LCCC NEWS BULLETIN
APRIL 18/2006

Below news from the Daily Star for 18/04/06
Mugraby wins out in free speech battle
March 14 Forces renew talk of street protests
Emie pledges French support
Siniora leaves for crucial trip to Washington
Qana survivors confront ghosts of the past daily
Groups call on UN, EU to help save lives of detainees in Israel
Reform 'won't work without true stability'
Australian crime boss may be hiding out in native Lebanon
Lebanon assumes position as region's cosmetic-enhancement capital
Palestinian suicide bomber kills nine, wounds 60 in Tel Aviv
Below news from miscellaneous sources for 18/04/06
Lebanese premier leaves Beirut for US visit amid high hopes-Monsters and Critics.com
Experts warn war 'will do US more damage'-Gulf Daily News
Alsanyoura to discuss pullout of israel from Shebaa farms-BNA
Violence Why?Dar Al-Hayat - Lebanon
Beyond Hamas' Insight-Dar Al-Hayat
Syria to raise funds for cash-strapped PA-Jerusalem Post
Saudi Arabia's King Hails Lebanon's National Dialogue-Ya Libnan
Hezbollah official links plot against group's leader to Shiite-San Diego Union Tribune
AROUND THE WORLD-Wilmington Morning Star
Lebanon: Israeli Retreat Would Disarm Hezbollah-Arutz Sheva
Former Oxford Union president dies on gap year-TMCnet
Lebanese prime minister heads to US to discuss Israeli violations-KNA
Iran & Syria pledge financial aid to PA-The Media Line
Syria launches fundraising campaign for PA-Ha'aretz
Fight against illiteracy In Lebanon begins yielding results-Reuters AlertNet
Proposed reforms would hurt Lebanon-Reuters

Statement by Attorney Dr. Muhamad Mugraby
Press Conference, Beirut, April 17, 2006
Today I was supposed to appear as a defendant at the military court in Beirut, although I am a civilian, a lawyer and a human rights defender, accused of having defamed the military establishment and its officers. I was to be supported not only by my Lebanese and European defense attorneys, but also by observers for a number of international human rights organizations and other friends word-wide. I have been spared the trial because the military court of cassation consisting of one civil judge as chief and two senior military officers as members decided to throw the whole case out as if it never existed. Hence it enhanced the prospects for a healthy Lebanese judiciary.
This victory ends the latest stage of the prosecutions aimed at me for my having exercised my duties as a lawyer and defendant of human rights, holding fast to my right of freedom of _expression and the rights of defense since the year 1992 in some of Lebanon's darkest hours. Some even warned me that we lived in Lebanon and not in Sweden and others cautioned that the country is not free so I had no right to be free as a lawyer and citizen. My answer was and remains:
Nothing achieves freedom more than freely practicing freedom.
A step has been taken and many more steps are before me to close all the files that were fabricated against me in an attempt to take away my freedom and the freedom of those I defend. I look with pride at the forces of liberty which supported me and continues too provide their support and take this opportunity to thank them all. I am particularly grateful to the Dutch Foundation of Lawyers for Lawyers, its board and members, the Bar Association of the Netherlands, the Council of the Bar Associations and Law Societies of the European Union, the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Article 19, Human Rights Watch, and the Lebanese Canadian Human Rights Federation. Particular thanks also go to Lebanon's friend Julian Brazier, member of the British House of Commons, and members of the European Parliament, Commission and Council.
Thank you all and thank the thousands of those I know or do not personally know in Lebanon and around the world including most Lebanese lawyers and judges. For further information: E-mail info@cdrl.org and visit http://www.cdrl.org/.


Rlease: The Center for Democracy & Rule of Law for Lebanon  has received the following press release issued by Julian Brazier, British MP for Canterbury:
Beirut, April 17, 2006:
Cedar Revolution Has Passed Important Test Says British Member of Parliament
Julian Brazier, British MP for Canterbury, is a long-term friend of Lebanon. His past visits have included a fact-finding mission during the terrible year 1990 and organizing a British Parliamentary delegation to a conference organized by the British-Middle Eastern Law Council in 1996.In a statement this morning he said:
"I am delighted to be standing today beside my good friend Dr. Muhammad Mugraby and Willem van Manen and his distinguishes legal colleagues from around the World. I am even more delighted that the ridiculous charges against Dr. Mugraby have been dropped. Lebanon has passed an important test in the eyes of the outside world.
"Those of us who love Lebanon were inspired to see the Cedar Revolution, indicating that the people of Lebanon were reasserting their sovereignty. The question, however was whether this represented reality or just another shift of image. The charges of defamation against Dr. Mugraby were a crucial test of this. First whether Freedom of Speech was upheld, second whether democratic institutions like the European Parliament were respected, third whether courageous lawyers like Muhammad could lawfully defend their clients and finally whether the Lebanese Army restricted its activities to its proper sphere.  "After a long, difficult road, the decision to abandon these charges shows that Lebanon has passed this test and has indeed taken an important step towards taking its true place among the democratic and free nations of the World."
For further information: E-mail info@cdrl.org and visit http://www.cdrl.org/.

