the region."The American Near East Refugee Aid group cited discrimination, isolation, poverty, joblessness, poor housing and a lack of proper schools, clinics, hospitals and sewage systems as problems affecting Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.Source/Agence France Presse

Baabda Sources Say Solution to 'Legislative-political Confrontation' Lies in Cabinet Formation
Naharnet /Baabda palace officials have warned that the country has entered a stage of “legislative-political confrontation” that would only be resolved through the formation of a new government and the resumption of all-party talks. “The president does not see any useful solution to all the crises or developments except for speeding up a political understanding … that paves way for a national dialogue” session, the officials said.
“The other best solution for the current dispute on a legislative session is to speed up the formation of the cabinet,” they said. The officials, who refused to be identified told An Nahar and As Safir dailies published Tuesday, that politicians should begin resolving the dispute on the constitutionality of the parliamentary session through the study of article 69 of the constitution. The article's third item says during a resigned government the parliament shall automatically be considered convened in extraordinary session until a new cabinet has been formed and has gained the legislature's confidence. The officials said President Michel Suleiman expressed regret at the political divisions that have sectarian backgrounds. A dispute between politicians on the constitutionality of the session that Speaker Nabih Berri had called for went out of proportions on Monday when several blocs boycotted it for claiming that the speaker cannot ask the legislature to convene amid a resigned cabinet unless it has important issues on its agenda. The Baabda officials said that Suleiman would not stand in the way of the formation of a non-political cabinet on condition that it is capable of garnering the required quorum of 65 MPs to get a vote of confidence. They warned however that the president would not sign any decree of a government that is not able to receive the vote of confidence. Sources close to Premier-designate Tammam Salam reiterated that his attempts to put together a cabinet were still in the initial stages. “There is absolute paralysis in the efforts exerted to resolve the obstacles preventing the formation of the government,” they said.

Report: March 14 General Secretariat to Hold Weekly Meeting in Sidon in Solidarity with Residents
Naharnet /The March 14 General Secretariat will hold its weekly meetings in different areas across Lebanon with the aim of decreasing the sectarian tension, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Tuesday.
According to the newspaper, the General Secretariat will kickstart this week meetings in the southern city of Sidon in solidarity with its residents. The decision comes in light of the moving security incidents across Lebanon, to express the coalition's decision to hold onto the power of the state and its unity. The General Secretariat, according to the daily, started contacting Sidon prominent figures to make their weekly meeting in the city a success.
Al-Joumhouria said that the March 14 leaders and their representatives will also hold a meeting on Monday night to discuss the latest local developments. Last Sunday, Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir's supporters opened fire on an army checkpoint in the town of Abra near the southern city of Sidon, sparking battles that left around 18 soldiers and more than 20 gunmen dead. The gunbattles concentrated in the area of Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque and nearby buildings. Al-Asir, a 45-year-old cleric who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, is no where to be found along with Fadel Shaker, a onetime prominent singer-turned Salafist. Last Monday, the March 14 General Secretariat condemned the “security chaos” in the Bekaa region, warning that its residents are at risk of paying the price of sectarian strife. It made its statement after an extraordinary meeting held in the Bekaa city of Zahle in light of the frequent clashes witnessed in the region and that are linked to the conflict in Syria. The General Secretariat also held a meeting in the northern city of Tripoli in May, noting that the city is paying the price of the absence of the Lebanese state, demanding that no red lines be imposed against it and the army imposing their authority in preserving security in the city.
Tripoli has continuously witnessed clashed between the neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen linked to the conflict in Syria.

