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Africa Subsaharan

Lebanese Man Killed, Another Abducted in Nigeria

2012-05-08

[An Nahar] Gunmen in northern Nigeria's Kaduna state on Monday rubbed out a Lebanese man and his Nigerian driver and kidnapped another Lebanese national, the state police front man said. "The gunnies attacked the construction bus in which they were traveling, rubbed out a Lebanese and the Nigerian driver and kidnapped another Lebanese," Aminu Lawan told Agence La Belle France Presse on telephone from Kaduna city. OTV identified the slain Lebanese man as Fadi Ibrahim. It visited the victim's house in the Zghorta District town of Irba and interviewed his family. The TV network also identified the kidnapped Lebanese national as Amin Durraq, saying he hails from the Koura District town of Anfeh. The Nigerian official said the attack took place at a location near Zaria, a large university town. "We are on the lookout for the criminals and we are searching also for the kidnapped Lebanese," Lawan stated. A large Lebanese community lives in Nigeria, as in many other African countries. The attack has added to the feeling of insecurity in Africa's most populous nation battling to curb a deadly Islamist insurgency, especially in northern part of the country. Islamist group Boko Haram ... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality... has carried out scores of attacks in the region but criminal groups have also committed violence under the guise of the group. The sect has regularly widened its targets in its insurgency which has killed more than 1,000 people since mid-2009.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Security Forces Arrest Escaped Prisoner Walid Lababidi

2010-11-28

[An Nahar] Internal Security Forces succeeded on Saturday in arresting escaped prisoner Walid Lababidi after he had fled from the intensive care unit in a Zghorta hospital on Friday. The inmate was apprehended in the northern city of Tripoli. Lababidi, 30, who escaped from the hospital in handcuffs, is convicted with car theft.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Massive wild fires in Lebanon suspected to be terrorism

2007-10-25

Fires raged on Wednesday for the second time this month across hectares (acres) of forest in Lebanon, threatening the natural wealth of a country once known as the Switzerland of the Middle East. Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa pointed an accusing finger at unidentified assailants charged of starting the fires. "The big question is: how did these fires start late at night and in areas that are not linked to the road network," Sabaa told Voice of Lebanon radio. When residents observed smoke billowing from the nearby mountain, they innocently headed to the source of smoke to extinguish the blaze, but they were shot at. He disclosed that in the "Eioun al-Samak region of the Minyeh district residents observed smoke billowing from the nearby mountain, they innocently headed to the source of smoke to extinguish the blaze, but they were shot at. This supports suspicion that these fires are intentional." Earlier this month, more than 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of woodland were destroyed in fires that swept through several regions of Lebanon, leaving one woman dead and dozens injured. Experts have warned that seasonal forest fires in Lebanon are further threatening to destroy the country's natural wealth -- among the richest in the Middle East. "The consequences of forest fires are disastrous on the natural environment and ecological systems, not to mention the population, by worsening poverty and lowering the quality of life," said a report by the Association for Forest Development and Conservation (AFDC). Lebanon is known as a tourist destination for its scenic green mountains that offer cool summer vacations, mainly for wealthy Gulf Arabs escaping the heat in their desert countries. The country's natural wealth, including its large water resources, have traditionally been a main source of income for residents of tourist regions and local farmers. Zeina Tamim, an official at the agriculture ministry, said that forest fires were slowly destroying green zones which account for 23 percent of the country's territory, including 13.5 percent of forests. "The fire claimed approximately 0.25 percent of Lebanese territory (earlier this month). It is estimated that at least 2,500 hectares of forest were burned, which equal five times the total reforested area during the past 17 years," said the AFDC report. "As a result of these fires, the forest cover has been burnt down to 11 percent. Replanting the 2,500 hectares would cost 10 million dollars," said the report based on a study funded by the European Union. The ADFC report said forest fires in Lebanon are mainly caused by climatic conditions: prolongued hot summers, lack of water and violent winds. "Also, the general public through their lifestyle or livelihood activities is an important initiator of forest fires," mainly due to the clearing of agricultural fields using fire, it said. Many parts of the torched forests are lost without any possibility of natural regeneration, as pine forests that are damaged by fire twice within a period of 10 years can not produce any more cones. "Lebanon's green areas are a wealth that is threatened with extinction if there is no quick salvation plan that includes the reforestation of the burnt-out areas," an environment ministry official warned. "The erosion of green areas has dangerous consequences: the destruction of floristic species diversity, soil erosion, the decrease in underground waters and desertification," the official who did not wish to be identified said. The AFDC report said "Lebanon's forests have undergone continuous degradation, which has intensified in recent years." "Between 1990 and 1995, more than 30 percent of Lebanese forests were deforested or burned, leading to fragmentation and loss of the fundamental nature of these forest ecosystems," it said. Wild fires raged across tinder-dry forests of north and south Lebanon Wednesday as choppers from the nearby Island republic of Cyprus tried to help combat tongues of flame threatening population centers. Police blocked traffic along the Zghorta-Ehden highway, which penetrates the region's forests and olive groves to avoid civilian casualties. In south Lebanon tongues of flame shot up in the sky from pine and oak forests of south Lebanon's Bisri-Sfarai region, according to police. Civil Defense teams operating fire engines sprayed olive and orange groves surrounding the region with water to prevent the spread of fires as other teams of volunteers tried to help in combating the spreading inferno. An official at the Civil Defense directorate reached by telephone said: "We are carrying out a double mission, on the one hand we combat the forest fires and, on the other, we try to prevent the blaze from reaching population centers." He attributed the fires to the long summer and dry land. "Winter is late, we need rain, God is the best firefighter," said the official who asked not to be identified by name. In the Muslim villages of north Lebanon the elderly clergymen called for special "rain prayers." "Only Allah's Mercy can help put off the fires. God Directs rain," said Farouq Ashi of the Akkar Atiqa village. Wild Fires Swept across more than 6.000 acres of forest land earlier this month killing one person and injuring scores.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lebanon: "A 'brave little force' defeats an al Qaeda Stronghold"