Mugraby wins out in free speech battle
Military court drops slander charges against human rights lawyer
By Leila Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
BEIRUT: The Lebanese military judiciary dropped the charges against human rights activist and lawyer Mohammad Mugraby, who was accused of insulting the military institution. "What Mugraby did is merely considered general criticism ... and doesn't show at all an intention of slandering" the military establishment, read the Military Court of Cassation in its decision issued April 15, 2006, and delivered Monday. The court also decided that the Permanent Military Court, which had incriminated Mugraby and whose sentence Mugraby appealed, didn't have any "jurisdiction to look into such a case."
Mugraby had delivered, at the invitation of the European Parliament, a speech about the Human Rights situation in Lebanon, in which he criticized the system of Military Courts, especially their persecution of citizens who are arrested for criticizing the Lebanese authorities.
"Such people were tortured to obtain confessions and had to appear before officers with no legal background," said Mugraby at the European Parliament. Mugraby and a delegation of Dutch lawyers, who attended his trial before the Military Court, held a news conference Monday to explain what happened, saying there should be "no pressures on free speech."
One of the pamphlets at the conference read: "Freedom of expression is a right given by the Lebanese Constitution in Article 13."The Dutch delegation's statement said: "Mugraby has to appear before those he is supposed to have slandered. This cannot be reconciled with the principals of 'fair trial.' The members of the Military Court are appointed by the Defense Minister who also determines the sentence. The case of Dr. Mugraby embodies a far reaching limitation of the freedom of speech. Mugraby can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison."
The Dutch Lawyers for Lawyers foundation has been supporting Mugraby for several years and has sent seven Dutch attorneys and a member of the British House of Commons, who has been following the case, to Beirut to attend the trial and offer support to Mugraby. Julian Brazier, the British MP for Canterbury, said he was delighted to be standing beside his "good friend Mugraby" and the lawyers, and that "the ridiculous charges against Mugraby have been dropped."
He added that Lebanon "has passed an important test in the eyes of the world. The charges of defamation were a crucial test of this. First whether freedom of speech was upheld, second whether democratic institutions like the EU Parliament were respected, third whether courageous lawyers like Mugraby could lawfully defend their clients and finally whether the Lebanese Army restricted its activities to its proper sphere. ... Lebanon has passed this test."
On behalf of the Dutch Foundation Lawyers for Lawyers, Willem van Manen said that in Europe "it is unthinkable that somebody who criticizes subjecting ordinary citizens to military courts be judged for slandering the military." He added punishing such a thing would "without any doubt be judged as a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of speech."
Mugraby said the judiciary's sentence constitutes a "victory" which "ends the latest stage of the prosecutions aimed" at him for exercising his rights. "Nothing achieves freedom than freely practicing it," Mugraby added.

Emie pledges French support
Envoy praises Lebanese for 'liberating' country
By Maroun Khoury -Daily Star correspondent
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
BKIRKI: French Ambassador Bernard Emie said France "will always support the Lebanese in building a free and modern country and achieving their ambitions." He added that the Lebanese should not "marginalize each other and seek to help the public." Emie was speaking on Monday during a banquet given by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir in his honor.
The prelate also headed Easter Monday mass, which is dedicated each year to France and its people. The mass was attended by Emie and his wife, along with a delegation from the French Embassy. Emie praised the achievements of the Lebanese people in "liberating their country from foreign forces, holding free parliamentary elections and conducting a national dialogue free of any foreign interference."
He continued: "The Lebanese hope that their leaders will overcome political divisions in order to agree on all pending issues; the people and history will not forgive them if they fail to assume their responsibilities."Emie called on the Lebanese to "resolve all disputes through dialogue, to listen to each other and to make concessions." Sfeir said France was the "first country to support Lebanon's struggle to regain its independence; although this struggle does not seem to be ending soon."The prelate thanked the ambassador for his "loyalty to the Lebanese cause and his continuous communication with all the Lebanese factions."He also hailed French President Jacques Chirac's interest in the country's developments.Sfeir also met on Monday with former President Amin Gemayel; MPs Butros Harb and Neamatallah Abi Nasr; former MPs Jean Obeid, Bahaeddine Itani and Mohammed Tabo; and a delegation from the Lebanese Army. He further received telephone calls from Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, MP Saad Hariri and other leaders.