Mustaqbal Rejects Army's 'Threats and Preaching': Hizbullah Only Responsible for Current Situation
Naharnet/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc stated on Tuesday that Hizbullah is the “only party to be held responsible for what Lebanon is going through” because of its involvement in the Syrian conflict.
"Hizbullah, its weapons and its militia's involvement in the Syrian war are responsible for what Lebanon is going through,” the lawmakers said in a released statement after their weekly meeting at the Center House.
They questioned Hizbullah's role in last month's clashes of the southern city of Sidon, accusing the party of encouraging strife in the country. "Has Hizbullah's role transformed into moving its Shabiha between (the Syrian border town of) al-Qusayr, Beirut and Sidon?,” the MPs asked. “We demand answers regarding the party's involvement in Sidon through a transparent probe.” Restating its support for the army in its mission of preserving security, the bloc, however, criticized the military institution's statements of “threats and preaching.” “What were the measures and punishments adopted against those who assaulted (Salafist cleric Ahmed al-Asir's supporter) Nader al-Bayoumy? What is the truth behind the behavior of the head of the army intelligence's office and the military police officials in the South before and after the clashes?”
On Thursday, the army handed over to the military police soldiers suspected of humiliating and beating a man suspected of ties to Asir. The body was identified as Nader al-Bayoumy, whom the Association of Muslim Scholars said had "handed himself in" after the Abra clash. The statement stressed: "The bloc and the Lebanese people demand honest and quick answers to these questions as well as holding parties accountable.”
"We reject the army's unacceptable statements of threats and preaching.”Al-Mustaqbal also criticized the military institution for “preventing journalists from doing their job” in Sidon. The lawmakers assured that they abide by the articles of the memo submitted by Sidon MPs Bahia Hariri and Fouad Saniora to President Michel Suleiman. "We are still waiting for a security plan to transform Sidon into a city free of arms and party slogans,” they noted.
The memo demands the referral of the case of the Sidon clashes to the Judicial Council and the prevention of all armed activities in the city. It also urged the removal of all political flags from the city and the closure of all offices belonging to “armed groups.” The bloc reiterated its support for a “fair, civil and democratic state that is based on religious coexistence.”“We consider that Lebanon's legitimacy can only be manifested if it is based on military and security bodies protecting citizens and strengthening stability,” it added. “The army in this respect is on the frontlines.” The statement pointed out: “Political efforts must focus on confronting the possession of arms in the country.”The MPs also discussed the security situation in the northern city of Tripoli. “We condemn the armed presence in the city and we call for prosecuting the outlaws,” they said.

Tripoli Ulemas Accuse Army of Collaborating with Hizbullah against Sunnis
Naharnet/The Ulemas of the northern city of Tripoli on Tuesday accused the Lebanese army of collaborating with Hizbullah to target members of the Sunni community and said the judiciary was receiving orders from Iran.
“The military is collaborating with Hizbullah to fight Sunnis,” Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi said following a meeting that the Ulemas held hours after Tripoli witnessed tension that left one person dead.
He accused the army of disrespecting itself by asking for the assistance of a “militia” against the Sunni sect. The Sheikh called on President Michel Suleiman and Caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn to reveal what he said was the torture and killing of Sunni detainees at the Defense Ministry in Yarze. “If our Christian partners are turning a blind eye to what's happening to Sunnis, then their turn will come” in the future, he warned. Al-Rafehi also accused Hizbullah's main backer Iran of dragging Sunni youths to a battle with the army. “Some members of the military are receiving orders from Iran and killing our sons,” he said. The cleric was referring to the latest arrest and alleged abuse of Sunni detainees after a deadly battle between troops and supporters of radical Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir in the southern city of Sidon. There have been claims that the army is committing abuses against people suspected of links to last week's clashes in which around 18 soldiers and more than 20 supporters of al-Asir died. Last week, the army said it had ordered a "major investigation" into the beating of a suspect. A video footage created controversy showing the man saying he worked in Asir's mosque, but that he has no weapons and had nothing to do with the fighting. The video also shows one man in civilian clothing hitting him, then a soldier kicking him and finally several others joining in. A man is heard ordering those filming with their telephones to stop, and the footage ends abruptly. The meeting of the Ulemas came against the backdrop of the alleged abuses and tension in Tripoli at dawn Tuesday which left one man dead. Salim Amin al-Ashqar, 75, died after inhaling smoke from shops that were burned by armed men to protest the arrest of a suspect who had appeared alongside singer-turned Salafist Fadel Shaker in a video circulated in the wake of the gunbattles in Sidon. Sheikh Mohammed Imam, who also spoke during the press conference of the Ulemas, described Tripoli as a “victim,” saying it was being “punished and marginalized.” “Why are arms being used in the streets and no one has an answer?” he asked. He urged all officials to assume their responsibilities.