2007-09-04

Good job! Walid Phares From The Cedars Revolution News Service Monday, 03 September 2007. Mideast Newswire Today, the Lebanese Army completed its victory over the Fatah al Islam forces in the Nahr al Bared stronghold in Northern Lebanon. The "little brave force," backed by the country's civil society and by the Cedars Revolution accomplished in one small area what major armies are hoping to achieve globally: defeat al Qaeda. On this Sunday September 2, the Lebanese soldiers and officers finally took the last bunker of the al Qaeda linked Jihadi terror group. Immediately after, the civilian populations in Northern Lebanon, from Sunni Tripoli and Dennieh, Maronite Zghortan and Besharre, Orthodox Kura, and multiethnic Akkar, expressed their joy to see the Jihadist removed. The local victory of the Lebanese Army -despite the threat of multiple identical groups in the country preparing for clashes- shows that, what I called a "brave little force," can confront and defeat Terrorists when the Government is focused on such a policy. The Lebanese Army is ill equipped, is emerging from 15 years of Syrian occupation and is under the pressure of pro-Jihadist Parties and politicians including Hezbollah and its allies. But nevertheless, the multiethnic military force produced a victory on the ground. It faced off with well trained Jihadists who used suicide bombers, snipers, slaughter of innocents, and all the panoply of weapons they have. But, as the pictures have shown over the past few months, the Lebanese military were fighting on their soil, and had their population supporting them. Bottom line: they won this one battle, by themselves with their own arms, tanks, helicopters and more than a hundred casualties. This was their Fallujah which they freed alone. But as important is the support received by the military from the various Lebanese communities. This second test since the Cedars Revolution shows that a cross sectarian solidarity exist against the barbary of the Jihadi terrorists. Among the army's casualties, Sunnis, Christians, Druse and Shia. Tripoli, mostly Sunni with Christian and Alawi communities stood firmly by the Lebanese Army. In the rest of the area, civilians from all religions also supported their soldiers. This attitude sent chilling messages to Hezbollah and his Syro-Iranian allies: When you are confronting an army backed by its people, you have little chance of intimidating it. Also a message to many in the international media who -sympathetic to Iran and Syria- projected the masses to turn against the Army. Dead wrong: Not only the Lebanese civilians stood by their armed forces and Government, but a majority of Palestinians in the camps sided with Mahmoud Abbas against the Jihadists of Fatah al Islam. This is an experiment that deserves the attention of the Free World, as Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Palestine are witnessing the Terror war against surging democracies. The soldiers close to their societies can win in the War on Terror.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syria Fuels Decades-Long Family Feud

