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BBC: Syria 'to name Mughniyeh killer'
BBC ^ | Friday, 15 February 2008, 13:39 GMT | BBC Staff

Posted on 02/15/2008 7:34:09 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

Syria 'to name Mughniyeh killer'

Mobile phone video footage of the blast (al-Alam TV)

Iranian TV said a booby-trapped car had exploded next to Mughniyeh's

Syria has said it will soon present "irrefutable" proof of who was behind the killing of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh in the capital, Damascus.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem would not discuss the ongoing investigation, but insisted the world would "soon hear the results of this mighty effort".

Meanwhile, Iranian TV has broadcast a video reportedly of Tuesday's bombing.

On Thursday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blamed Israel for the blast and warned it was ready for "open war".

Israel has rejected the claims, but nonetheless has put its embassies around the world on high alert and boosted troop deployments on the Lebanese border.

'Secret investigation'

Speaking after meeting his Iranian counterpart in Damascus, Mr Moualem said the Syrian security services had devoted huge resources to their investigation into "this despicable crime" and would soon unmask the killer.

The fighter Imad Mughniyeh was the target of lots of intelligence agencies - he was a backbone of the Islamic resistance

Walid al-Moualem
Syrian Foreign Minister


"As a state, we will irrefutably prove the party involved in this crime and who stands behind it. An investigation is ongoing," he told reporters on Thursday. "We hope that you will soon hear the results of this mighty effort."

Mr Moualem declined to say whether the security forces had detained anyone in connection with the attack or name the chief suspects.

"I cannot comment to preserve the secrecy of the investigation," he said.

"The fighter Imad Mughniyeh was the target of lots of intelligence agencies. He was a backbone of the Islamic resistance."

Nevertheless, Mr Moualem asserted Mughniyeh's death had "assassinated all efforts for peace" between Syria and Israel.

IMAD MUGHNIYEH

Undated photograph of Imad Mughniyeh released by Hezbollah

Born southern Lebanon 1962

Indicted for 1985 hijack of TWA airliner

Accused of involvement in 1990s Buenos Aires bombings

On FBI Most Wanted list since 2001


The two countries remain technically at war and tensions between them have risen in recent months, with Israeli jets violating Syrian airspace and the government demanding Damascus abandon its support for Hezbollah.

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, was, however, adamant that Israel lay behind Tuesday's bombing.

"The Zionist entity will not harvest the fruit," he warned.

On Friday morning, the Iranian Arabic-language TV channel, al-Alam, broadcast what it said was footage taken with a mobile phone of the bombing.

The report claimed the video showed the explosion of a booby-trapped car parked next to Mughniyeh's vehicle. It said the bomb was detonated by remote control.

'Open war'

Mr Moualem's comments came hours after Sheikh Nasrallah blamed Israel for his death and said its war against the Jewish state was not over.

"Zionists, if you want this sort of open war, then let the whole world hear, so be it!" he told crowds of mourners at Mughniyeh's funeral in Beirut.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah 14/2/08
Nasrallah blamed Israel for Imad Mughniyeh's assassination

Sheikh Nasrallah said that Israel thought that killing "would lead to the destruction of the resistance... but they are wrong".

"The blood of Imad Mughniyeh will make them [Israel] withdraw from existence," he insisted.

Mughniyeh, in his late 40s, had been variously described as special operations or intelligence chief of Hezbollah's secretive military wing, the Islamic Resistance.

He was top of the US "most wanted" list until he was replaced by Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders following the 11 September 2001 attacks.

Analysts say his death is a significant blow to Hezbollah, which battled Israel in the 2006 Lebanon war with help from its Iranian and Syrian backers.

Hezbollah was founded in 1982 by a group of Shia Muslim clerics after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. It has emerged in recent years as a major political and military force in Lebanon, after military successes against Israel.




TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: hezbollah; iran; iraq; israel; jordan; mughniyeh; mugniah; mugnieh; syria
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1 posted on 02/15/2008 7:34:11 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

My that was fast - lol.


2 posted on 02/15/2008 7:35:23 AM PST by nuconvert (There are bad people in the pistachio business.)
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To: Dog; K-oneTexas; NormsRevenge; Grampa Dave; SierraWasp; Marine_Uncle; blam; SunkenCiv; jveritas; ...

Here we go....


3 posted on 02/15/2008 7:35:51 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: All

Here we go.


4 posted on 02/15/2008 7:38:47 AM PST by Brian S. Fitzgerald ("We're going to drag that ship over the mountain.")
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Tehy will scream from the minarets: “It was the Joos, The Joos!”
5 posted on 02/15/2008 7:38:51 AM PST by MindBender26 (Ugliness can be cured by a light switch.)
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To: nuconvert

How about....a video tape of the blast....now that’s interesting....