Aoun: Nothing Indicates Cabinet will be Formed Soon, We're Not Concerned with Parliament Sessions
Naharnet /Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday ruled out an imminent formation of a new cabinet as he slammed the performance of the parliament. “Nothing indicates that the cabinet will be formed soon and everyone is saying it may be formed in September or when the (parliament's) 17-month extension period ends,” Aoun told reporters after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc in Rabiyeh.
“We will remain without a cabinet and I don't know how will expenditure be distributed by the executive authority. It is confusing that they have created vacuum in state institutions and extended parliament's term because we are sailing in turbulent waters,” Aoun added. Commenting on his rejection of extending Army chief General Jean Qahwaji's term and accusations that he is seeking the appointment of his son-in-law, Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz, as the new army commander, Aoun said: “From the very beginning, our stance which stems from our principles has been against extending the terms of public servants.”“The same as we rejected extending (former Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf) Rifi's term, we will not accept another extension because it is against the law. The other parties are only reaching consensus on the violation of the constitution and the laws,” Aoun added, referring to both his allies in the March 8 camp and his March 14 rivals. “I don't know the nature of the deal that will take place, but in Lebanon everyone is a winner except the law and the constitution,” Aoun lamented.
He noted that the other parties “tried to give the issue of extension a personal aspect.” “But there is a public interest that we are defending and those claiming that there is contradiction in our political conduct must prove their claims,” Aoun added. He said neither the U.S. nor Iran nor Saudi Arabia are the reason behind the performance of the political class in Lebanon, adding that he does not “share the same ideology with this political class.”
“The state has turned into mini-states and whoever is capable of usurping this land is doing so,” Aoun warned. Turning to the issue of the parliamentary legislative session that was postponed to mid-July, Aoun said: “We're not concerned with the parliamentary session. The gas draft law would spare Lebanon $1.7 billion in expenses yearly, so why don't we approve it? It is a lie that the car would go up in flames or else Paris, Tehran and Berlin would have burned.”“Why don't we save 50% or 60% by using gas while having less pollution? Because the gasoline companies receive a percentage of the revenues and they are currently achieving more profits,” Aoun explained.
Asked about the constitutionality of parliament's session amid the presence of a caretaker cabinet, Aoun said: “There is a Constitutional Council that can say if the session is constitutional or not and let them resort to the state institutions.” On his meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri earlier on Tuesday, Aoun said: “There are 350,000 Lebanese expats in Saudi Arabia and 350,000 others in Gulf countries and during the meeting with the Saudi ambassador we eliminated any ambiguity concerning their situations.”

Islamist President Mohamed Morsi Says Won't Step Down, Vows to Protect 'Legitimacy' with His Life
Naharnet/Islamist President Mohamed Morsi told Egyptians on Tuesday that he had been freely elected little more than a year ago and that he intended to continue to carry out his duties despite mass protests demanding his resignation. "The people chose me in free and fair elections," Morsi said in a televised address to the nation, adding that he would "continue to shoulder his responsibilities" as Egypt struggles with the legacy of decades of authoritarian rule. The president said that respect for the constitutional order was the "only guarantee against further bloodshed," in a veiled attack against an ultimatum issued by the army for him to strike a deal with his opponents or have one imposed. Morsi said he stood ready to "give my life" to defend constitutional legitimacy, echoing comments by a senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood who urged supporters to be ready to sacrifice their lives to prevent a coup. The president renewed his appeal to the opposition to join a dialogue, an appeal it has already repeatedly rejected as a sham. He once again accused supporters of the regime of ousted president Hosni Mubarak of trying to sow chaos and incite violence.
Remnants of the old regime "want chaos... they don't want democracy," Morsi said. He warned that "violence and bloodshed is a trap. If we fall for it, it won't end."
Legitimacy, he said, was the only guarantee against bloodshed. The campaign behind protests that saw millions of Egyptians calling for Morsi to step down accused him of "threatening his own people."
"This is a president threatening his own people," said Mohammed Abdelaziz, a leader of the Tamarod campaign. "We don't consider him the president of Egypt," Abdelaziz told an Egyptian television channel.
An earlier message posted on Morsi’s official Twitter account said: "President Morsi insists on (his) constitutional legitimacy and rejects any attempt to overstep it.""(He) calls on the armed forces to withdraw their warning and rejects any dictates, domestic or foreign." Morsi's statement came after millions took to the streets demanding his resignation, prompting the army to give him 48 hours to respond to the demands of the people or face an imposed solution.The army gave all political forces until Wednesday to find a way out of the current crisis before it imposed its own roadmap. On Tuesday, at least seven people died and dozens others were injured in clashes in Cairo between Morsi's supporters and opponents.Source/Agence France Presse

Israeli Army Abducts Two Shepherds near Shebaa
Naharnet /The Israeli army on Tuesday kidnapped two shepherds from a region near the southern town of Shebaa, the state-run National News Agency reported. "Youssef Hussein Rhayyel and Youssef Mohammed Zahra were abducted into the occupied Shebaa Farms,” the NNA noted. "The incident took place near an observation point of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's Indian battalion located on the western heights of Jabal al-Sheikh.” A statement released later by the Army Command elaborated: "A pedestrian Israeli patrol kidnapped shepherds Youssef Zahra and Youssef Rhayyel from the liberated Lebanese territory in Shebaa near al-Naqqar pond." It also noted that a 20-member Israeli patrol crossed the technical fence in the Kfar Shouba area and advanced 25 meters into an area disputed by Lebanon before withdrawing later. "Following these incidents, army unit mobilized in the area and took the necessary defensive measures.” The army communique added: “We also contacted the UNIFL troops to coordinate our efforts and release the kidnapped Lebanese.”
Kidnapping incidents of Lebanese residents by the Israeli forces are frequent. On November 1, 2012, Israeli authorities handed over to U.N. peacekeepers a Lebanese shepherd who was arrested near the border in southern Lebanon a day earlier. A 12-strong Israeli force kidnapped Ismail Khalil Nabaa while grazing his flock on the heights of Jabal al-Saddaneh, north of the U.N.-demarcated Blue Line, the NNA said. The NNA reported on July 16, 2012 that an Israeli force failed to abduct two shepherds from southern Lebanon. It detailed that 20 soldiers crossed the border at Mount Hermon and infiltrated 500 to 800 meters into Shebaa where it tried to kidnap Mohammed Qassem Hashem from Lebanon and Ahmed Haidar from Syria.
Also, Lebanese shepherd Youssef Mohamed Zahra was abducted in June 2012 by the Israeli army near Shebaa Farms.

