LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
May 17/2007

Bible Reading of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 16,12-15. I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.

Free Opinions
Lebanon's Final Barrier.Daoud Shirian-Dar Al-Hayat. May 17/07
The Sit-Ins of 2007. By: Hussein Shobokshi. Asharq Alawsat. May 17/07

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for May 1/4/07
Welch Assures Pro-Government Camp Lebanon is Not for Trade-Naharnet
Welch Urges Presidential Elections On Time-Naharnet
Welch, in Beirut, Reassures No US Deals with Syria, Iran at ...Naharnet
Welch stresses America's 'firm' commitment to Lebanon.Daily Star
Sfeir and the USA strive for a peaceful succession to president Lahoud.AsiaNews.it
Lebanon May Be Heading For More Turmoil Once Lahoud's Mandate Expires.AHN
Berri: No United Government, No Tribunal-Naharnet
Hariri slams Lahoud for writing letter to UN regarding ...Daily Star
US expects UN to move to impose Hariri court. Daily Star
Frantic Efforts Not to Leave Presidential Post Vacant.Naharnet
U.N. Considering Establishing Tribunal to Try Hariri Killers This Week-Naharnet
US, Europeans seek to establish Lebanon tribunal.Reuters
Lahoud Urges U.N. Not to Impose Tribunal-Naharnet
Hezbollah Takes Root in South America.theTrumpet.com
Hariri court will cause discord: Hezbollah.Khaleej Times
Qaida Making New Inroads in Lebanon, Europe, Algeria, Palestine-Naharnet
Gunmen shoot 2 Jund al-Sham militants. Daily Star

Welch stresses America's 'firm' commitment to Lebanon
By Hani M. Bathish
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
BEIRUT: The US State Department's top official in the Middle East said Tuesday his government remained committed in its support for Premier Fouad Siniora's government and to what he described as Lebanon's advance toward "full democracy." "The United States' commitment to Lebanon remains firm, enduring and non-negotiable," Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said following a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir at Bkirki.
Welch reiterated his government's support for timely presidential elections and for one government in Lebanon. He said that for members of Parliament to meet and elect a president without pressure would be a "significant step." "There is only one government and there should only be one government," Welch said.
Leaders from both of the country's main political camps have warned in recent weeks that a failure by Parliament to elect a new president as planned in September could give rise to a double government. Welch arrived at Rafik Hariri International Airport Tuesday afternoon and was whisked away amid tight security to the US Embassy in Awkar, where he met with pro-government MPs.
Welch's visit came a day after Siniora sent a letter to the UN seeking help with the establishment of the international court to try suspects in the killing of former Premier Rafik Hariri. Welch said he was confident the tribunal would "see the light of day," pointing to an earlier agreement on the issue between the current Cabinet and the UN. Welch also met with parliamentary majority leader MP Saad Hariri in Qoreitem on Tuesday, and was also scheduled to meet with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblatt. The Central News Agency (CNA) reported Tuesday that members of the parliamentary majority, in discussions with Welch, had stressed the need to expedite the Hariri tribunal. Welch was scheduled to meet Wednesday with Speaker Nabih Berri, Siniora and former President Amin Gemayel.
Welch told reporters at Bkirki that his government "will continue to support and stand with the Lebanese people as they complete their historic transformation to full democracy.""I shared with his eminence the belief of the US that the Lebanese have a unique opportunity at this time to take their future in their hands by electing a new president - on time, in accordance with the Constitution and free of outside interference," he said.
Welch also conveyed birthday greetings to Sfeir "from US President George W. Bush, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the American people."
According to the CNA report, Berri conveyed a desire to visit Bkirki through the head of the Phalange Party, Karim Pakradouni, who met Sfeir Monday.
Sfeir reportedly welcomed the visit, saying that "the doors of Bkirki are open to him and to all the Lebanese." Sfeir hoped the meeting with Berri would be "preceded by adequate preparation and agreement over the desired results of the meeting" within the framework of a joint memorandum of understanding that covers the matter of presidential polls.
Parallel to American diplomatic activity in Lebanon, Iran's ambassador to the country, Mohammed Rida Shibani, met with Hariri for an hour and a half on Tuesday afternoon. Shibani declined to comment after the meeting.

Hariri slams Lahoud for writing letter to UN regarding international tribunal
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
BEIRUT: Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri lashed out at President Emile Lahoud for sending a letter to the UN on Tuesday in response to a letter sent a day earlier by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Siniora's letter asked for help with the establishment of an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri "as a matter of urgency."
"Once again, Emile Lahoud proves that he is free of any conscience or ethics to oppose uncovering the truth and enforcing justice ... Once again, Emile Lahoud proves that he only recognizes the sovereignty of his president, Bashar Assad," Hariri said, referring to the Syrian head of state.
He also hinted that Lahoud had been complicit in his father's assassination. Hariri described Lahoud as "the one who only maintains ties of friendship with the dead, who is only loyal to the regime of the intelligence service, who only defends killers and suspects [in Hariri's assassination]."He also referred to Lahoud as "the one hated by his people and rejected by dignified people in Lebanon and the world." Lahoud's letter said Siniora had used the "same old" tactics in pressuring the opposition. "I feel sorry that Siniora repeats the same old tactics with the world's most reputable organization to achieve his goals by falsifying facts to drag the Security Council into siding with one Lebanese party against the other," according to a copy of the letter released to the media. The government first officially sought UN assistance in creating the court in a petition submitted on April 10.
Quoting from a letter he sent to Ban in February, Lahoud said that "ratifying the court by the UN Security Council would not only threaten Lebanon's stability ... but would hamper the court's judicial capacities to hold an impartial trial."
"Ratifying the court by the UN implies a full bypass of the constitutional mechanism in Lebanon," Lahoud said.Siniora's Monday letter had asked the Security Council to set up the court however "it deems appropriate." Attempts to ratify the tribunal in Parliament had failed, the letter said.
The March 14 Forces expressed "full support" for Siniora's letter "after Lebanese constitutional institutions failed to approve the tribunal."
In a statement issued after a meeting held late Monday in Qoreitem, the March 14 Forces said Siniora sent the letter "due to the [opposition's] insistence on keeping Parliament closed."Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani said Tuesday Siniora's initiative "is the only way to approve the court."
"All those who hampered its establishment by launching unfounded pretexts assume the responsibility of approving the court outside the country," Qabbani said after meeting with Siniora at the Grand Serail.
"They should have reached agreement over its establishment instead of claiming that its approval outside the country exposes us to a great danger," Qabbani added.
Taking the opposite side of the debate Tuesday, former Premier Salim al-Hoss said approval of the court by the Security Council would mean "ceding the Lebanese sovereignty.""The tribunal should be Lebanese having an international aspect and not 100-percent international," Hoss said after talks with parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri. - The Daily Star

