Syria to kill 36 Lebanese politicians

The story of a Syrian suicide bomber blowing himself up at a border crossing was not the only bizarre story reported by the media yesterday. Another story was that of a new Palestinian faction breaking away from Fatah Intifada (Fatah uprising), a Damascus-based faction that split from Yasser Arafat's main Fatah group in 1983.

More details emerged today, linking the new group, Fatah Islam, to a plot to assassinate Lebanese politicians.

According to the pro-Hariri newspaper al-Mustaqbal, the members of the new group were sent to Lebanon by the Assad regime to assassinate 36 Lebanese political figures. They were reportedly deployed in refugee camps in the north and in Beirut's southern suburb (Bourj al Barajnah). Once in Lebanon, they were told to coordinate their actions with Fatah Intifada's number two, Khaled al-Emleh.

Investigations with two arrested members of Fatah Islam apparently unveiled the plot, prompting Fatah Intifada to quickly disassociate itself from the new movement, which also quickly declared its independence from Fatah Intifada after using their offices for more than 56 days. Interestingly, the arrested members, a Syrian and a Saudi, identified themselves as Fatah Intifada members.

Fatah Intifada is practically run by Syrian intelligence, and has "bases" along the Syrian border, from which they occasionally shoot at Lebanese army soldiers if they dare approach their "territory".

Al-Mustaqbal said Lebanese army intelligence arrested the two members following their involvement in the killing of other Palestinian militants in the Baddawi camp in the north four days ago. They both carried Syrian passports issued in Damascus. They reportedly confessed to being members of a 200-strong group led by Syrian intelligence agent Mahmoud Kolaghasi.

Al-Mustaqbal also quoted journalists in the north as saying that the new group's leaders are claiming independence from Syrian intelligence, although they admit to coordinating with them in the past over the sending of fighters to Iraq until Syrian intelligence, according to Fatah Islam leaders, "tightened the noose".

A Fatah official, Sultan Abu al-Aynayan yesterday told the Lebanese official news agency that this group was a "strange phenomenon" and tried to disassociate it from any working Palestinian faction. He said they are a branch of al-Qaeda who used Fatah Intifada as a cover until they broke away forming their own faction. He said they have enormous amounts of money and were supplied with weapons when they were part of Fatah Intifada.

"We assert that this group has no role in Lebanon but maybe they should be in Iraq or Palestine," he said.

Fatah Intifada also disassociated itself from the new group and said they belonged to al-Qaeda.

Walid Jumblatt today accused the Assad regime of creating a new cover to assassinate political figures in Lebanon. You will remember how many times Assad and his foreign minister warned the world that al-Qaeda was infiltrating Lebanon. I guess they know because they send them there.

Comments

[BadVilbel]

I just read this story on Naharnet and posted some comments on my blog.
Can't say any of this is surprising, considering Bashar has been threatening (not that subtly either) to unleash "al-qaeda" types in Lebanon for some time now.

[Amir from Tel Aviv]

I usually try not to read Lebanese newspapers.
I don't trust newspapers with agendas.

[Dibo]

What a trustworthy newspaper to quote from "Al-Mustaqbal" !! If they report TRUE news; they make them look like crap !

[Enough BS]

We're not learning anything new on the Syrian regime here , but maybe the rest of the world can.

[Charles Malik]

It's time to go on offense...

[charlie]

Dibo,

What is your point here?? So are you saying the Syrian regime is above these destructive acts? or are they above assassinations? So by slamming a publication, did that prove that the Syrians are not doing this? For your Info, other publications like Al-Nahar carried the same story, Are they now all fabricating the info from the security forces investigating this problem?? How about this numb nut who "blew himself" at the border is that also a fantasy...Tell you what guy, If the Syrian regime your model of a successful government and the way to build a society, then go try it there for a while and come back and tell us how lovely it is!!!