Jumblat: Destruction of Homs Real-Estate Records Attempt to Alter City's Identity
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat slammed on Tuesday the international community's ongoing failure to properly address the Syrian crisis, noting its disregard of the developments in the city of Homs, which he predicted would be critical in determining the fate of the crisis. He added: “The destruction of real-estate records in city and their replacement with others of different sects is an attempt to alter the political and sectarian identity of the regions stretching from Damascus to the Syrian coast.” He made his remarks in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website.
Moreover, he noted the “massacres in al-Bayda, Banias, and other regions that are aimed at creating a new demographic reality.”“The Syrian regime is seeking to transform the minority of the population in those regions into a majority through murder and displacement,” stated the MP.On this note, Jumblat questioned “the international community's silence over the developments in Syria and inaction over the daily violations of human rights that it has long claimed to protect and uphold.”He questioned its silence “over the strenuous efforts that are aimed at fragmenting Syria, which will have major repercussions on the Middle East and entire Arab world.”
“Syria's fragmentation will pave the way for regional chaos and wars and sectarian conflicts,” warned the PSP leader.

Report: Al-Asir Plotted to Bomb Areas Across Lebanon Backed by 'Prominent' Security Agency
Naharnet/Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir was plotting to target several areas across Lebanon in an attempt to provoke strife under the auspices of a “prominent” security agency and funded by well-known businessmen, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday. A security source told As Safir newspaper that reputable businessmen granted al-Asir financial funds and apartments, who in turn used the funding to buy arms and explosives, aiming to bomb several areas across the country to create a sectarian strife. The source also told the newspaper that a truck loaded with arms crossed al-Awali army checkpoint two days before the clashes with the army in the southern town of Abra, near the port city of Sidon. According to the source, the truck made its way to Abra through a “prominent” security agency. The truck was located near al-Asir's complex in the southern town with the arms. The fighting, which was sparked last Sunday when al-Asir's supporters opened fire on an army checkpoint, left around 18 soldiers and more than 20 gunmen dead. The gunbattles concentrated in the area of Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque and nearby buildings. Al-Asir, a 45-year-old cleric who supports the overwhelmingly Sunni rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, is no where to be found along with singer-turned Salafist Fadel Shaker. On Monday, State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr asked for the DNA samples of al-Asir's mother and the brother of Shaker. Al-Asir teamed up with him when around two years ago he began agitating for Hizbullah to disarm. The results of the tests will be compared with the DNAs of two burned bodies found by the army after taking control of the complex of al-Asir.

