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Nasrallah: Failure to release murderer will result in Dire Revengeâ¢
Hat tip LGFHezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that Israel would regret not releasing militant Samir Kuntar in the prisoner exchange deal carried out Thursday, and said members of his organization would kidnap Israeli soldiers again. "You wonât let us kill civilians so weâll kidnap their protectors" In 1979, Kuntar murdered a police officer and three members of the Haran family in the northern city of Nahariya. Speaking at a festive ceremony held in honor of the Lebanese prisoners freed by Israel on Thursday, Nasrallah said that in future kidnappings, the Israeli soldiers would survive the abduction and be live hostages. The remark was a reference to the fact that the three soldiers abducted by Hezbollah in October 2000, whose bodies were returned Thursday as part of the prisoner exchange, were killed prior to the kidnapping. "Next time I promise you we will capture them alive," Nasrallah told those attending the Hezbollah rally. Then his legs shrank. Nasrallah also said that to make progress on a deal involving Kuntar, his organization could reveal some details pertaining to the fate of missing Israel Air Force navigator Ron Arad, who was captured in southern Lebanon in 1986. Along with the threats in his speech, Nasrallah also expressed his regard for Israel, and for its concern for abducted citizens. "As a bitter enemy of Israel, I express respect." *twang* "Damn that harp!" Thousands gathered for the festive ceremony at Beirutâs international airport, and greeted the 33 Lebanese prisoners released in the exchange between Israel and Hezbollah. Tens of thousands of people lined the airport highway for several kilometers and packed a Hezbollah rally at the militant groupâs stronghold in south Beirut to celebrate the homecoming. Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, a Hezbollah leader and one of the most famous prisoners released, was the first to step off the plane. He was followed by another famous ex-prisoner, guerrilla leader Mustafa Dirani. Obeid burst into tears as his children and other relatives mobbed him, hugging and kissing him. The scene was repeated with other men released by Israel in the deal, who met their loved ones at the airport VIP lounge. "We hope for more victories and more liberation of prisoners, God willing," Dirani said earlier by phone from the German government plane that brought the prisoners to Lebanon. "Heil Haman!" Posted by: Steve from Relto 2004-01-30 |
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