[Abi Lama]

Hizbullah: Anyone Who Thinks Al-Siniora's Government is Legal is Part of the Lebanese Conflict

In a ceremony at the Al-Mahdi school, Hizbullah Executive Council Chairman Hashem Safi Al-Din warned of possible fitna (civil war) and called "not to heed the advice of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman, who, after the assassination of Pierre Gemayel, visited some of the top figures [of the March 14 Forces]... and incited them to take to the streets and continue [generating strife]." Safi Al-Din added that "[Feldman's] statements [actually] come from [U.S.] President [George] Bush, from [U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice and from the American administration, which is encouraging [the March 14 Forces] to continue generating trouble, fitna, and conflict...

"Lebanon does not have a legitimate and legal government," continued Safi Al-Din,"but only a group that claims to be a government, a group that is usurping the government... As far as we are concerned, any government or element in the world which regards [the Al-Siniora] government or its decisions as legal is part of the internal [Lebanese] dispute. These elements [should not become involved] in the dispute, since they would thereby become involved in the conflict."

Hizbullah Dep'y Sec-Gen: Al-Siniora's Government Must Officially Resign; The Street Actions Will Be Unexpected

In an interview, Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem told Hizbullah's TV channel Al-Manar: "Hizbullah is not [interested] in the details of the government session of Saturday [November 25, 2006, in which the Lebanese government approved its agreement with the U.N. on the appointment of an international court to try the suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri] - whether they concern the international court or any other issue. All we [know] is that this government has lost its legal and constitutional legitimacy - yet it continues to hold sessions and to make decisions that are of no practical value, since they are unconstitutional. As long as the government [itself] is illegal, its sessions are likewise illegal...

"This government must resign, officially and finally, through the resignation of Prime Minister [Al-Siniora]. Alternatively, it must replace [the ministers who resigned] so as to represent all [ethnic] groups in Lebanon. If it remains as it is, it will plunge the country into a legal and governmental vacuum...

"We hold [the March 14 Forces] responsible for [Lebanon's] political instability], for its economic deterioration, and for any failure that may have been caused by how the state is being run. We also hold them responsible for the creation of the [political] climate that led to the assassination of Minister Pierre Gemayel, because this climate created the right environment for the revenge-seeking bats of night, and for those who seek to [instigate] fitna in Lebanon."

Regarding Hizbullah's planned street demonstrations, Qassem said: "There is no cause to say that the peaceful activities [we are planning] are [meant as] a threat. [We are] exercising a right anchored in [Lebanon's] constitution and laws... We have decided to take peaceful and civilized action, without advance notice. We will announce every action at the proper time, in coordination and cooperation with our allies in the opposition. That is why we do not have a [fixed] schedule..We have a set of ideas, and we will use whatever seems to accomplish our desired goals... The timing will be announced unexpectedly, since this will make our actions more effective while allowing the other side [to act with] some degree of rationality - and we hope that it will do so before we reach an impasse."

Qassem added that "[the opposition is not restricting itself] to one mode of action. We will take to the streets peacefully, with slogans prepared [in advance]. We will try to keep the slogans and the street [actions] as restrained as possible, but it is [always] possible that some may try to carry out reprehensible actions. But we have promised ourselves that we would not discuss the type, timing, and scope of our [planned] actions. The opposition leader has the set [of ideas], and when we decide on a certain action, we will announce it in the appropriate time and manner, according to its [particular] nature. We leave the initiative to the opposition leadership..."

Qassem noted that "the action will include sit-down strikes and other civic [events]. There may be a kind of civil disobedience... There may also be actions by [certain] sectors." He added: "We do not expect problems in [our] street, only in their street [i.e. that of the March 14 Forces]."


Lebanese Paper Close to Hizbullah: The Zero Hour for Taking to the Streets Has Been Set

On November 28, 2006, the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, which is close to Hizbullah, reported that the opposition had already set the time and date for taking to the streets: "The statement 'the zero hour is closer than the jugular vein' is sufficient to explain the preparations by the opposition forces towards the launch of its extensive popular and political plan of action, which will continue until the Fuad Al-Siniora government resigns...