6 posted on 02/15/2008 7:39:17 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Sheikh Nasrallah is now target #1.


7 posted on 02/15/2008 7:39:41 AM PST by ASA Vet
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Let me guess. It starts with an "I" and ends with an "L".

L

8 posted on 02/15/2008 7:40:21 AM PST by Lurker (Pimping my blog: http://lurkerslair-lurker.blogspot.com/)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Mr Moualem asserted Mughniyeh's death had "assassinated all efforts for peace" between Syria and Israel.

Does he mean that Syria will stop calling for Israel to give up land and get nothing in return like they currently do? How is that a bad thing?

9 posted on 02/15/2008 7:42:53 AM PST by Hillarys Gate Cult (The man who said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" has never talked to Helen Thomas.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Compared to their efforts in identifying who killed Lebanon’s PM, this one was a snap!


10 posted on 02/15/2008 7:44:24 AM PST by .cnI redruM (If Al Qaeda used Steroids, the House Leadership would act against them - Sen Bond)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
I suspect Syria will name the UN entity investigating the Hariri assassination. ;')
Syria has said it will soon present "irrefutable" proof of who was behind the killing of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh in the capital, Damascus. Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem would not discuss the ongoing investigation, but insisted the world would "soon hear the results of this mighty effort"... Speaking after meeting his Iranian counterpart in Damascus, Mr Moualem said the Syrian security services had devoted huge resources to their investigation into "this despicable crime" and would soon unmask the killer... "As a state, we will irrefutably prove the party involved in this crime and who stands behind it. An investigation is ongoing," he told reporters on Thursday. "We hope that you will soon hear the results of this mighty effort." ...Nevertheless, Mr Moualem asserted Mughniyeh's death had "assassinated all efforts for peace" between Syria and Israel... The two countries remain technically at war and tensions between them have risen in recent months, with Israeli jets violating Syrian airspace and the government demanding Damascus abandon its support for Hezbollah... On Friday morning, the Iranian Arabic-language TV channel, al-Alam, broadcast what it said was footage taken with a mobile phone of the bombing.
Dang, that was just dumb luck to just happen to be filming some parked cars with a mobile phone when the bomb went off. REMARKABLE journalism. /sarc
11 posted on 02/15/2008 7:45:04 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________Profile updated Sunday, February 10, 2008)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

There’s a train of thought in another FR thread that the Iranians did it to cover up their involvement with 9/11 - through Mughniyeh.


12 posted on 02/15/2008 7:45:59 AM PST by Mach5
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To: MindBender26
I saw a post on Wed that had a reporter who knew this man. He said a team of 8 special forces types landed in Damascus on Monday per his sources. He believed that Iran was afraid he may be captured and talk about their role in the training of the 911 muscle hijackers. He thinks they took him out because only someone he trusted could have got that close. So take your pick, ours special forces guys, Masad, Hesbalah infighting or Iran.

Not fun being a super terrorist

13 posted on 02/15/2008 7:46:34 AM PST by crosslink (Moderates should play in the middle of a busy street)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Is the killer the Butler? A Quaker? A Butler who happens to be a Quaker?


14 posted on 02/15/2008 7:47:57 AM PST by John123 (Wahhabism is the best choice for anyone too stupid for scientology...)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Gabriel Allon?


15 posted on 02/15/2008 7:48:40 AM PST by keeper53 (((I still like Fred.........McCain/ Thompson?)))
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
ongoing investigation

What ongoing investigation? You guys don't have anything resembling an investigative unit unless you are talking about your torturers...

16 posted on 02/15/2008 7:50:46 AM PST by John123 (Wahhabism is the best choice for anyone too stupid for scientology...)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The assassins were professionals and long gone. I doubt the Syrian/Iranian investigation will lead anywhere.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

17 posted on 02/15/2008 7:51:08 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: crosslink

Lebanese, (it happened the day before the anniversary of Hariri’s assassination), or Mossad


18 posted on 02/15/2008 7:51:48 AM PST by nuconvert (There are bad people in the pistachio business.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; Dog

Heck, it’s going to get interesting even if Syria backs down and refuses to finger anyone after their announcement here!

Bring it on!


19 posted on 02/15/2008 7:52:13 AM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
"The Zionist entity will not harvest the fruit," he warned.

It appears they picked one rotten apple off the tree already.

20 posted on 02/15/2008 7:54:15 AM PST by OB1kNOb (Maverick conservative without a party.)
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