Saudi Fatah Al Islam members found in Lebanon - claims of Hariri link to the group grow
23 Saudi members of Fatah Al Islam members have been killed in Lebanon, as more evidence points to the Hariri link with the extremist group.
Hariri openly backed militant Sunni groups like Fatah Al Islam after last summer's war on Lebanon. Hariri was worried Hezbollah would come out of the war stronger, and he wanted a Sunni counterbalance to the Shia group.
Fatah Al Islam say they are "protecting the Sunnis", and it is thought they were one of the groups which received Hariri funding. Today's evidence of a large Saudi membership will do nothing to dampen these claims (Saudi Arabia is Hariri's biggest financial backer).
The group was formed last November, when they split from Syrian funded Fatah Al Intifada.
Why the hell won't bashas "call olmert's bluff"?? he is directly calling on syria to engage in peace talks and now damascus refuses after calling for peace talks for years? so what if the US is there or it wont be open??
as long as u get what u want, the golan?!??! please explain to me
Posted by
Anonymous |
1:12 am
Hariri panel 'has found suspects'
The UN panel investigating the murder of Lebanese ex-PM Rafik Hariri has identified a number of people involved, the head of the inquiry has said.
In his latest report, Serge Brammertz said he now knew the names of people who bought the van used in the 2005 assassination in Beirut.
He also said people who bought mobile phone cards to spy on Mr Hariri had played a role - but gave no names.
Syria has denied allegations that its intelligence services were involved.
The document is the eighth report submitted to the Security Council by Mr Brammertz - a Belgian prosecutor.
It says a consolidation of information had helped identify "important aspects and individuals of common interest across several areas of the investigation".
Political killing
The report said the van in which a suicide bomber is believed to have set off the massive bomb which killed Mr Hariri and 22 others was stolen in Japan and then shipped to the United Arab Emirates.
The UN team "has recently acquired information regarding the sale of the van to individuals who could be involved in the final preparation of the van for the attack," Brammertz said.
UN investigators had already described Rafik Hariri's killing as political but unlike his predecessor as chief investigator, Detlev Mehlis, Mr Brammertz has not accused Syrian officials of complicity.
Mr Hariri was a prominent critic of Syria, and supported a UN resolution in 2004 which demanded that Syrian and other foreign troops withdraw from Lebanon.
A UN investigation after the killing implicated Syria and Lebanese security forces in the attack, but Damascus denied any involvement in his death.
Four Lebanese generals who are pro-Syria have been under arrest for 20 months, accused of involvement in Mr Hariri's murder.
In 2005, Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon after a presence of 29 years, following massive domestic and international pressure after the assassination of Mr Hariri.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/6896822.stm
Published: 2007/07/13 01:30:46 GMT
© BBC MMVII
Posted by
norman |
5:43 am
Anonymous,
Why didn't Bashar call Olmert's bluff and engage in peace talks? Because Olmert withdrew the 'offer' within days of making it, when Bush realised Bashar might just accept!
And besides, putting a precondition like "we will give the Golan back, but then rent it back from Syria" is doomed for failure.
Talks with no preconditions now.
Sasa.
Posted by
sasa |
1:12 pm
http://www.nysun.com/article/58009
sasa, have u read this report?
it doesnt strike as reliable... but still...
Posted by
Yazan |
9:41 pm
It's hilarious. It's been doing the rounds over the past couple of weeks. I can't remember where I first saw it. But I wonder if this "Baath party source" also happens to have the surname Ghadry?
Posted by
sasa |
1:50 am