"Yesterday, the opposition forces held the most extensive consultation [meeting to date], far from the eyes of the regime, and it concluded with the setting of the zero hour, when the action on various levels will begin. This action will take place throughout Lebanon."

On November 27, 2006, Al-Akhbar published a report titled "The Opposition Places [Its Units] On Alert: The Regime Has Crossed the Lines." It said: "There is nothing on the political horizon [that even] hints that it might be possible to reach an arrangement between the regime and the opposition... The opposition forces are planning to renew their action soon. At the same time comes news about the alert in the Free Patriotic Movement [Party], whose leader, Michel Aoun, called on all [party] leaders and activists to gather at all party centers and to stay there, even throughout the night... Opposition sources stressed that they were waiting for the zero hour to take to the streets, and that it was a matter of days..."

Pro-Syrian Daily: We Have Received Instructions to Be On Alert; Al-Siniora Has Brought the Country to the Brink of Bloodshed

On November 28, 2006, the pro-Syrian Lebanese daily Al-Diyar reported that opposition activists had, during the previous night, received instructions to be on alert, and that they would apparently be taking to the streets within 48 hours: "The picture yesterday looked as if Lebanon was headed towards the unknown, or as if it had suddenly entered a forbidden [stage]...

"According to information exclusive to Al-Diyar, at 11 PM [yesterday, November 27] activists from [Michel Aoun's party] The Free Patriotic Movement, Hizbullah, and Amal received instructions to be on alert, in advance of a demonstration and a sit-in in front of the prime minister's residence [in Beirut], and also in a number of other regions. This is aimed at bringing about the resignation of Al-Siniora's government, and at establishing a government in which all will participate, and there will be a national unity government.

"This problem has many faces: The government that is ruling [unconstitutionally] is issuing draft resolutions and spending funds, while the president, the speaker of parliament, and the opposition, made up of 57 MPs, do not recognize it as a legal [government]. Al-Siniora is being stubborn, and has brought the country to the brink of bloodshed.

"A knowledgeable political source summed up the situation for Al-Diyar over the past few hours, in light of the fact that efforts and contacts had reached the point where no progress towards a solution to the crisis was evident: 'All the evidence shows that matters have reached an impasse, and are moving towards escalation. A solution [to the impasse] will doubtless be found in the streets. This [option, i.e. taking to the streets], is becoming stronger, to the point where, for the first time, it is possible to talk about the approaching zero hour.' The source declined to speak of the date and time of the opposition's street actions, but said that he thought it would not be much longer.

"Knowledgeable sources estimated that the opposition would begin its actions within the next 48 hours, and noted that the activity would be surprising, and that no 'zero hour' would be declared - rather, no more than five people would be informed of it. Sources close to Hizbullah noted that the [street] action was imminent, and that the week's extension referred to by the media following the assassination of Minister Pierre Gemayel was inaccurate. The sources said that the decision to take to the streets would come much sooner than that..."

[Ghassan Karam]

Abi Lama,
I never thought that I would be critical of what other readers post but AL , whatever these limitations are, your previous post has exceeded them. Why in the world would I need to visit a Blog if its rather lengthy post is an article from a newspaper? Blogs were NOT created to promote MSM, we can all go and read these articles when we want to and if we want to. If the reader feels that an article is so important then maybe providing a link or a summary is the way to go. Furthermore that very lengthy cut and paste job is of an article that is , at best, tangentially related to the original post . Please have pity on us and spare us these cut and paste jobs from MSM. Blog readers , at least this one, are interested in what you have to say and how you interpret things. If our interest is MSM then why bother with blogs, just go to the websites that aggregate newspapers.

[Amir from Tel Aviv]

Ali Baba,

The owner of this blog, Abu Kais asked you kindly in one of his previous threads to post only links to MSM articles.
Please don't behave like a hooligan Zionist; please do what you've been asked.
Thank you!!
.