Qaida Making New Inroads in Lebanon, Europe, Algeria, Palestine
The former head of Britain's spy agency has warned that Al-Qaida cells were making new inroads in Lebanon, Europe, Algeria and the Palestinian territories and said governments ought to change their tactics. "Al-Qaida is changing its tactics and so should governments," said Richard Dearlove, the former head of Britain's intelligence agency, MI6, addressing a London business conference Tuesday on terrorist threats.
"We need to think rather carefully about where we go now -- from where we are now -- in confronting the consequences of 9-11," said Dearlove.
Al-Qaida was making new inroads in Algeria, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, and there had been a resurgence in places such as Somalia, Dearlove said. Tactics in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have been successful in weakening terror groups.
Changes in policies needed to be "subtle and thoughtful," he said. "Our strategy -- strategic position -- in sum is weak ... A strategic rethink is probably the point that we have now reached," added Dearlove, who is now head of Pembroke College at Cambridge University.
Dearlove was one of the purported characters in the so-called "Downing St. Memos," notes of a secret meeting in the summer of 2002 when British intelligence officials allegedly warned Prime Minister Tony Blair and his advisers that the United States was bent on going to war in Iraq despite weak evidence that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. tactics used after the Sept. 11 terror attacks were understandable but needed to be updated, Dearlove said, noting that Britain had taken a more "mature approach" to the U.S.-led "war on terror." "I think if we take a longer-term view, which we should be taking now, the policy has to change," Dearlove said.
A clear moral position was needed to halt al-Qaida recruitment but Muslim leaders needed to be involved.
He also said counter-terrorist policies adopted by the United States, such as extraordinary rendition and detention without warrant, must be changed.
"At the moment there is no question that it is very easy for al-Qaida to recruit its foot soldiers," he said. "I am sure that the most efficient way for Muslim communities to police the al-Qaida influence in the U.K. is to do it themselves. My understanding is that the policy of community policing generally in the U.K. has actually failed in this specific area." Part of the challenge was building strong alliances with foreign governments, such as Pakistan, Dearlove said.
"Some of these relationships are very fragile and require constant attention and supervision," he said. Rohan Gunaratna, an al-Qaida expert and head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, said Iraq was becoming a "Disneyland" for al-Qaida, much like Afghanistan had been. When the United States went to war in 2003, the al-Qaida terror network had fairly weak links in Iraq.
Iraq is now dotted by dozens of al-Qaida-affiliated groups. Some are led by Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who replaced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the al-Qaida chain of command and has been trying to build a support base in Europe, Gunaratna said. "The epicenter has shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq," Gunaratna said, warning that if U.S.-led coalition forces pulled out of Iraq now, attacks in Europe would increase and troops would have to go back in two to three years.
Although much has been learned about terrorist tactics, the nature of cells and halting attacks, al-Qaida is thriving despite significant setbacks, Dearlove said.
He said al-Qaida has been successful in "brand appeal." The question now was where the brand goes next. "Al-Qaida in Iraq seeks a propaganda victory against the West," Dearlove said of a campaign he said was meant to target U.S. and British voters, comparing it to the Vietnam War.(AP)
Beirut, 16 May 07, 08:44