Siniora leaves for crucial trip to Washington
By Majdoline Hatoum -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora headed to the U.S. on Monday for a four-day trip in which he will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush and ask him to "pressure Israel into withdrawing" from the Shebaa Farms. Speaking during an interview with Reuters over the weekend, Siniora said he would tell Bush that Israel must first withdraw from the disputed Shebaa Farms area before Hizbullah is disarmed. The premier argued that a withdrawal by the Israelis would lead to Hizbullah's disarmament, as the resistance party says it needs weapons only to defend the country against Israel.
"I'm going to present to President Bush our case ... Israel has to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms and has to stop violating our airspace and waters," the premier said. Lebanon contends that the occupied area is Lebanese, but both the UN and Israel claim the area is Syrian.
An Israeli withdrawal is essential if the Lebanese government is "to assume a monopoly on holding weapons in the country" and would help Lebanese reach a consensus on how to defend their country, Siniora said.
Accompanied by the ministers of Finance, Economy, Justice and Foreign Affairs, the premier is scheduled to meet Bush at the White House on Tuesday. He will also hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other officials before meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York on Friday. Siniora's talks with Bush and Annan will focus on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, raising economic support for Lebanon, and the continuing UN investigation into last year's assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Siniora also said his meeting in New York with Annan - expected on Friday - will focus on the "real progress" being made on setting up an international tribunal to try suspects in the Hariri killing and how Lebanon could get the UN to recognize that Shebaa was Lebanese.
Siniora's visit to the UN will come shortly after Terje Roed-Larsen, UN special envoy for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, presents a key report to Annan.
Diplomatic sources in New York said Roed-Larsen's report, expected to be delivered Tuesday, will hail Lebanon's ongoing national dialogue and the agreement reached on three main issues, including the need to demarcate borders and exchange embassies with Syria, and to disarm Palestinian militias outside refugee camps in Lebanon.
But on the eve of his visit to the U.S., Hizbullah warned Siniora against making any commitments to Washington regarding the group's disarmament. "We warn against giving the U.S., or any other country, any commitments by any Lebanese official," Hizbullah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Monday. Fadlallah said the party advises any authority figure against seeking solutions for Lebanon's problems "outside the borders of this country," and especially from the U.S., "which can never be a charity organization, but wants hegemony and tutorship," over Lebanon. Meanwhile, MP Walid Jumblatt made a trip to Saudi Arabia over the weekend, during which he met with Saudi King Abdullah, who was quoted as reasserting the kingdom's warm support for Lebanon's national dialogue. During his quick trip to Saudi Arabia, Jumblatt also held talks with the leader of the majority Parliament, MP Saad Hariri, who is currently in Riyadh on a private visit. The two legislators' discussion focused on Hariri's recent talks with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris.

Australian crime boss may be hiding out in native Lebanon
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Australian organized crime boss Tony Mokbel, who is of Lebanese origin, is reported to have fled to Lebanon after being convicted of drug trafficking and suspected of involvement in gang killings. Australia's Sunday Herald Sun reported on Sunday that federal police agents are believed to be in Lebanon hunting for Mokbel, who disappeared last month from Melbourne, where a court found him guilty of cocaine smuggling.
A man claiming to be a business associate of Mokbel known as "fat Tony" said he was looking for him in Beirut, the newspaper said. Australian federal authorities declined to comment. However, reports in Australia have said that an international manhunt was underway for Mokbel, the country's top fugitive. Mokbel, 40, was a no-show at his cocaine trafficking trial on March 20. In his absence, a jury found him guilty of smuggling almost three kilograms of pure cocaine into Australia from Mexico in late 2000. He was sentenced to 12 years in jail, with a minimum sentence of nine years.
Police were still investigating Mokbel's connection with Melbourne's gangland murders. The tit-for-tat killings, which swept the city's underworld over the past 8 years, have left 29 criminal figures dead. The majority of the murders are still unsolved.
Mokbel, a multimillionaire property developer, is suspected of involvement in the February 6 murder of underworld figure and former lawyer Mario Condello. The Sunday Herald Sun quoted one of Mokbel's business partners as saying he had people searching for the fugitive in Beirut. The source said he had nothing to do with Mokbel's criminal activities but that they were in real estate together. "We know he's there. We have some business with Tony - nothing to do with what he's done (criminally). We are in property," said the source. "When he left for Beirut, the business went bad," he added. Australia has no formal extradition treaty with Lebanon. The source said Mokbel had many investments in Beirut, including an interest in St. Georges Marina, a luxury port in the Lebanese capital. The source said he was publicizing the drug baron's suspected whereabouts to attract police attention. - Naharnet

