You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Breaking: Terrorists 'using civilians as human shields' in north Lebanon
2007-05-22
EFL - More at link
Tripoli- Lebanese army gunners pounded hideouts of heavily armed Fatah al-Islam terrorists in the northern refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared Monday in an apparent effort to uproot the group that is targeting the nation's stability. Staccato bursts of machine gun fire and the explosion of howitzer shells echoed across the camp and the nearby northern town of Tripoli shortly after heavily-armed terrorists of Fatah al-Islam burst out of their seafront enclave and opened fire on rescuers trying to evacuated civilians wounded in the cross-fire of clashes with the Lebanese army.Sources in Nahr el-Bared, which has an estimated population of 40.000 refugees, told Naharnet around 200 fighters from Fatah al-Islam streamed across the narrow alleys of the camp opening fire from assault rifles at rescuers trying to evacuate civilians wounded in the cross-fire. Wedad, a Native of the camp, told Naharnet by telephone the terrorists are "using us as human shields."

"They have taken the population hostage. They even interrupted the evacuation of the wounded civilians. They opened fire at civilians who were trying to run away from the camp" to safer areas in the nearby Baddawi camp and the northern town of Triploi, said Wedad who was reached through her mobile telephone. Abdul Qader, a 50-year-old resident of the camp, said about 150-200 armed elements from Fatah al-Islam carried out a broad-front advance from their beach enclave across the narrow streets of the camp and took up sniping nests on rooftops and in residential apartments from which they opened fire on rescuers and Lebanese troops. Abdul Qader, himself a veteran Palestinian guerrilla who had fought for the mainstream Fatah faction, said terrorists had brought in seaborne support by fishing boats from neighboring Syria to fight what appears to be a final showdown with the Lebanese army.

"They appear determined to fight it out to the end, with the civilian population forced to serve as human shield for their fighters. They shoot at every civilian who tries to evacuate the camp and seek refuge with the Lebanese army," Abdul Qader told Naharnet."In brief," he said, "the whole camp population was taken hostage by Fatah al-Islam."Before Fatah al-Islam gunmen took control of the whole camp, rescuers from the Lebanese Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent committees managed to evacuate eight wounded civilians. As fighting raged, Palestinian factions issued a statement saying about 50 people were killed and wounded by the cross-fire.The statement pleaded with the government of Premier Fouad Siniora to intervene and "protect the civilian population."
This article brought to you by the Brave Lions of Islam™

Sadly, this is what it is going to take for Arab Muslim populations to finally realize that terrorism threatens them just as much as it does the West. One can only hope that they begin to understand how important it is to monitor and report subversive activity BEFORE IT GETS THEM KILLED. I really wish I could muster some sympathy here but the Palestinians have struggled valiantly to place themselves in this position and they can rot in Hell for it.
Posted by:Zenster

#13  wanna get my attention? THIS headline would:
"Terrorists NOT using civilians as human shields"

Now THAT would news!!
Posted by: Justrand   2007-05-22 22:03  

#12  Muslim on muslim violence. Ima thinkin the Lebanese Army isn't going to worry as much as we do about human shields. Lebanese Army will probably shoot first and let Allan sort out the human shields from the Fatah.
Posted by: JohnQC   2007-05-22 20:47  

#11  (basically because Sharia is much nastier in practice than most moslems imagine in principle)

As astonishing as it may sound, this seems to be the case with a large portion of this world's Muslim population. While you would think that might exonerate them of guilt in helping to advance the cause of Islam, it really serves to condemn them further. They have chosen to blindly follow a creed no matter how bloodthirsty and cruel its own doctrine is. Ignorance of shari'a law is no excuse. They are pushing for it to be globally enforced and it is their fault.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-05-22 20:00  

#10  Let's Do the Time Warp Again!
Posted by: doc   2007-05-22 19:27  

#9  Per other reports, the Fatah al-Islam group may be pretty unpopular in Nahr el Bared (basically because Sharia is much nastier in practice than most moslems imagine in principle) and thus, the former don't mind at all using people who they consider potential enemies.
Posted by: mhw   2007-05-22 19:06  

#8  Palestinians will be Palestinians.
Posted by: gromgoru   2007-05-22 18:04  

#7  They shoot at every civilian who tries to evacuate the camp

Didn't Hamas do the same thing in southern Lebanon?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2007-05-22 16:35  

#6  There may be more to this than meets the eye. When Israel last left Lebanon, the Paleos used large numbers of women and children to charge the Israeli positions, which turned an orderly retreat into a rout. The Arabs figured it was a win-win situation with the alternative being the Israelis slaughtering the women and children.

Either way, the bragged about it ever since as a great "Arab victory".

And so the Arabs in the area have since calculated how they can use women and children in their military operations. (N.B.: and might also explain the US development of the Sheriff Humvee mounted microwave crowd disperser.)

I was surprised that Hezbollah didn't try a similar stunt in their recent defeat by the Israelis. They only did it late in the game, trying to stop evacuations of Shiites in their northern territory.

But in this case, the Fatah al-Islam thugs, are more than willing to expend as many Palestinian lives as possible to keep them as human shields.

Especially if they are Syrian backed and armed.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-05-22 15:52  

#5  "Terrorists 'using civilians as human shields' in north Lebanon"

Well, I for one am just shocked!

Hooda thunk it?

Other than anybody with 2 functioning brain cells....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2007-05-22 15:49  

#4  Is there truly anyone in the camps over the age of five who doesn't own a firearm? If only they'd organize themselves, they could easily overwhelm the formerly 100-150, now 150-200 Fatah al Islam idiots.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-05-22 15:29  

#3  The "Brave Lions of Islam" always hide behind their women's burkas.

Or in them.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-05-22 14:57  

#2  No.
The "Brave Lions of Islam" always hide behind their women's burkas.
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-05-22 14:52  

#1  Did anybody expect any less from the Brave Lions of Islam?
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2007-05-22 14:36  

00:00