U.N. Considering Establishing Tribunal to Try Hariri Killers This Week
In response to a request from Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, the United States said it planned to circulate a draft resolution in the U.N. Security Council this week to establish an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.
"We expect to introduce a resolution before the end of this week," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters on Tuesday.
"We cannot allow killers to get away with impunity," Khalilzad said. "We cannot let the Lebanese down and I think it's imperative that we move forward. ... We expect to have a draft resolution introduced perhaps before the end of the week." Saniora on Monday sent a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon asking him "as a matter of urgency to put before the Security Council our request that the special tribunal be put into effect." Ban, who discussed Saniora's request over lunch Tuesday with council members, told reporters afterward that the Security Council should create the tribunal -- but at the same time he urged the Lebanese parties to try again to reach agreement on the tribunal which would be the best solution. "I think it is necessary for the Security Council to take necessary actions," Ban said. But "even at this time I would hope and urge Lebanese government and people to agree themselves on national consensus to establish the special tribunal," he said. "It is absolutely necessary to send out a strong message that there should be no impunity for perpetrators who committed crimes, and particularly for political assassination."
Saniora's government has been locked in a bitter feud with its pro-Syrian opposition over implementing an agreement with the U.N. to set up the court to prosecute suspects in Hariri's murder and related crimes. Hariri and 22 other people were killed in a massive bomb blast in February 2005, widely blamed on Syria, which was then forced to end nearly 30 years of military and political domination in Lebanon. Damascus denies any links with the assassination. It has made clear it will not allow any Syrian to be tried by a court it regards as an affront to its sovereignty. Saniora pressed for a binding Security Council resolution under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter after House Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hizbullah ally and a key opposition leader, refused to convene parliament to ratify the tribunal.
The opposition says the U.N. would use the court for political ends. Speaking in his capacity as U.S. envoy, Khalilzad, who chairs the 15-member Security Council this month, told reporters Tuesday that it was "important to assist the Lebanese" in setting up the tribunal.
Diplomats said the text would be sponsored by the United States, Britain and France, which along with Russia and China, are veto-wielding members of the Council. The key question is whether Russia, an ally of Syria, would support such a draft.
Early this month, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warned the Lebanese that they should not expect the Security Council to sort out every problem.
"The people of Lebanon cannot be looking to the Security Council to solve all their problems," he then said. "We feel there's still time for the parties in Lebanon to come to agreement on the special tribunal. Meanwhile, Hizbullah Tuesday warned of "discord" if the U.N. imposes the tribunal.
"I warn the Security Council and the United Nations that international institutions should not be the means to sow divisions and discord," Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar told reporters."The United Nations will be held responsible for any Security Council resolution that pushes Lebanon into discord, and we warn against such a decision," he added. Damascus denies any links with the assassination. It has made clear it will not allow any Syrian to be tried by a court it regards as an affront to its sovereignty.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 15 May 07, 23:42

Welch, in Beirut, Reassures No U.S. Deals with Syria, Iran at Lebanon Expense
U.S. Middle East Envoy David Welch has repeated U.S. assurances that there will be no deals with Syria or Iran at Lebanon's expense and reiterated his country's non-negotiable support for Premier Fouad Saniora's majority government.
The daily An Nahar, citing well-informed sources, said Welch will convey in separate meetings he will hold on Wednesday with Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, U.S. President George Bush's reassurances that any "American agreement" with Iran or Syria on Iraq or on the nuclear program "will not be at Lebanon's expense." Asked if he would meet President Emile Lahoud, Welch said: "I don't think so."
An Nahar's Khalil Fleihan quoted Lebanese sources as saying that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has expressed her country's readiness to adjust its policies vis a-vis Iran and engage in talks with Tehran on the likelihood that the U.N. freeze sanctions on Iran if the Persian state agreed to stop enriching uranium.
The assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs said he is "confident" that Lebanon would flourish as a unified country.
He made the announcement after a 45-minute meeting on Tuesday with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir in the first visit by a U.S. official since the July-August war between Hizbullah and Israel.Welch said Bush's administration would maintain its support for the Lebanese People as they progress towards full democracy.
The U.S. would continue cooperating with Lebanon's friends in the International community to help this nation achieve its capabilities.
Welch said the Lebanese People have a unique chance at this time to determine their future by electing a new president in line with the constitution and without foreign intervention.Allowing members of parliament to elect a new head of state freely will be a major step along the march to achieve the people's aspirations of sovereignty and independence, Welch noted.
He also stressed that "there should be one government in Lebanon."He was referring to reports that the Hizbullah-led opposition, which is backed by Syria and Iran, might form a breakaway government opposing the Saniora cabinet to hamper the election of a successor to Syrian-backed Lahoud whose extended term expires on Nov. 22.Welch also held talks with parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblat.
The United States has boycotted Lahoud since the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri in Feb. 2005. Welch declared support for the creation by the U.N. Security Council of an international tribunal to try suspects in the Hariri assassination and related crimes, stressing that the culprits should face justice.
Welch's visit came one day after Saniora asked the U.N. Security Council to set up an international court to try suspects in the Hariri murder.
A draft resolution on the tribunal would be referred to the U.N. Security Council this week. Hizbullah has warned that creating the tribunal by the U.N. Security Council under chapter seven of the international organization's chapter would lead to "discord" in Lebanon.
The Saniora government accuses the pro-Damascus opposition of deliberately blocking parliament's ratification of the tribunal plan at the behest of its Syrian masters. Damascus, which has been widely blamed for the Hariri murder, has made clear it will not allow any Syrians to be tried by a court it regards as an affront to its sovereignty.
Syria denies involvement in Hariri killing. Welch was the last member of the U.S. administration to visit Lebanon on August 11 -- three days before the end of a 34-day Israel-Hizbullah war. Beirut, 16 May 07, 09:38

Lahoud Urges U.N. Not to Impose Tribunal
President Emile Lahoud has urged the Security Council to stay out of the country's political power struggle and not impose an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. In a letter to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, Lahoud accused his rival, Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, of using the council "to support some Lebanese against others." Saniora on Monday sent a letter to Ban asking him "as a matter of urgency to put before the Security Council our request that the special tribunal be put into effect." In response, the United States said Tuesday it planned to circulate a resolution to have the U.N. Security Council unilaterally establish an international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The Saniora government accuses the Hizbullah-led opposition of deliberately blocking parliament's ratification of the court plan at the behest of its Syrian masters.
Both Lahoud and House Speaker Nabih Berri do not recognize the legitimacy of Saniora's cabinet. Berri has refused to convene parliament to debate the tribunal blueprint.In his letter to Ban, Lahoud said Berri's rejection to hold a parliament session to endorse the court was because the speaker "cannot be a witness" if the present Constitution is violated. Beirut, 16 May 07, 11:14