Reform 'won't work without true stability'
By Therese Sfeir -Daily Star staff
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
BEIRUT: The Reform and Change parliamentary bloc said Monday that reform could not be achieved without stability. The bloc met Monday for its regular weekly meeting, which was presided over by its president, MP Michel Aoun.
A statement issued following the meeting said that Aoun informed members of the bloc of the outcome of his visit to Qatar and discussions he held with Qatari officials. Commenting on the reform blueprint currently being discussed by the Cabinet, the bloc said: "Any reform paper cannot represent a comprehensive and balanced plan if it is not accompanied by true political stability, based on respect for democracy and transparency." The bloc also urged the country's politicians to "assume their national responsibilities and to decide on their options before April 28, because the Lebanese people are no longer able to bear political bickering." April 28 is the date which participants in the national dialogue have set aside to deal with the fate of embattled President Emile Lahoud. Aoun will meet on Tuesday with the vice president of the Lebanese Forces executive committee, MP George Adwan. In a separate development, Reform and Change MP Salim Salhab said his bloc "will follow up on the government's decision to conduct an investigation into the accounts of its companies." In an interview with Sawt al-Ghad radio station Monday, Salhab said he believed "the Cabinet issued this decision before Premier Fouad Siniora's visit to the U.S. in an attempt to gain the approval of the U.S. on some economic demands."


Eight Dead and 50 Wounded in Tel Aviv Suicide Bombing
By Scott Shiloh-Sheva Artz 17.4.06
An Arab suicide bomber, detonated a large explosive at a Tel Aviv fast food stand in the Neveh Sha’anan neighborhood Monday afternoon, killing at least eight civilians. At least 50 persons were wounded, with 15 sustaining moderate to severe injuries. The wounded have been evacuated to local hospitals, among them, Ichilov, Beilinson, Wolfson, and Tel Hashomer. Of those seriously injured, at least five are reported to be in critical condition. An eye-witness at the scene, Rafi Hayun, told Israel Radio that the terrorist was a female. He estimated that five persons, aside from the terrorist, were killed in the attack. That figure has since been confirmed by official sources. The identity of the terrorist has not been confirmed.
Police are investigating how the terrorist reached the Tel Aviv destination and whether any assistance was received by other terrorists still in the vicinity. The Islamic Jihad terror group and the Al Aksa Brigades, the military wing of the Fatah party, have claimed responsibility for the attack. Fatah is the party of PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) leader Mahmoud Abbas, and his predecessor, PLO terrorist chieftain Yassir Arafat.
In 1993, Israel signed the Oslo Accords and ceded control of heavily populated Arab areas to the Palestinian Authority. When the accords were signed, the PLO and its largest component, Fatah, pledged in writing to refrain from carrying out terrorist attacks or from using violence of any kind against Israel.
The Al Aksa Brigades and the Islamic Jihad have been cooperating extensively to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel, especially since Hamas won a pivotal parliamentary election in the Palestinian Authority last January. The fast food felafel stand, "Rosh Ha-Ir," in the vicinity of Tel Aviv's former central bus station, was the site of a terrorist attack three months ago. Thrity-two people were injured in that attack which was also carried out by the Islamic Jihad. Following Monday's latest attack, Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi, put the nation on maximum alert, out of concern that the inauguration of the 17th Knesset, scheduled for 4:00 this afternoon will serve as a pretext for more attacks.
As of Monday afternoon, Israel's security apparatus was faced with the threat of 19 specific terrorist attacks, warning of an impending attack at a specific time and place. Eighty more general threats of attack have been reported to Israel's intelligence agencies. Karadi noted that the police had no specific warning of the impending terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.
According to latest reports, a blue Mitsubishi, suspected of being the vehicle that transported the suicide bomber to his target in Tel Aviv, has been stopped by the IDF at the Ofir roadblock on Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway 443, near Ramallah in the Binyamin area. A number of persons in the car have been arrested and are being questioned by security agencies.