2005-11-30

Beirut, 30 Nov. (AKI) - A bloody feud that broke out between families in a Lebanese town over 60 years ago has been further exacerbated by the warring sides' decision to stand on opposite sides of the pro and anti Syrian divide that has dominated politics in Lebanon for the last three decades. "Rival families have been at war in Zghorta for decades. Every family home has a cellar filled with guns," says Shawki Duwayhi, 60, a journalist based in this mountain settlement of 40,000, some 90 kilometres northeast of the capital Beirut. In the latest violence to hit the mostly Christian Maronite town, two men were injured on Tuesday in a gunfight between members of the Frangie and Muawwad family clans. "Git yur shooting irons, boys! We'ums gonna go git us sum Frangie!" Tensions between Zghorta's most powerful families, the Frangies and the Muawwads, is at a high in the wake of Lebanon's June elections, the first in almost 30 years to be held without a Syrian military presence in the country. "In the 40s and 50s the main rivalry was between the Frangie and the Duwahys," explains Shawki Duwayhi - himself a scion of the same named family - "At that time the Muawwad were allies of the Frangies but during the [Lebanese] civil war [1975-1990] the latter sided with the Syrians while the Muawwad chose the other side. This division has lasted to this day." In the last decade the Frangies and Muawwad's have dominated public life in Zghorta, forcing the other major families in the town, the Duwayhis, the Karams and Makaris to choose sides in the feud. "Everything is divided up between the Frangies and Muawwads, the shops, the banks, the pharmacies and even the parking lots," Duwayhi says. "In Zghorta guns are seen as necessary, an nobody will get rid of the ones they have because besides needing them for self-defence, it [posession of guns] is a question of honour. Sounds like the plotline from "A Fistfull of Dollars". "The Lebanese state has no power over these factions and the armed forces don't intervene in the clashes," says Duwayhi, who points to how the rivalry has also played out in national politics, with the stakes as high as the post of Lebanese president - a position traditionally reserved for members of the country's Maronite community. While both families have had a respective member as head of state, Sulayman Frangie held the postion for six years (1970-76) while René Muawwad remained in office for barely two months (5 October 1989 - 22 November 1989).

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Leb: Bomb making gear found in Zghorta

2005-08-24

... Former Premier Najib Mikati also condemned the bombing, and called on the government to "adopt radical measures in order to ensure security in Lebanon." Criticizing the delay in appointing heads of the country's security apparatus, Mikati said: "It is not acceptable that after every explosion, differences between officials re-emerge as if nothing happened, at a time when they should be working on enhancing the security situation in the country." The latest attack also came as more than 30 tank bombs were found in the northern town of Zghorta, one day after Security services Monday said 1,100 kilograms of explosives and bomb-making gear were found in the same area, which is the stronghold of former Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh, a close aid of Syria. According to a security report, the new amount of ammunition was found in abandoned house in the village. But army experts who transferred the ammunition to a nearby military base said the bombs were old and can't be used.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Leb: Security forces investigate latest blast