7 Dead as Egypt Opposition Says Won't Back 'Military Coup' and Morsi Holds Crisis Talks with Army Chief
Naharnet/Opponents of Egypt's Mohamed Morsi poured onto the streets of Cairo on Tuesday to press their demand that he step down after the Islamist president snubbed an ultimatum from the army to agree to the "people's demands" or face an imposed solution. Morsi and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have been locked in talks all day to "discuss the current crisis," a military source said, as clashes in Cairo between opponents and supporters of the president left seven people dead. The violence in Cairo's Giza neighborhood also injured dozens, "some of whom are in critical condition from bullet wounds," medical sources told Agence France Presse.
Most businesses remained closed and very few cars were on the streets, as tensions soared ahead of the Wednesday deadline set by the army, which the president's supporters have condemned as a coup threat.
Clashes also erupted in the Cairo neighborhood Helwan and the northern province of Beheira, security officials said. A senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood called on its supporters to be ready to sacrifice their lives to prevent an army takeover, recalling that hundreds had died during the 2011 revolution that ousted veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak. The main opposition coalition said it was ready to join the urgent talks on a negotiated transition called for by the army and named former U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei as its chief negotiator.
The June 30 Front called for mass protests to keep up the pressure on Morsi and tens of thousands packed into Cairo's Tahrir Square and the large avenues outside the capital's two presidential palaces. Chants of "Leave" rang out from the crowds. The mood contrasted with the tension that had gripped protesters earlier in the day after Morsi's office issued a statement rebuffing the army's ultimatum.
Accountant Mona Elghazawy said she was "very worried". "It's now a battle between all the state institutions and the Islamists." Fellow demonstrator Mostafa Gharib said he feared the Islamists would "fight to the end." Backers of the president joined a sit-in in his support in Cairo's Nasr City neighborhood, as crowds massed near Cairo University vowing to defend his legitimacy. Brotherhood leader Mohamed al-Beltagui urged them to honor the sacrifices of those killed during the 2011 revolution that paved the way for Morsi to take power as Egypt's first freely elected president.
"Seeking martyrdom to prevent this coup is what we can offer to the previous martyrs of the revolution," he said.
The opposition too expressed concern that the military was poised to play a political role in the deeply divided country, even as the army hastened to damp down talk of an imminent "coup".In a statement issued overnight, the presidency insisted it would continue on its own path towards national reconciliation. The army declaration had not been cleared by the presidency and could cause confusion, it said. The president was consulting "with all national forces to secure the path of democratic change and the protection of the popular will", it added. Egypt's main opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, said it would "not support a military coup."
It expressed trust in the army's insistence that it does not want to get involved in politics. The army denied there was any attempt at a "coup", saying that army chief Sisi's statement was merely aimed at "pushing all political sides to quickly find a solution." The June 30 Front, which includes the grassroots Tamarod movement that brought millions of protesters out onto the streets across Egypt on Sunday -- said it had delegated ElBaradei "to be the voice" of the opposition. The Front "entrusts ElBaradei with the responsibility to ensure the execution of the Egyptian people's demands and to draft a scenario that aims at the complete implementation of the roadmap for the political transition." As the political uncertainty grew, Morsi was hit with a spate of resignations, including by his foreign minister Mohammed Kamel Amr. Presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmy and cabinet spokesman Alaa al-Hadidi also resigned, officials and the media reported. U.S. President Barack Obama, whose government is a major military aid donor to Egypt, called Morsi to warn him that the voices of all Egyptians must be heard, a White House official said. Obama told him Washington was committed to "the democratic process in Egypt and does not support any single party or group," the official said.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called on all sides not to squander the hopes of democracy of the 2011 revolution. "These are decisive days for the political transformation in this key country of the Arab world," he said. Morsi's opponents accuse him of having betrayed the revolution by concentrating power in Islamist hands and of sending the economy into free fall.
His supporters say he inherited many problems from a corrupt regime, and that he should be allowed to complete his term, which runs until 2016.Source/Agence France Presse

Indonesia Quake Kills 6 Children, Traps 14, in Mosque Collapse
Naharnet/An earthquake Tuesday killed six children and left 14 others trapped when a mosque collapsed during a Koran reading session in Indonesia's Aceh province, bringing the confirmed death toll from the disaster to 11.
The strong 6.1-magnitude quake left hundreds more injured as it rocked a region that was devastated by the quake-triggered tsunami of 2004. The earthquake reduced houses in parts of Aceh to rubble, set off several landslides and badly damaged roads. Rescuers were struggling late Tuesday to find the children still trapped after the mosque collapse in Blang Mancung village, Central Aceh district. "Our search and rescue teams are struggling to evacuate an estimated 14 children still trapped under the rubble," Subhan Sahara, the head of the local disaster management agency, told Agence France Presse.
"I hope they can be found alive but the chances are very slim," he added, explaining they were reading the Koran together when the quake struck.
The quake, which hit at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), injured more than 200 people and damaged more than 300 houses in Aceh, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
As police and military personnel struggled to reach affected areas late Tuesday, there were two aftershocks of more than 5.0 magnitude. In a village in Bener Meriah district, one man was killed when a landslide engulfed a coffee plantation, said disaster agency official Fauzi. "A man was working at a coffee plantation with his wife when a landslide caused by the quake struck. His body was found under a pile of earth soon afterwards," he said, adding that his wife and another woman were missing at the site. Another four people died in hospitals in the district from injuries sustained in the quake, he said. One of the fatalities was a child who died when a wall collapsed, Ema Suryani, a doctor at a health clinic in Lampahan city in the district, told AFP. "We have received around 50 people with injuries sustained when the walls of their houses collapsed," added the doctor. "There are around 30 people seriously injured, some with head injuries. The rest have only light injuries like minor cuts and grazes." Injured people had been transported from several affected villages in two trucks, she said.
People ran outside in Banda Aceh as the quake shook houses, and in Medan city to the south of the province on Sumatra island. "The quake was felt strongly for around 15 seconds, from Bener Meriah to Banda Aceh. People panicked and rushed out of their homes," national disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said. Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra, is regularly hit by quakes. In 2004 a massive tremor sparked a tsunami that killed 170,000 people in the province and tens of thousands more in countries around the Indian Ocean. In April last year an 8.6-magnitude quake struck 431 kilometers off Banda Aceh, prompting an Indian Ocean-wide tsunami alert.Five people died and seven were injured in Aceh in the quake and following aftershocks. In September 2009 a major earthquake near Padang city on Sumatra killed more than 1,000 people.Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
Source/Agence France Presse