Qaida Making New Inroads in Lebanon, Europe, Algeria, Palestine
The former head of Britain's spy agency has warned that Al-Qaida cells were making new inroads in Lebanon, Europe, Algeria and the Palestinian territories and said governments ought to change their tactics. "Al-Qaida is changing its tactics and so should governments," said Richard Dearlove, the former head of Britain's intelligence agency, MI6, addressing a London business conference Tuesday on terrorist threats.
"We need to think rather carefully about where we go now -- from where we are now -- in confronting the consequences of 9-11," said Dearlove.
Al-Qaida was making new inroads in Algeria, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, and there had been a resurgence in places such as Somalia, Dearlove said. Tactics in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have been successful in weakening terror groups. Changes in policies needed to be "subtle and thoughtful," he said.
"Our strategy -- strategic position -- in sum is weak ... A strategic rethink is probably the point that we have now reached," added Dearlove, who is now head of Pembroke College at Cambridge University. Dearlove was one of the purported characters in the so-called "Downing St. Memos," notes of a secret meeting in the summer of 2002 when British intelligence officials allegedly warned Prime Minister Tony Blair and his advisers that the United States was bent on going to war in Iraq despite weak evidence that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. tactics used after the Sept. 11 terror attacks were understandable but needed to be updated, Dearlove said, noting that Britain had taken a more "mature approach" to the U.S.-led "war on terror." "I think if we take a longer-term view, which we should be taking now, the policy has to change," Dearlove said.
A clear moral position was needed to halt al-Qaida recruitment but Muslim leaders needed to be involved. He also said counter-terrorist policies adopted by the United States, such as extraordinary rendition and detention without warrant, must be changed. "At the moment there is no question that it is very easy for al-Qaida to recruit its foot soldiers," he said. "I am sure that the most efficient way for Muslim communities to police the al-Qaida influence in the U.K. is to do it themselves. My understanding is that the policy of community policing generally in the U.K. has actually failed in this specific area."
Part of the challenge was building strong alliances with foreign governments, such as Pakistan, Dearlove said. "Some of these relationships are very fragile and require constant attention and supervision," he said. Rohan Gunaratna, an al-Qaida expert and head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, said Iraq was becoming a "Disneyland" for al-Qaida, much like Afghanistan had been.
When the United States went to war in 2003, the al-Qaida terror network had fairly weak links in Iraq. Iraq is now dotted by dozens of al-Qaida-affiliated groups. Some are led by Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who replaced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the al-Qaida chain of command and has been trying to build a support base in Europe, Gunaratna said.
"The epicenter has shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq," Gunaratna said, warning that if U.S.-led coalition forces pulled out of Iraq now, attacks in Europe would increase and troops would have to go back in two to three years. Although much has been learned about terrorist tactics, the nature of cells and halting attacks, al-Qaida is thriving despite significant setbacks, Dearlove said. He said al-Qaida has been successful in "brand appeal." The question now was where the brand goes next. "Al-Qaida in Iraq seeks a propaganda victory against the West," Dearlove said of a campaign he said was meant to target U.S. and British voters, comparing it to the Vietnam War.(AP) Beirut, 16 May 07, 08:44

Hizbullah Predicts 'Discord' if Tribunal Passed by U.N.
Lebanon's Damascus-backed Hizbullah on Tuesday predicted "discord" in Lebanon if the United Nations imposes an international court to try suspects in the 2005 murder of former Premier Rafik Hariri.The warning followed a letter by Prime Minister Fouad Saniora asking the U.N. Security Council to set up the court even without Lebanese parliamentary approval, amid deep political divisions over the tribunal.
"I warn the Security Council and the United Nations that international institutions should not be the means to sow divisions and discord," Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar told reporters. "The United Nations will be held responsible for any Security Council resolution that pushes Lebanon into discord, and we warn against such a decision," he said. "The sovereignty of international institutions stops at Lebanon's sovereignty. We reject any undermining of constitutional institutions."
The Western-backed Saniora government accuses the pro-Damascus opposition -- led by Hizbullah -- of deliberately blocking parliament's ratification of the tribunal plan at the behest of its Syrian masters. Although it has been widely blamed for the Hariri murder, Syria denies any links with the assassination. It has made clear it will not allow any Syrian to be tried by a court it regards as an affront to its sovereignty.(AFP-Naharnet) Beirut, 15 May 07, 15:56