2005-08-24

Security agencies scrambled to keep the situation under control Tuesday as yet another bomb rocked the Christian neighborhood of Zalka, north of the capital Monday night. The Internal Security Forces, Civil Defense and army were all dispatched immediately to Zalka's Moussa Commercial Center and neighboring Promenade Hotel, just one month after a bomb was set in the Beirut nightclub promenade of Monnot in Achrafieh. Eight people were wounded in the latest explosion, which came only a few hours after security forces discovered one ton of powerful explosives concealed in an abandoned textile factory near the North Lebanon town of Zghorta. "Everything that could have been done was done, with all the security agencies responding promptly and more efficiently as a result of last week's training," said Lieutenant Colonel Elie Baradie of the ISF in a telephone interview with The Daily Star. Baradie was referring to a practice drill last week, wherein army troops and police were taught how to operate jointly in the event of car bombings and other security breaches. "We have now handed over the case file along with all the evidence and information compiled from Monday's bombing to the judicial investigators," he added. Zalka is the latest Christian neighborhood to be targeted by a series of bombings in Lebanon since the February assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri. Jean Fahd, the military court magistrate heading the investigation into Monday's attack, said yesterday there had been no arrests made. Early reports said security forces were seen detaining five men shortly after the explosion. "We are currently interrogating witnesses that are helping in the investigation and have no suspects so far," he said. I was actually expecting that. They've had a lot of booms so far, and not a single person arrested that I've heard about... The magistrate added that the latest bomb, while similar to previous ones in size (some 20 to 30 kilograms of explosives) was more dangerous than its predecessors as it was contained in "a small bag that was placed in a dark tight corner easily missed by security," in contrast to the previous bombs placed underneath parked cars. No arrests have been made in connection with any of the 10 attacks this year. Maybe they should ask the Egyptians for help? They might not arrest the right people, but they'd arrest somebody. They could ask the Frenchies, but then Hezbollah would collectively poop. According to Fahd, "The aim of all these explosions appears to be to sow fear and terror in the hearts of citizens and cause as much material damage as possible to destabilize security and harm the tourist season." Boy. Not much gets by old Fahd, does it? Meanwhile, Zalka Mayor Michel Murr released an official statement yesterday to announce that everything was now "back to normal." "Remain calm! All is well!" "Everything can now be cleaned up near the bomb site from shattered glass to other debris, leaving the actual bomb site off limits for 48 hours, open only to the local investigations," he said. The explosion will not affect Zalka, he added. "The marketplace will return as busy and bustling with life as ever." Murr said that all shops within "a 500-meter radius" from the blast were damaged, adding that the municipality, with help from sanitation workers and Civil Defense members, had "helped citizens clean the damage from the explosion from their houses and shops."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Attempts to provoke instability place Lebanon under international microscope

2005-03-29

Coming fast on the heels of the United Nation's and Washington's condemnations, Paris harshly slammed Saturday's blast in East Beirut, which left at least five injured and set six buildings ablaze. Speaking following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Tokyo, French President Jacques Chirac said: "All those who try and create chaos in Lebanon will be caught and severely punished." Who's gonna catch 'em? Emile? In a joint statement, Chirac and Koizumi insisted that "UN Security Council Resolution 1559 be fully implemented." And that'll be over Nasrallah's dead body. Hopefully... This third blast within eight days took place in a Christian neighborhood, devastating the industrial and shopping neighborhood of Sad al-Boushrieh, raised calls from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for preserving stability in Lebanon. Meanwhile, U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Dibble reiterated U.S. condemnation of the blast, saying Lebanon is under the international "microscope." In an interview with Radio SAWA in Washington, Dibble said: "The international community is watching Lebanon very closely. The [Lebanese] population deserves to live free of fear in a non-violent atmosphere. We hope no other attacks will take place." Well, we're up to hoping now. Wonder what action's contemplated, and by whom? On Monday Lebanese opposition politicians continued to point the finger at the Lebanese security services controlled by the Syrian-backed government, accusing them of seeking to foment confessional unrest as Syria withdraws its troops from the country. Some opposition MPs have speculated that the recent spate of attacks is aimed at provoking instability to justify a continued Syrian military presence. Batroun opposition MP Butros Harb said on Monday that such acts of terror were part of a plan aiming at halting the current political momentum and oppressing the people through fear. "They are using fear as pressure against the Lebanese people in order to limit the popular 'Independence Intifada'. Only these acts have only managed to make Lebanese stick to their convictions more than ever," Harb said. Of course, the corpse count's not very high yet... "Each explosion adds another page to the government's file," said Zghorta MP Nayla Mouawad. Outgoing Telecommunications Minister Jean-Louis Qordahi said that such attacks were only aiming at distorting the modern and pacifist image of the country. "These attacks destabilize the country's unity. It is high time every official see they are not up to their responsibilities and duties," he said. On Sunday, Syrian-backed Lebanese President Emile Lahoud pledged to fight the "violence gripping his country." "We will do all we can. We should all be united because this is how we can save the country," Lahoud said after attending Easter Sunday Mass service. You might start by arresting somebody, Emile. Then you could run them through the wringer and arrest a few more people.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

