Thursday, August 27, 2009

Asharq Alawsat: "Syria & Hezbollah Backing Salafist Groups in Northern Lebanon"


'The Raid on Ashrafieh, as condoned by Hariri's allies'
here

"... Asharq Al-Awsat spoke to a high-ranking Lebanese security (see Hariri's 'branch' of the ISF) source who revealed that "there are no worries with regards to civil peace at the current stage, and there is no information that this is under threat." ...The high-ranking Lebanese source added "It is known that Syria and Hezbollah have allies in some parties who follow the Islamist Salafist trend in Tripoli. They support them with money and weapons.....

The source revealed that the link between the Salafist groups and Hezbollah was discovered after the Lebanese security force raided a house belonging to a Salafist group member with ties to Hezbollah and discovered a weapons cache........."The Lebanese security forces, from the army to the internal security apparatus, are in control of the situation". ....

Speaking about information about assassination plots against official figures, the source revealed "around one month ago the authorities arrested a network of ten individuals who belong to Fatah al-Islam who were in possession of Hungarian passports and Greek telephone numbers. After questioning them, the authorities received unconfirmed information about plans to booby-trap a UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] truck which would be detonated close to the headquarters of the Phalange Party whilst MP Samy Gemayel was present. The Lebanese authorities warned Gemayel of this treat and provided him with the necessary protection...."

2 comments:

Skeptical Senior Founding Member of the FLC said...

Asharq al Awsat is the quintessential political tabloid serving as a mouthpiece to KSA. It also distills disinformation at the highest levels. Salafi groups allied to Hezbollah, that's news! If they were so sure, why don't they name such salafis? Surely, they are not protecting them? The factional struggle among various wings of the ruling family in KSA is reflected in the kind of disinformation the paper is propagating aiming to undermine the orientation taken by the King.

Anonymous said...

/Agree Skeptical

Think the conventional wisdom is that if any major parties are supporting the Salafist's in Lebanon it is Hariri and the Saudi's with an American nod and a wink.

Seymour Hersh said as much, as did Franklin Lamb who teaches at AUB

http://www.counterpunch.org/lamb05242007.html

Outrageous claim.

Gonzolegend