The Sit-Ins of 2007
16/05/2007
http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=8971
By: Hussein Shobokshi
A Businessman and prominent columnist. Mr. Shobokshi hosts the weekly current affairs program Al Takreer on Al Arabiya, and in 1995, he was chosen as one of the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Management from the University of Tulsa.
The Lebanese issue is becoming increasingly aggravated and the comments and successive events that follow continue to grow. It is now clear that Lebanese affairs are experiencing an increasing amount of complications and crises especially with the summer fast approaching that carries unpleasant surprises within.
The presidential crisis is in an intricate deadlock with no solution on the horizon, in addition to the fact that the parliament is closed and its spokesman prefers to stay at home rather than to create and launch the necessary parliamentary activity. Moreover, there are sectarian currents that condemn and threaten the government and threaten to take to the streets, yet they never explain the existence of tents and thousands of people who lay their bodies down in the streets of central Beirut for a number of months now on the pretext of taking part in a "sit-in". Will there be more taking to the streets? A certain group refuses to re-establish parliamentary action, to open the door to proper and fair presidential nominations along with its refusal to support a democratically elected government. It even refuses to recognize an international tribunal to investigate the series of assassinations which are still charged against anonymous perpetrators. All these factors will further complicate the Lebanese crisis and widen the gap even more between the conflicting parties in a way in which a possible and acceptable solution is becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Will Lebanon that is famous for being the only democracy in the Middle East shift into being a minefield of sectarian tension and a legalized playing field for settling vendettas?
How poor this constitution of Lebanon is! We have everyone claiming that his/her stance is the only one that conforms to the constitution and that the others violate it. The Lebanese constitution has come to resemble the Bible in that there are so many different versions, with every party claiming that theirs is the correct one.
What has this sit-in actually accomplished on the ground apart from complicating issues further and minimizing confidence in the Lebanese economy and the stability of the country? Furthermore, there is a dangerous obsession that worries the sit-in group and a concern in the case of a presidential vacuum that will befall the country if no president is elected to succeed the current president, Emile Lahoud (whose persistence in power is still a cause of many controversies). In this case, the responsibility of governance will be devolved upon the prime minister for a transitional period. Thus, this frenzied wave of programmed and systematized attack on the prime minister and accusing him of charges that defy logic is no longer strange.
Pushing Lebanon to the brink of the abyss, and the enjoyment of witnessing the tremendous build up and the severity of the fall; is an illness, or more specifically, a case of psychological "sadism" that is more likely to be found among patients of mental illnesses and not parties and representatives of responsible political movements. The persistence of this farce will transfer the responsibility of governance from the hands of the Lebanese people to the hands of the international community. I hope that every person taking part in the sit-in is pleased with the results of the sit-in and what has happened in the country as a result of such action. I hope that every member of the sit-in is pleased with the number of migrants who have left Lebanon after the beginning of the sit-in. I hope that they are pleased with the number and size of investments that have turned away from the country for good, depriving the young Lebanese of decent livelihoods. Lebanon continues to fall deeper and deeper amidst the stubbornness of irresponsible groups that play with the future of their country. These groups do not have the capacity to maintain the independence of their positions or their speeches. Lebanon is caught between two images that the famous Lebanese singer, Fairouz, once sung about. On one hand, there is a Lebanon that is “strewn with fire and dynamite,” or, on the other hand, there is a Lebanon that “come snow or sun, love remains its dawn and the sun remains its freedom.” The Lebanese people will have to choose out of the two before someone else decides for them.