Release from the WMU
MARONITE UNION BLAME JIHADISTS FOR CRIMES AGAINST COPTS
New York, April 17th, 2007
www.maroniteunion.org -usmaronite@aol.com
The World Maronite Union strongly condemns the criminal attacks against the Copts of Egypt, particularly the aggression against the Churches in Alexandria last week.
1) The Union blames the Jihadists who are planning and executing these attacks against unarmed and innocent civilians with in the Coptic Christian community of Egypt. The Maronite Union hold the Islamic Fundamentalist organizations in Egypt as responsible for incitement and support to the Jihadi networks, implicated in terrorism against Copts and moderate Muslims in Egypt and the region.
2) The World Maronite Union, on behalf of 12 million Maronites in the World stands firmly by the Coptic people and vow to support international initiative to extend protection to these communities under siege.
3) The World Maronite Union sees in the attack against the Copts of Egypt a global pattern of Jihadi persecution of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world. It expresses its concerns for the increase of incidents against Christians in Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Iran and beyond.
4) The Maronite Union calls on democratic and humanist Muslims in Egypt and the Middle East to form a common front against the Jihadists
Sami El-Khoury
President
Tom Harb
Deputy Secretary General
 

Release:  HRAAP & APRO Denounce violence actions during the funeral of the victim of the recent incidents in Alex
APRO" <apro@aproarab.org
To: K.Dalacoura@lse.ac.uk
Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 11:43:27 +0200
Cairo: April 16, 2006
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners and the Arab Penal Reform Organization
Denounce violence actions during the funeral of the victim of the recent incidents in Alex, and stresses that the Egyptian people unity is stronger and bigger than any attempts
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners and the Arab Penal Reform express their strong denouncement to the incident of the assault on prayers in three churches in Alex that resulted in the death of two Egyptian citizens called Noshy Ata Girges "Christian" and injuring other persons. Additionally, the two organizations denounce strongly the mutual violence actions during the funeral of the mentioned victim in Saturday April 16, 2006.
It is worth mentioning that during the funeral of the victim, in which around 3000 citizens participated in the funeral, some violence actions took place between people taking part in the funeral and some other citizens resulting in the damage of 32 civil cars in addition to the destruction of around 28 shops and façade of some mosques. In addition, the violence actions resulted in the injury of 22 citizens and 2 police officers. The security forces arrested 15 persons participated in these violence actions.
Additionally, an Egyptian citizen has died influenced by his injuries during sectarian violence actions in last Friday resulting in the death of the Christian citizen and injuring tens of citizens. The citizen Mustafa Mesh'al "Muslim" aged 47 affected by his injuries in the hospital that he was suffering from since violence actions according to information received from witnesses.
In consequence of all these incidents, the two organizations stress heavily on the importance of the national unity among all categories in society to stand against any attempts to break this unity. In addition, the organizations call upon all relevant parties including security officers to remain calm and control their selves to deal with this incident and call upon all parties to reconsider the great history of this nation that sacrificed their sons all over its history to protect their land and build its future without discrimination between Muslims or Christians whom their blood was mixed up on the Egyptian sand. All categories have to seeks to eliminate any attempts to destroy this great history and this great nation.
Finally, the organizations appeal to all parties and categories to keep calm and wait for the results of investigations and disclosing the truth before the public opinion.
Human Rights Association for the Assistance of Prisoners HRAAP
Arab Penal Reform Organization APRO