11,200 Lebanese gather to form a human Lebanese flag

2005-03-14

On Saturday, more than 11,200 Lebanese had gathered in Martyrs' Square to form a human Lebanese flag. Squares of colored cardboard - green, white and red - were distributed to the participants, who were assembled into position to form the nation's symbol. "This event is our civilized way of expressing our solidarity and attachment to our country," said Tony Moukhaiber, the "voice behind the microphone" cheering on the crowd with zesty slogans while patriotic songs played in the background. The flag took place in front of the Al-Amin mosque in central Beirut, facing Hariri's grave. Thousands of men and women from all across the country began to gather at the square at noon to be part of the event. Oumayma Loutfi said: "I departed from Baalbek this morning. I'm here with my three children, husband and mother-in-law." Many opposition MPs also participated in the event. "You are Lebanon's pride," shouted Zghorta MP Nayla Mouawad, while Beirut MP Ghinwa Jalloul congratulated the crowd for their patriotism and organization. Jalloul said: "This flag shows how Lebanese people are faithful to Rafik Hariri's memory and how they won't rest until they find out the truth about who killed him." At 3 p.m. sharp, the participants raised their squares high in the air forming a giant Lebanese flag for the cameras filming the formation from atop the Al-Amin Mosque, with the national anthem blaring out all the while. "This is the biggest flag in the smallest country," Moukhaiber screamed into his microphone.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Anti-Syrian MPs seek EU support

2005-03-09

Good luck with that. A delegation of opposition MPs headed to Brussels on Tuesday to seek international support for demands of a complete Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. The delegation, also expected to visit Paris later in the week, includes Chouf MP Marwan Hamade, Tripoli MP Mosbah Ahdab, Beirut MPs Ghattas Khoury and Mohammed Qabbani, Zghorta MP Nayla Mouawad, Koura MP Farid Makari, Kesrouan MP Neamatallah Abi Nasr and Minnieh MP Ahmed Fatfat. Leading opposition member Metn MP Nassib Lahoud headed to France Tuesday morning. This trip comes as opposition leader Walid Jumblatt - who met with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in Berlin on Tuesday - is on a tour that has already taken him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He is expected to travel to Russia by the end of the week. Before departing, Khoury said that the opposition will present their vision to solve the current crisis in Lebanon."We want to convince the international public opinion that the Lebanese people can govern themselves and live in peace without any foreign interference." As to whether the delegation's initiative could be viewed as a search for foreign backup, Khoury said: "The world has become a global village and the Lebanese cause has become part of people's discussions around the world." "Let's remember that the initial decision for Syrian troops to enter Lebanon [in 1976] was international."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Franjieh slams opposition leaders

2005-03-02

The resignation of Omar Karami's government generated a wave of reaction among the country's politicians, with some warning against creating a power vacuum which could lead to a political stalemate, while others went back to their interrupted parliamentary elections campaigns. Outgoing Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh spoke to a massive crowd of supporters who gathered in an election-mode rally in Zghorta, promising to settle the score with his opponents at the ballot box. In an unprepared speech, he slammed Chouf MP Walid Jumblatt and criticized the Maronite Patriarch, accusing him of taking sides. He also reiterated his "staunch support" for Syrian President Bashar Assad. Franjieh said: "Jumblatt ought to be standing before the international court at The Hague for his war crimes against the Christians rather than championing the cause of freedom and liberty." He added: "Patriarch Nasrallah should consider us Christians too ... or does he consider Jumblatt a true Maronite?" "Unlike Jumblatt," Franjieh said, "we stay faithful to our friend Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and to martyred Prime Minister Rafik Hariri." Some politicians feared the country would face a critical impasse if opposing parties refused to talk to each other. However, former minister Fouad Butros believed politicians should not fear any potential power vacuum because they have the time to hold a productive dialogue to form a new government. He said: "We still have a president, a Parliament and an outgoing government that administers the state affairs until forming a new government." Butros added that in the absence of a standing government one cannot talk about loyalists and opposition. He said: "If some parties still categorize their political actions as an opposition movement, then they must be confronting a different party than the government. If the opposition means opposing Syria, then it should talk to Damascus and not with their fellow citizens."

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