For Immediate Release
Lebanon: Investigate Torture Allegations at Ministry of Defense
Joint Statement by Human Rights Watch and CLDH
(Beirut, May 11, 2007) – Lebanon’s judiciary should investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment of nine detainees whose trial before a military court began on April 21, Human Rights Watch and CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights) said today.
The nine stand accused of forming an illegal group and conspiring to commit crimes against the state with the aim of inciting sectarian strife. They are also charged with possession and transfer of weapons and explosive material and planning to assassinate the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. Human Rights Watch and CLDH interviewed seven of the nine detainees and monitored their trial on April 21.
Lebanese soldiers and plainclothes officers arrested the nine accused over a three-day period starting on March 31, 2006. The detainees told Human Rights Watch and CLDH that, at the moment of arrest, army members blindfolded them and transferred them to the Ministry of Defense, where Army Intelligence detained them until Friday April 7, 2006. During their time at the ministry, they were denied access to counsel and to their families. Most of them did not even know that they were at the Ministry of Defense until after they left it.
The nine detainees are: Ghassan Shehab al-Suleiman al-Slaybi, 45; Muhammad Ghassan al-Suleiman al-Slaybi (son of Ghassan), 20; Yussef Munir Kobrosli, 32; Ibrahim Shehab al-Suleiman al-Slaybi (brother of Ghassan), 36; Ziad Tarek Yamout, 26; Safi Muhammad Ibrahim `Arab, 35; Siraj al-Din Munir al-Suleiman al-Slaybi, 23; `Ali Amin Khaled, 3 1; Ahmad `Isam al-Rashid, 22.
Torture Allegations during Detention at Ministry of Defense
Four of the detainees allege that their interrogators tortured them during their detention at the Ministry of Defense in order to force them to confess, while others say they were being ill-treated and intimidated. Ghassan Slaybi told Human Rights Watch and CLDH that when he first arrived at the Ministry of Defense, armed guards hit him with a thick wooden stick on his back and later tortured him by placing him on an electric chair. He also alleged that his interrogators threatened to harm his wife if he did not cooperate. His son Muhammad, 19, who was arrested at the same time, also alleged that his interrogators hit him on the soles of his feet and suspended him in the extremely painful “balanco” position in order to extract confessions from him.
While the other f ive detainees did not report being tortured at the Ministry of Defense, they told Human Rights Watch and CLDH that the interrogators frequently punched them during their questioning and that they were fearful during the whole week they spent at the ministry because they were blindfolded and completely disoriented. A number of them said they signed a confession without actually reading it.
“The Lebanese judiciary should investigate these serious allegations and hold those responsible accountable,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch. “No verdict based on the confessions offered by these men under these circumstances will have any credibility.”
Reports of Torture and Lack of Investigation
The first reporting of the detainees’ torture emerged publicly on July 9, 2006 in a report in al-Balad newspape r. Al-Balad published another report on December 23, 2006, in which it reprinted a letter from the nine detainees in which they said they were tortured. Despite these public reports, the Lebanese judiciary did not take any steps to investigate the allegations.
On April 21, 2007, the nine defendants appeared before the Military Tribunal in Beirut. A number of them told the five-member panel that their interrogators extracted their confessions by torture and intimidation. The presiding judge allowed the defendants to describe their ordeal and in some instances asked whether they received medical care, but he did not order an investigation into the allegations of torture.
As a party to the Convention against Torture, Lebanon is obligated to “ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed.” Lebanese authorities must also ensure that anyone who alleges being subjected to torture “has the right to complain to, and to have his case promptly and impartially examined by, its competent authorities.”
Article 401 of the Lebanese Penal Code requires that anyone who “severely beats someone with the desire to obtain a confession about a crime or information regarding it will be imprisoned from three months to three years.”
“We recognize that there are real fears in Lebanon of people arming themselves; however, extracting confessions by torture will not make Lebanon any safer,” the two human rights organizations added.
Past Accounts of Torture at Ministry of Defense
The allegations of torture and abuse of the nine detainees at the Ministry of Defense correspond with past reports of such practices. In October 2006, Solida issued a report documenting the various types of torture practiced at the Ministry of Defense between 1992 and 2005.
“The Ministry of Defense continues to be a symbol of fear in Lebanon,” said Marie Daunay, President of CLDH. “It is time for the Ministry to get out of the business of torture.”
At the time of arrest, the Ministry of Defense did not allow any independent organization to visit detainees. The Lebanese authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reached an agreement on February 21, 2007 to allow the ICRC to visit all the prisons in Lebanon, including the Ministry of Defense detention center.
Inadequacy of Trial before Military Court
Human Rights Watch and CLDH also expressed concern that the nine det ainees were being tried before a military court as opposed to the ordinary criminal courts, and that independent monitors and family members were denied access to the courtroom. The two organizations said that the trial of civilians by military courts should be very exceptional and occur only under conditions that genuinely afford full due process.
Lebanon’s military courts do not meet such conditions. In 1997, the United Nations Human Rights Committee noted, in its Concluding Observations on Lebanon, its concern regarding “the procedures followed by these military courts, as well as the lack of supervision of the military courts’ procedures and verdicts by the ordinary courts.”
Background
Following the initial week at the Ministry of Defense, officials in the Lebanese Army transferred the nine detainees to the Military Tribunal where they met w ith the military investigative judge, Rachid Mezher. The detainees were able to see their families and their lawyers at this point. A number of detainees told Human Rights Watch and CLDH that Judge Mezher threatened with sending them back to the Ministry of Defense if they did not cooperate with the investigation.
After spending a few days at the detention facility affiliated with the Military Tribunal, the Lebanese Army transferred them to Lebanon’s main prison in Roumieh, where they remain to this date.
The four that reported being tortured at the Ministry of Defense are: Ghassan al-Slaybi; Muhammad al-Slaybi (son of Ghassan); Ziad Yamout; and Siraj al-Slaybi.
Ghassan al-Slaybi’s treatment appears to be the harshest. He told Human Rights Watch and CLDH: “I was put on the electric chair on the first night I arrived at the Ministry of Defense.” After his ar rival to the prison in Roumieh, military officials transferred him two more times to the Ministry of Defense. In early May 2006, members of the Military Intelligence moved him from Roumieh to the Ministry of Defense, where he spent approximately six days. During this time, his interrogators reportedly placed him again on the electric chair and made him sign a second confession without allowing him to read it. According to al-Slaybi, this second confession implicated the other detainees in acts that they did not commit. After he signed the second confession, army officials returned al-Slaybi to his cell in the Roumieh prison.
In August 2006, during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, members of the Military Intelligence took him for a third time to the Ministry of Defense. However, this time, al-Slaybi indicated that they did not torture him or make him sign a new confession.
Muhammad al-Slaybi, Gh assan’s son, indicated that he was subjected to torture and ill-treatment for the first three days of detention at the Ministry of Defense. He described being suspended in the “balanco” position on two separate occasions during this period. Muhammad told the court that he denied the confession he made at the Ministry of Defense, as it was taken under torture.
Siraj al-Slaybi, a relative of Ghassan, told Human Rights Watch and CLDH that his interrogators beat him and subjected him to electrical shocks during his stay at the Ministry of Defense. He said that “after four days in the Ministry of Defense, I told them, ‘write whatever you want.’” Appearing before the court, Siraj denied the confession extracted at the Ministry of Defense by stating, “if I answered ‘I don’t know,’ I would get beaten.”
While Human Rights Watch and CLDH did not meet with Ziad Yamout, one of the other detainees, one of his lawyers said that officials working in the Ministry of Defense also subjected him to severe beatings and torture. He recanted his confession before the court, and said that he had been severely beaten.
For more information, please contact:
For Human Rights Watch:
In Beirut, Nadim Houry (English, Arabic, French): +961-3-639-244 (mobile)
In Cairo, Fadi Al-Qadi (Arabic, English): +20-12-135-9232 (mobile)
For CLDH:
In Beirut, Marie Daunay (English, Arabic, French): +961-3-887-108 (mobile)

