Posted on 05/04/2008 9:45:49 PM PDT by HAL9000
BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt called over the weekend for a ban on flights from Iran to Beirut's airport, accusing Hizbullah of flying in arms from the Islamic Republic. At a news conference on Saturday, the outspoken MP also called for the expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shibani and the sacking of the head of security at the airport, General Ayman Shoucair, over his alleged links to HizbullahDuring the press conference at his residence in Mukhtara, Jumblatt showed reporters what he said was an exchange of mail between Defense Minister Elias Murr and army intelligence about the discovery of surveillance cameras near the airport, which is close to Beirut's southern suburbs, a bastion of Hizbullah support.
Jumblatt accused Hizbullah of setting up the cameras "to monitor the arrival of Lebanese or foreign leaders and to kidnap or assassinate [people] on the airport road."
He charged that Shoucair allowed the cameras to be placed in the area because of his alleged links with Hizbullah.
"I am disclosing such information about Hizbullah before people march in my funeral or parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri's funeral," Jumblatt added.
Runway 17 at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, which Jumblatt said is being monitored by Hizbullah, is used by executive jets. Jumblatt and Hariri are among the officials whose jets land on runway 17.
The judiciary has reportedly started an investigation.
Jumblatt also reiterated his earlier accusations against Hizbullah about setting up a private phone network in Beirut's southern suburbs, southern Lebanon, and the Bekaa. He also said Hizbullah was in the process of setting up a similar network between the areas of Keserwan and Jbeil in Mount Lebanon.
He added that the alleged network was connected to Syria.
The MP said that the southern suburbs, which are controlled by Hizbullah, are a "reservoir for booby-trapped cars."
"The state security forces need permission from Hizbullah security official Wafic Safa before taking any action in Beirut's southern suburbs," he added.
In reaction to Jumblatt's accusations, a Hizbullah statement on Saturday described his comments as "mad," and accused him of "stoking the fires of discord" in the politically divided country.
"We expected that Jumblatt and his allies would say something to condemn the continuous Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace, but on the contrary Jumblatt showed up to request banning flights from Iran," the Hizbullah statement said.
"It seems that Jumblatt has committed himself to fight the United States' battle against Iran after he declared that Israel was no longer Lebanon's enemy," the statement added.
"Jumblatt's accusations are aimed at diverting attention from the recent Israeli reports that revealed the failure of a planned Israeli operation that was supposed to take place in the southern suburbs of Beirut," Hizbullah said, referring to recent Israeli media reports.
Hizbullah also accused Jumblatt of wanting to put the airport under the control of the United States.
"Airport security has always created a complex for Jumblatt," it said, "because the airport is very close to an area known for its support for the resistance."
The Hizbullah statement also accused Jumblatt of delivering information to Israel by speaking about the group's private phone network.
"It is left to judicial authorities to decide what to do with people who are delivering information to the enemy and putting the country's security at stake," the group said.
Hizbullah also criticized Jumblatt for "allowing himself" to ask for sacking state security officials, saying he "wants state security officials to work for him."
"We warn him against engaging the Lebanese Army and other security forces in the ongoing political division in the country," Hizbullah added.
Meanwhile, the anti-Syrian March 14 Forces issued a statement condemning Hizbullah and also accusing the group of trying to control the airport.
"After occupying Downtown Beirut and emptying its areas from any presence of state security authorities, Hizbullah is now trying to put the airport under its control," the statement said.
The March 14 Forces also accused Iran's ambassador to Lebanon as "acting as if he was a high commissioner who does not recognize the Lebanese state ... His only mission is to deliver services to Hizbullah."
The statement called on Arab states to help Lebanon resist "Iranian expansionism."
In America we call them TSA.
things are cookin’!
Lebanon: Druze leader calls to expel Iranian ambassador
al Bawaba | May 04 2008
Posted on 05/04/2008 9:46:09 AM PDT by knighthawk
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2011076/posts
An eye on the North-With generous Iranian funding,
Hizbullah’s transformation to a full-fledged army
Jerusalem Post | 5-2-08
Posted on 05/02/2008 5:31:14 AM PDT by SJackson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010169/posts
In Lebanon, Hezbollah arms stockpile bigger, deadlier
LA Times | 4/8/08 | By Sebastian Rotella, Los Angeles
Posted on 05/04/2008 6:16:33 PM PDT by Flavius
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2011249/posts
Hezbollah planning major attack on Beirut Airport
http://yalibnan.com/site/archives/2008/05/hezbollah_plann_1.php
Posted on 05/02/2008 6:15:50 AM PDT by jhpigott
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010192/posts
Hezb’allah Prepares for War
American Thinker | April 27, 2008 | Rick Moran
Posted on 04/27/2008 7:54:19 PM PDT by kingattax
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2007861/posts
Israel: UNIFIL is hiding information about Hezbollah from Security Council
haaretz | 28/04/2008 | By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Posted on 04/27/2008 7:44:59 PM PDT by Flavius
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2007858/posts
Hezbollah rearms
http://washingtontimes.com/article/2...762456203/1013
Posted on 04/25/2008 6:08:21 AM PDT by jhpigott
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006838/posts
U.N. Security Council Calls on Hezbollah to Disarm
Foxnews | Tuesday, April 15, 2008 | AP
Posted on 04/16/2008 7:50:01 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2002384/posts
Israel says Syria arming Hezbollah despite UN resolution
Yahoo!
Posted on 04/15/2008 8:23:06 AM PDT by jhpigott
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2001875/posts
UN troops erect barbed wire on Lebanon-Israel border
http://www.reliefweb.int
Posted on 04/10/2008 7:39:00 AM PDT by jhpigott
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1999489/posts
Opposition and majority followers clash in Beirut streets
(pro-Hezbollah Shiite vs pro-West Sunni?)
Earth Times | 04/04/08
Posted on 04/06/2008 5:21:46 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1997519/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/lebanon/index
This is going to get ugly, real fast. Iran and Syria have been continually interfering with the election process of a new Lebanese president. THey seek Lebannon to be weak so Hezbollah can go about its business of waging war against Israel and acting as a proxy army of Iran.
if i was him, i would begin checking underneath his car every morning...potential Hizzy fit candidate methinks...
bkmark
It happened to his father, Kamal Jumblatt, back in the 1970s. Hopefully he hasn’t forgotten.
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