Two Arrested in Canada over Terror Bomb Plot
Naharnet/Canadian police said Tuesday they had arrested two people "inspired by al-Qaida" who allegedly plotted to bomb the provincial legislature in western British Columbia. John Stewart Nuttall and Amanda Marie Korody -- who were detained Monday, Canada Day -- allegedly planned to use pressure cooker devices on the building in Victoria, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. Source/Agence France Presse.

Mursi is a knockoff Erdoğan
By: Hussein Shoboksh/Asharq Alawsat
There were many optimists amongst those who hoped and dreamed that President Mohamed Mursi’s rule would be a significant transition in the history of Egypt. However, Mohamed Mursi—the last-minute candidate who originally stood for election as nothing more than a prospective substitute for Khairat El-Shater—has been an utter disappointment. Rather than following in the footsteps of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Mursi became a distorted version of this model. In the end, Mursi was nothing more than a knockoff Erdoğan. Mohamed Mursi surrounded himself with militants and extremist figures with a tendency for “revenge,” issuing frightening and repulsive statements that only served to terrorize the Egyptian people or anybody who cares about the country at all. His sharp tone and discernible messages are beyond what the Egyptian people can tolerate or forgive. It is for these very same reasons that the Egyptian people rejected Hazem Abu-Ismail who insulted the military establishment and mocked the Egyptian people; Safwar Hegazi who insulted Al-Azhar and its well-respected Grand Sheikh; Assem Abdel Maged who threatens all who defies Mursi; and Wagdi Ghoneim whose words are filled with hatred and poison. Mursi did not renounce such figures, rather he continues to regard them as his loyal supporters and defenders. The Egyptian people view Mursi’s silence towards their inflammatory statements and rhetoric as a form of tacit consent. Mursi refused to listen to the advice and observations of other parties, preferring instead to rely on his team of “vengeful” advisors. They are the ones who pushed him to announce his controversial Constitutional Declaration in which he cancelled constitutional articles and attempted to transform himself into a new pharaoh who does not respect or implement the constitution. This was a move that completely destroyed any trust or confidence in the president. Mursi came to power with a very small surplus of votes after a revolution that brought down a strong regime. As a result of this, the Egyptian people will not accept anything but an all-inclusive system, not a system where the president’s supporters monopolize power. For this reason, Mursi possesses neither the “popularity” or “public legitimacy” usually associated with a president who comes to office in a landslide. Despite this, the president failed to even issue a statement on the drastic changes that Egypt needs to see. Mursi’s foreign policy has also been a failure. He discouraged moderate Gulf countries from investing in Egypt after failing to reassure them about the situation in the country; instead he restored diplomatic relations with Iran. He also expressed tolerance towards Assad’s criminal regime and failed to achieve any political or economic achievement after more than one year in office. From the beginning, we were facing a situation where promises had been breached. The Muslim Brotherhood initially said they were not interested in running for office but violated this pledge when they nominated presidential candidates. Following this, President Mursi vowed to respect the constitution. Not only did he fail to do this, he did the complete opposite by hijacking the constitution and attempting to discredit Egypt’s judges and judiciary in an unprecedented manner.
All this brought the situation to a point of no return and the Egyptian people reacted emphatically and took to the streets in all provinces of the country, chanting that they are not satisfied with Mursi’s tactics and he should leave office. A number of ministers have resigned from the Hisham Qandil government, while the military took an independent stance in issuing a historic statement in which they took a step away from the under-fire government and moved towards the people. The army has given both parties a 48-hour deadline. Egypt is still searching for someone to rule based on dignity, security, and democracy; a task that Mursi completely failed to do.