Lebanon's Final Barrier
Daoud Shirian-Al-Hayat - 16/05/07//
While constantly denying any political capacity, observers closely familiar with the situation in Lebanon, believe that the Maronite Patriarch, Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir is seeking to harness his spiritual leverage to build a political point of reference for the Christian opposition in Lebanon. The latter has lost much of its strength due to the absence of many of its prominent leading figures, to the extent that had it not been for the Patriarch's presence in the political arena; the Christian opposition would have been completely marginalized from this arena.
Patriarch Sfeir has been, and still is, a staunch defender of the rights of the people of Lebanon, and Christians in particular. One can attest, without any reservations, to the fact that his opposition to the Syrian presence in Lebanon, a position he held for the past three decades, was the flame that fueled everyone's enthusiasm, and was a direct cause of the current situation on the ground.
Against the backdrop of the Syrian presence, Patriarch Sfeir was committed to the Taef Accord, condoned Hezbollah's arms, supported the resistance on the eve of the liberation of the South, and reconciled with everyone for the sake of independence. Today, however, he seems to be dissatisfied with the makeup of the Christian opposition electoral lists in Qoraytem and the southern suburb. He also appears to be readying himself to build a new ceiling for the Christian opposition, the most prominent aspect of which is the attempt to reclaim the Maronite's political status and to safeguard the presidential post and expand on its powers and authorities.
The question, however, is: will Patriarch Sfeir, build this ceiling using the same old alliances? Or will he seek to forge new ones that will take a national dimension, especially now that the Christian opposition has largely been annexed to the Muslims; making a 'Shiite' out of Michel Aoun and a 'Sunni' out of Samir Geagea?
This may be wishful thinking, since patriotism as defined by conventional Lebanese politics, does not require shunning sectarian dimensions, as evident by Patriarch Sfeir's calls that the next Lebanese president should "stand neutral at an equal distance from everyone." This is not to imply that the post should be stripped from a sectarian dimension, since the Patriarch's characterization of the next president seems to have stemmed from fears by the Maronite Bishops' Council that the presidency, as well, be annexed to either one of currents vying for the country's leadership in its final form, especially after Lahoud's presidency has leant to the left.
This was the motive for the step taken by Lebanon's prime Christian figure, and which ended the two year boycott of the presidency declaring to people of Lebanon and others that: "Enough abusing the presidential post and turning it into yet another of the ongoing crisis's pockets and hotspots, or forcing it onto the file of the tribunal, because we will not accept conducting direct presidential elections by the people, not even for once , since the constitution cannot be modified in a blink of an eye, and Lebanon is not, and shall not be, another Turkey."
Once again, it must be mentioned that Patriarch Sfeir is a man of politics par excellence. His move to safeguard the presidential post comes against the backdrop of an atmosphere suggesting that President Emil Lahoud is eyeing the formation of another government, possibly signaling a split in Lebanon and the creation of two different governments.
This is perhaps the reason behind Patriarch Sfeir's decision to visit President Lahoud to attempt to burry the hatchet and to prevent such an eventuality which, if materialized, would be a repetition of what took place in 1988. What happened was that a second government, headed by General Michel Aoun was declared by the end of the presidential term of President Amine Gemayel, and Salim al-Hoss' government. Presidential elections were then disrupted which lead Lebanon into a political vacuum and a conflict that only ended with the Taef Accord when the parties involved agreed to name René Moawad as president. However, Moawad was assassinated shortly after his election, and was succeeded by President Elias Hrawi under circumstances warily accepted by the Maronite Patriarchy.
Accordingly, one can assume that Patriarch Sfeir is wary of the impact of the ongoing crisis on the presidential post, and of developments that could lead to naming a president under circumstances in which, the Christians might have no say. Or perhaps he is wary of possible changes in the dynamics of this selection that could transform the presidential post into an honorary post in an attempt to appease certain sides; leaving the Maronites with nothing politically when it comes to the presidency, except for the president's name!
The emphasis made in the second monthly statement by the Council of Maronite Bishops on conducting the presidential elections on time, and the calls on all MPs to be present in the electoral session point to the growing concerns in the Maronite Patriarchy. These concerns revolve around the possible success of efforts aiming to frustrate the council's historic task, which could usher a stage where the nation would lose track of its constitution; making next to impossible debating the election law, the legal and political frames, issues of minority or majority, and leading to a vacuum in the nation's leading post.
Moreover, it seems that Nasrallah Sfeir has semi-confirmed intelligence pointing to a possible Syrian resolve, to be carried out by the opposition, to prevent the Council of Maronite Bishops from electing the president, leading to the election of a government that deems the council dissolved, and qualifying Lebanon for a real, dismal political crisis.
This was the reason behind Sfeir's keenness to embark on the step of calling on MPs to boycott from within the parliament rather than boycotting the session all together, since boycotting the parliamentary session might be used as a pretext for propagating notions of the parliament's eminent collapse.
Therefore, the Patriarch's move to safeguard the presidential post against abuse deserves to be lauded, because in the end it is a national demand, regardless of sectarian dimensions.
There is little doubt that qualifying for the presidential post in Lebanon on time could be seen as the last barrier separating Lebanon from an eminent political crisis. For it is obvious, in light of the mutual escalation between both sides of the crisis, that agreeing on the so-called national unity government is unlikely to materialize. And even if it did, this government is unlikely to survive long enough because those who made it their demand did so to buy time rather than to find an exit from the crisis.
In a situation like this, all sides seeking to defuse the Lebanese crisis should demand more flexibility from the majority's side with respect to certain developments. The aim should be settling the presidential issue before it's too late, since leaving this issue a prey to the internal wrangling without urgent intervention simply means placing Lebanon, and maybe even the entire region, under the umbrella of Chapter 7 of the UN Charter
 