Family of missing American sues Syria
Father says new evidence indicates captured soldier still alive
Posted: April 17, 2006
By Aaron Klein- © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com -Zachary Baumel
The family of a Brooklyn-born Israeli soldier who was captured by Syrian forces 23 years ago has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. against the Syrian government and its top officials – including Syrian President Bashar Assad – for abduction and illegal imprisonment. The lawsuit follows the release of new information indicating Zachary Baumel, captured in Lebanon in 1982, is being held in Syria, and comes after several failed attempts by Baumel's father, Yona, to appeal directly to Assad.
Baumel, a dual American-Israeli citizen, was taken along with two Israeli members of his tank crew, Yehuda Katz and Tzvi Feldman, during Israel's foray in the Lebanon War. All three were photographed in Damascus on the day of their capture, and several eyewitnesses, including a Time magazine reporter, said they watched a parade in which the tank and crew were led through a major street in Damascus and flaunted to cheering crowds. The ceremony was the last time the soldiers were seen publicly. The Baumel family filed the lawsuit last week in Washington, D.C., Federal District Court utilizing a section of the U.S. Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which contains a provision that allows American citizens to sue governments supporting terrorism and collect judgments from any foreign governmental assets on U.S. soil. Syria publicly hosts the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and has been accused of supporting Palestinian terrorism and allowing insurgents to cross from its border into Iraq to commit acts of terror.
The Baumel lawsuit marks the first time the Syrian government has been sued under the Immunities Act, which has been successfully used in the past to prosecute the Palestinian Authority and Iran.
The suit names the Syrian government and several officials including Syrian President Assad, Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shaara and former Defense Minister Moustapha Tlaas. It seeks a judgment against Syria collectible against the country's assets in the U.S.
"Over the years, a wealth of information has accrued that the Syrian Government is directly responsible in this case," said Yona Baumel, Zack's father. "Our aim is not to obtain a financial judgment, but to get access to the MIAs. By hitting the Syrians where it hurts, in their pocketbooks, we hope to obtain positive results where all other methods have failed."
In March 2005, Baumel told WND that sources he had cultivated in Syria told him they visited his son that year at a Syrian military installation just north of the border with Iraq. Baumel was also given a book from a confidante of a family in Syria that has coded messages he says could have been written only by his son.
Baumel showed WND pages from the book, a 1999 novel titled "The Map of Love." The lettering has been stained after extensive Israeli forensics testing, but a series of marks are visible under the letters "BAZMUTACUMKCEL" – ZACK BAUMEL MTUC.
The MTUC, Yona explained, came from an old family joke that outsiders would not be in a position to know.
Part of Zachary Baumel's dog tag.
"It had to have been written by Zack," said Baumel. "It refers to an old joke he was told from a long time ago when his mother, whose maiden name was Miriam Turetsky or MT, was a kid. The other children would point at her head and say 'it's empty you see,' or MTUC."
Additionally, phrases throughout the book were underlined or circled, including "A child forsaken," "I have hope" and "help me."
Baumel said the new evidence had given him renewed hope and a sense of urgency in his campaign to find his son.
He and Stuart Ditchek, Zachary's childhood friend and the founder of the Committee for the Release of Zachary Baumel, attempted several times to petition the Syrian government to release Zachary or to set up a personal meeting with Assad. Their efforts were ultimately rebuffed.
"After many years of efforts to resolve this tragic case it is a sad time for the Baumel family to have to resort to legal action against President Assad and the government of Syria," said Ditchek. "The message that we are sending the Syrians is that this case will not fade away with time."
Ditchek said the civil lawsuit "is only the beginning. It will also result in criminal action against Bashar Assad and his government should they not resolve the issue of Zachary Baumel. We will ensure that Zack's case will follow Assad whether as a private citizen or the president of Syria."
Zachary Baumel was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and attended yeshiva until his family immigrated to Israel in 1970, where he graduated high school and enlisted in the Israeli army. Baumel nearly finished his military service when he was called up to serve in the Lebanon War. Just hours before the declaration of a cease-fire, Zachary was sent into battle near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yaqub and subsequently captured. That day, 21 Israelis were killed and many more were injured.
Several weeks after Baumel was captured, Syrian officials said they buried four bodies in a Jewish cemetery. Baumel was thought to have been among the dead. But a year later, the Red Cross exhumed the graves and found the bodies were that of three Arabs and one Israeli missing from the same battle.
Syrian officials since have given conflicting reports to the media, including statements claiming Baumel and his three Israeli crewmen still were alive.
Also Israeli diplomatic sources told WND Syrian officials have implied through third party messengers Baumel is still alive.
Prior to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, PLO leader Yasser Arafat presented Israel with half of Baumel's dog tag and claimed he had information on the missing soldier's whereabouts. Arafat later refused to release further details.
"The new information we have been given [indicating Zachary is being held in Syria] is very compelling that Zachary is alive," said Ditchek. "We will get this resolved one way or another."