Syrian Crisis Leading Towards Open Turkey-Iran Conflict
Soner Cagaptay /Al-Sharq al-Awsat
Sectarian flames are melting away Turkey's hard-earned soft power in the Middle East and pushing Ankara closer to Washington. Soon after the rise of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2002, Turkey launched an ambitious foreign policy agenda to make itself a stand-alone regional leader. With this new vision, Turkey looked to cast itself as a central actor, wielding soft power to shape the Middle East.
The Syrian war and Iran's regional hegemonic designs have, unfortunately, stunted most of Ankara's ambitions. AKP's mind-set around 2002 was that Ankara had played second fiddle to Washington for too long in the Middle East. Turkey could become a regional power only if it stood alone in the region, dissenting with US policy when and if needed. This sentiment rose to the surface during the lead-up to the Iraq war, and bestowed legitimacy upon the new Turkish regime in the eyes of the peoples of the region. Along the same lines, AKP elites envisioned making Turkey a soft power in the Middle East, hoping to shape the region through the country's cultural, social, and economic influence.
Thanks to Turkey's meteoric economic rise over the past decade, the second part of that vision has been, for the most part, fulfilled. Turkey today is the Middle East's dominant economy, surpassing runners-up Iran and Saudi Arabia by a wide margin. Turkish businesses are rising in the Middle East, and Turkish cultural products, from television programs to schools, are in demand across the region.
But Turkey's plan to be a stand-alone power in the region is nowhere near fruition. The war in Syria has forced Ankara to revise this policy, and this has meant re-appraising the value of ties with the United States. Since 2011, Ankara has moved close to the United States, looking for shelter once again under the NATO umbrella.
In late 2011, hoping to help oust the Assad regime, Turkey began to host and arm the Syrian opposition. But, thus far, this policy has not borne results. Even if the Syrian rebels have made some gains, Assad and his supporters appear likely to continue to hold onto parts of Syria. Accordingly, instead of a speedy collapse of the Assad regime, Turkey now faces the prospects of a weak and divided state next door.
This has created a security challenge more complex than any Ankara has faced. And the United States will be an indispensable ally helping the Turks to cope. Ankara now wants to work closely with Washington in order to shield itself from the instability of the Syrian War. The gambit of grim scenarios runs from proliferation of chemical weapons next door to state collapse across from Turkey's longest border.
Another Syria-related factor that drives Ankara's rapprochement with Washington is Turkey's proxy war against Iran in Syria. If Ankara fails to secure U.S. assistance against the Assad regime, Ankara could lose this war. Iran has thrown its full support behind the Assad regime, and has ably undermined Ankara's policy of regime change in Damascus.
In Iraq, too, Iran is Ankara's main competitor. Ankara supported the secular and pan-Iraqi Allawi block in the 2010 Iraqi elections. However, Allawi lost the elections to Nuri Al-Maliki, who Ankara considers "Iran's man in Baghdad." This has created a fissure between Ankara and Baghdad, as well as between Ankara and Tehran. In return, Ankara has built intimate ties with Iraq's Sunni north, bringing the Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen there into its fold to counter Maliki and Tehran's influence in Baghdad. In today's Iraq, the widespread perception is that Turkey and Iraq's Sunnis are facing off against Iran and Iraq's Shi'ites.
By this logic, Turkey (as well as Qatar and Saudi Arabia) is backing Sunni rebels in the fight against a coalition of Iranian-supported Shi'ite forces in Syria. The latter is comprised of Iranians, as well as Iraqi and Lebanese Shi'ites, and last but not least the country's Alawite minority. An alignment of revolutionary Iran and the Syrian Alawites has been in formation since the 1970s, as evidenced by Ayatollah Hasan Mahdi Al-Shirazi and Musa Al-Sadr's issuance of fatwas arguing that Alawites are members of the Shi'ite sect.
Pulled into this sectarian quagmire, Turkey has tempered its stand-alone foreign policy ambitions. But considerable damage has already been done, as sectarian flames start to melt away Turkey's hard-earned soft power in parts of the region.
Last but not least, the sharpening sectarian divide in the region is pitting Iran and Turkey against each other in ways not seen since the period between the 15th and 17th centuries when the Ottomans and Persians fought a 166 year war for influence in the Middle East.
**Soner Cagaptay, author of the forthcoming book The Rise of Turkey: The Twenty-First Century's First Muslim Power, is the Beyer Family fellow and director of the Turkish Research Program at The Washington Institute.