Brazil asks for more information on charges against Qoleilat
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
BEIRUT: Brazilian authorities have asked the Lebanese judiciary to provide additional information on charges against a former executive at the defunct Al-Madina Bank who is being held in Brazil, local Al-Mustaqbal daily reported on Tuesday. Rana Qoleilat fled Lebanon in 2005 after being temporarily detained in the wake of the collapse of the bank. Brazilian authorities arrested her on immigration charges. Central Bank officials have said that over $300 million in deposits disappeared in the bank's collapse. Lebanese authorities and the UN probe into the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri are investigating whether a portion of the money may have been used to finance the plot on Hariri's life. Brazilian authorities asked the judiciary to explain Lebanese fraud and extradition law, Al-Mustaqbal reported. The pertinent articles of Lebanese law are article 30 (embezzlement) and article 672 (extradition).
Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Brazil, has repeatedly requested that Qoleilat be returned to Beirut.
Qoleilat has resisted extradition, saying that she would be killed if she were to return to her home country. Late in April, Brazil's highest federal court asked the UN probe to interrogate Qoleilat as part of efforts to arrive at a decision on her possible extradition. The probe later reported that Qoleilat's testimony had "shed light" on the Hariri killing. A judiciary report said last week the UN probe was "nearly completed," pending the conclusion of Qoleilat's questioning.
Belgian prosecutor Serge Brammertz, head of the UN probe into the Hariri killing, interrogated Qoleilat "for five straight hours," the report said.
Al-Mustaqbal reported on Tuesday that Qoleilat had told Brammertz she "did not have information" about the financing behind the Hariri assassination. - The Daily Star

Gunmen shoot 2 Jund al-Sham militants
By Mohammed Zaatari -Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
SIDON: Two members of the Jund al-Sham militant group were wounded by unidentified gunmen early Tuesday at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon, a Palestinian source told The Daily Star. "We have been expecting such an incident to occur," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
On May 7, members of Jund al-Sham killed two members of the Fatah Movement, Ibrahim Deeb and Abu Omra Asmar, at the camp. A Palestinian girl was wounded in fighting that ensued between the two groups. "Like the previous incident, today's shooting was aimed at inciting strife among the Palestinians," the source said. The source said the two Jund al-Sham members, Palestinians Ahmad Abu Said and Jamal Rmaid, were shot at around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Jund al-Sham is believed to comprise about 40 fugitives wanted by Lebanese authorities for various crimes. Abu Said was wounded in the face, while one report said Rmaid was hit in the shoulder. "We are not sure if Rmaid was really hit in the shoulder because he disappeared directly after the incident took place," a second Palestinian source said. The Bahaa Nursery, located near the crime scene, was the only institution to close its doors Tuesday, unlike last week, when schools and businesses throughout the camp shut down. Khaled Younes, an official with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, called for a preservation of security in the camp and cooperation among all Palestinian factions.

Rival MPs scuffle during weekly debate outside Parliament
Ammar, fattoush quarrel over whose turn it is to speak
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
BEIRUT: The weekly debate outside Parliament's deserted chamber turned tense on Tuesday when Hizbullah MP Ali Ammar and March 14 Forces MP Nicholas Fattoush got into a heated argument over whose turn it was to speak before the media. Ammar, who was waiting for his turn at the podium, screamed at Fattoush when the latter rushed to speak directly after two of his pro-government colleagues, MPs Farid Makari and Qassem Abdel-Aziz, finished their talks.
Ammar pushed Fattoush away, saying that he refused to let the podium be "monopolized." He added that it was his turn to speak and that Fattoush had better wait.
"You are in no way entitled to assign turns," Ammar shouted at Fattoush. The spat expanded when Fattoush turned on the Parliament's press officer, who attempted to put an end to the skirmish. Fattoush told the press officer he was "nothing but an employee" and that it was for parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri to solve the issue. Rejoining the argument, Ammar said that the speaker was not to be "implicated in such trivial fights." The Tuesday sit-ins were "nothing but a show and a clear violation to the dignity of this Parliament," Ammar said.
For the ninth week in a row, dozens of pro-government legislators converged at Parliament to pressure Berri to convene a session to ratify the draft law for the establishment of the international tribunal to try suspects in the killing of former Premier Rafik Hariri and other pressing bills related to the Paris III donors' summit.
At previous gatherings, opposition MPs would make comments to reporters after all the pro-government MPs had finished delivering their speeches.
This Tuesday, 34 pro-government and 24 opposition MPs attended the debate, crowding the halls of the Parliament. The number was slightly higher than the previous couple of weeks. In another twist this week, March 14 MPs demanded that Berri schedule an "extraordinary" parliamentary term, because the regular term of the Parliament is scheduled to end in May. An extension was needed to have pending draft laws ratified, the MPs said.
Berri has refused to convene Parliament on the grounds that the rump government of Premier Fouad Siniora lost legitimacy when six opposition ministers left Cabinet in November. Following the meeting, Deputy Speaker Farid Makari took a swipe at the opposition, saying those who are hinting at obstructing the upcoming presidential elections want a "tyrannical" president.
"The Lebanese are aware that those who hint at obstructing presidential elections want a president who opposes the Lebanese and controls them," Makari said. "Let us discuss all our disputes in Parliament and ... elect a new president."
Makari said the majority's hand was outstretched to the opposition and criticized it for obstructing the formation of the international tribunal.
"This is a real shame they want to paralyze the country on the political, social and economic levels," he said.
Directly following the quarrel, Ammar harangued the majority MPs, accusing the pro-government coalition of wanting to use the court for purposes beyond the "truth" behind Hariri's murder. "We hold the United Nations responsible for the issuing of any resolution that is likely to instigate strife in Lebanon," Ammar said.
On Monday, Siniora sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking the world body to take action on the court "as a matter of urgency."
Ammar accused the ruling coalition of obstructing efforts to end the political deadlock in Lebanon. - The Daily Star