1. Why would this need to be denied? What possible reason? Think about it.
Western diplomatic sources have denied a media report that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s advisor had discussed with Lebanese officials the issue of Palestinian camps and security around Beirut airport. The sources told An Nahar newspaper in remarks published Saturday that Merkel’s foreign policy and security advisor Christoph Heusgen held talks with the officials during his Beirut visit as part of regional meetings.
An Nahar reported Friday that Heusgen informed Lebanese officials about the infiltration of terrorists from Arab countries into Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. It said the German envoy told the officials about the necessity to monitor activity inside and outside the camps and the areas surrounding Beirut airport.
Furthermore, well-informed sources had told Ad-Diyar newspaper that Merkel’s envoy discussed with Lebanese officials the issue of missing Israeli airman Ron Arad, and the four Iranian diplomats who were kidnapped in 1982.
2. more info on the Fatah suspect arrested Thursday by Lebanese Army (the “hefty catch”)
The suspected Fatah al-Islam terrorist arrested by the Lebanese Army on Thursday night is a Palestinian who fought in the 2007 Nahr al-Bared battles and was responsible for funding the group, a Palestinian security official told Agence France Presse. The Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the suspect as Munir Mezian, who had been arrested by the Lebanese army four years ago and jailed for 18 months for attacking soldiers. Mezian was tasked with “providing financial funds and weapons” for Fatah al-Islam and was “among the first group (of militants) who set up” the Islamist organization, said the Palestinian official.
He said Mezian is in his 30’s and is also known as Abu al-Walid. He used to live in the Palestinian Beddawi refugee camp in northern Lebanon but fled about a year and a half ago to live in Beirut with his mother. Mezian “could have information about other Fatah al-Islam militants” wanted by the Lebanese authorities, the Palestinian official said. Earlier, Lebanese media reported that the man arrested was suspected of being a leading figure in Fatah al-Islam and of plotting future attacks. “The suspect was on the state’s wanted list and is a member of Fatah al-Islam,” the Lebanese daily An-Nahar said.
Newspapers said the army had also seized equipment during Thursday’s raid on a house in Beirut. In 2007, Fatah al-Islam fought fierce battles against the army at Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon. The fighting killed 400 people, including 168 soldiers, and displaced some 30,000 refugees from the camp, which was leveled in the weeks-long conflict. Fatah al-Islam has also been linked to deadly bombings targeting U.N. peacekeepers in the south and civilian buses. By long-standing convention, the army does not enter Lebanon’s impoverished refugee camps, home to an estimated 250,000 Palestinians.(Naharnet-AFP)
3. slew of US officials visiting Lebanon all of a sudden
…McCain and his accompanying congressional delegation held talks with top Lebanese officials, including Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Saad Hariri and PSP leader Walid Jumblat, during a two-day visit to Beirut. …McCain’s trip to Beirut comes before U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell’s visit to the region. Mitchell is expected to kick off his regional tour in Beirut. An Nahar daily said Saturday that David Johnson, assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement affairs, will visit Beirut in the next few days to meet with top officials. Johnson’s visit is aimed at following up U.S. assistance to Internal Security Forces, it said.
4. Spiegel: Hizbullah moving cocaine trading profits to Lebanon via Frankfurt airport
German investigators are probing Hizbullah’s alleged cocaine smuggling in Europe and the transfer of the profits to Lebanon via Frankfurt airport, a German magazine said….Those receiving the money in Lebanon are said to be members of a family with contacts with the highest levels of the Hizbullah command, including leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
5. will this be connected to the alleged presence of Hizbullah in Venezuela next? — see my post here
He also said that evidence exists that agents from FARC, Hamas and Hezbollah “operate with few restrictions in Venezuela” and that many of those agents use Venezuelan passports to travel abroad.“There is no doubt that the potential threat to [U.S.] security from Venezuela is extremely high,” Mack stated, at the same time he demanded that the Obama administration include Venezuela on the list of terrorist-sponsoring nations “without delay.”
This is not the first time that Mack has promoted this type of initiative. On Oct. 28, 2009, he introduced a resolution in Congress, together with his fellow congressman from Florida Ron Klein, to include Venezuela on the list of terrorism sponsors. That proposal had gone nowhere, until now.