Canada Condemns Brutal Killing of Priest in Syria
July 1, 2013 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement condemning recent sectarian violence in Syria:
"Canada is appalled by reports of the beheading of Roman Catholic priest Father François Murad, a Franciscan friar, and others near Gassanieh in northern Syria. This followed an attack on the monastery where Father Murad was staying.
“Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms violent extremism in all its forms. Acts of terror such as the senseless murder of these innocent victims must not go unpunished.
Canada's Ambassador for Religious Freedom Andrew Bennett added:
“Canada will continue to push for pluralist democratic development in Syria that protects the rights of all Syrians, regardless of faith to live in peace.
“We encourage the Syrian authorities to do their utmost to find and prosecute those responsible for these cowardly acts and to stem the rising tide of sectarian violence."
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US official denounces Hezbollah’s actions in Syria as troops press ahead with offensive
AFP/BEIRUT — A senior U.S. official denounced Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian civil war Monday and accused the Shiite militant group of putting the interests of Iran and Syria above those of the Lebanese people. Underscoring growing sectarian bitterness, mainly Sunni rebels vowed to “liberate” two Shiite villages they’ve had under siege in northern Syria if residents don’t renounce President Bashar Assad’s regime and force out his troops and Hezbollah fighters.The comments by Deputy Secretary of State William Burns were the first by a high-ranking visiting U.S. official since Hezbollah helped propel Assad’s troops to victory last month in the strategic town of Qusair near the Lebanese border. Syrian troops have been building on the victory to move against rebel-held areas elsewhere in the central province of Homs and in the north. On Sunday, troops hammered rebel-held districts in Homs with artillery, tanks and warplanes, part of a government offensive launched Saturday morning.
Fighters from the powerful Iranian-backed group have joined Assad’s forces in their battle to crush the rebellion, which is dominated by Sunnis.Despite its membership in the Lebanese government, Hezbollah has decided to put its own interests and those of its foreign backers above those of the Lebanese people,” Burns told reporters as he wrapped up a two-day visit Monday to Lebanon.
“That intervention may be in Hezbollah’s interests, it may be in the interest of Iran, it may be in the interest of Bashar Assad, but it is not in the interest of Lebanon or the Lebanese people,” Burns said.
He added that the U.S. condemned “in the strongest terms” Hezbollah’s actions in Syria and said they “place the future of Lebanon at risk.”
The U.S. considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The group’s open participation in the war has helped fan sectarian hatred in Lebanon and across the region. Its fighters were instrumental in helping Assad’s troops capture Qusair, and activists say Hezbollah members are fighting in several locations in Syria.
Hezbollah leaders and Assad, however, deny those reports. Assad said in a recent interview that Hezbollah’s involvement was restricted to Qusair because of its proximity to Lebanon.The group, however, is known to be fighting alongside troops in the predominantly Shiite villages of Nubul and Zahra in the northern province of Aleppo, besieged by rebels for a year.
On Monday, rebels fighting in Aleppo vowed to attack the two villages if their residents do not renounce the Assad regime.
In a YouTube video, a group of rebels who identified themselves as being from a joint brigade that fought in Qusair demanded that Assad loyalists in the town hand over Assad militiamen and Hezbollah fighters along with their weapons and release rebels they hold prisoner. “After that, the siege will be lifted and food and medicine will enter, and normal life will return,” one rebel says. “But if there is no answer, there will be a large military attack on the two villages. You have been warned.”
The video, confirmed by an activist in Aleppo, underscores the growing sectarian nature of the civil war, which has killed more than 100,000 people in two years, according to activists.
The conflict reflects the struggle for influence between Shiite Iran, which supports Assad, and major Sunni power Saudi Arabia, backed by smaller Gulf Arab states, such as Qatar, and non-Arab Turkey, which support the rebels. At home, Assad draws support largely from Syria’s minorities, including fellow Alawites — followers of an offshoot of Shiite Islam — as well as Christians and Shiites. His other foreign backers include Russia and China.
Rising tensions between Sunnis and Shiites linked to the Syrian conflict has sparked deadly street fighting between the rival sects in Lebanese cities.
Last week, sectarian tensions drew Lebanon’s weak army into the fray. Eighteen soldiers were killed in two days of fighting in the southern city of Sidon between the army and supporters of a hard-line Sunni sheik whose popularity has soared by tapping into the frustrations of many Lebanese who resent the influence that Shiites have gained in government via Hezbollah.
“At a time of regional tumult and domestic uncertainty, it is deeply in the self- interest of all Lebanese to exercise restraint and respect for Lebanon’s stability and security,” Burns said.
Burns said he conveyed to President Michel Suleiman “our condolences and deepest sympathies for members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and innocent civilians” killed and injured in Sidon.Burns also criticized a Lebanese government decision to postpone scheduled parliament elections last month, saying it undermines the people’s faith in their government and shakes the confidence of the international community in the country’s institutions.
In other violence in Syria, the state-run news agency SANA said three people were killed and 18 injured in a suicide bombing near the cultural center in the town of Sabboura. Two suicide bombers detonated a pickup truck packed with about 1.5 tons of explosives in front of the cultural center, it said.Associated Press writer Diaa Hadid contributed to this report.
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