The capture of Abdel Rahman Awad, the elusive Fatah al-Islam fugitive, is being delayed due to the delicate politics that govern life in the sprawling Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp where he is thought to be hiding, Palestinian sources have told The Daily Star.
Lebanese authorities have issued a warrant for Awad's arrest for his alleged involvement in a series of deadly bombings which targeted the army in Tripoli over the summer. The militant, who is known as the "Prince of Al-Qaeda" for his ties to international Islamist networks, has also been linked to a suicide bombing in Damascus in September.
Security forces have asked their Palestinian counterparts, who are responsible for law and order in the camp, to capture Awad as quickly as possible, but despite promises that action will be taken no substantial progress in bringing him to justice appears to have been made.
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) held a meeting with senior Palestinian figures last week in which the military accused the militant of holding the inhabitants of the camp "hostage." But Awad has supporters inside the camp, where there is talk of a fatwa (religious edict) binding Islamist groups to protecting him. But the imam of Al-Quds Mosque in Sidon, Sheikh Maher Hammoud, has issued a fatwa of his own calling for Awad's surrender.
A senior Palestinian source told The Daily Star that while the major political parties in the camp were in agreement that Awad should be handed over as soon as possible, the opposition of armed splinter groups has made such a decision politically sensitive. "There is so much politics among the parties involved," the source said. "Otherwise, why would we have this delay?"
Secular Fatah officials in the camp are said to fear a collapse in support if they hand over Awad, a Palestinian, to Lebanese security forces and are trying to build cross-party support for his arrest with religious parties rather than risking instability by acting unilaterally.
The source said this approach meant that the prospect of serious unrest in the camp over Awad's potential arrest was unlikely. "All the major parties in the camp are in favor of his capture or surrender," the source said. "There are a few Islamist splinter groups who disagree, but I don't think they will dare to stand in the face of the main parties."
Continued on Page 47
This article starring:
Abdel Rahman Awad
Fatah al-Islam
Sheikh Maher Hammoud
Posted by: Fred ||
11/26/2008 09:55 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11136 views]
Top|| File under: Fatah al-Islam
#1
So the politics of life in Ein El-Hellhole are "delicate." I did not know that.
#2
Security forces have asked their Palestinian counterparts, who are responsible for law and order in the camp, to capture Awad as quickly as possible, but despite promises that action will be taken no substantial progress in bringing him to justice appears to have been made.
Yeah. Kinda funny how that always seems to happen...
A senior Iranian military official has said Iran's military might deters the US from taking any military action against the Islamic Republic.
"The US has mobilized all its power against Iran and it has set up military bases in all Iran's neighboring countries, but Iran's military might has deterred the US from launching an attack on the country," said Rear Admiral Morteza Saffari, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy.
"Any attack against Iran will trigger a crushing response to the enemies," IRNA quoted Saffari as saying on Tuesday. "They know that any aggression against Iran will prompt a decisive response, and this is why they will not make any insane move against Iran," he added.
Iran does not want war but is fully prepared to defend itself against any enemy threat, he explained.
#2
We're probably more deterred by their mutual defense treaty with Russia. That is why Iran is so adamant in trying to provoke an attack. The defense agreement would not hold if Iran were the attacker.
#3
I wish that you would prove to us that you believe your own words. Come on, show us your stuff. Perhaps, Israel will help us out for a share of the booty. They could use some new territories to occupy.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
11/26/2008 8:26 Comments ||
Top||
#4
First, there was "Baghdad Bob" who brought you such stirring words as "We have destroyed 2 tanks, fighter planes, 2 helicopters and their shovels - We have driven them back."
Now there's "Tehran Saffron"!.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
11/26/2008 9:57 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Let's be honest
We are deterred by two things
1) Negative PR
2) Cost of occupation.
Israel's prime minister says Washington has not rejected a request by Tel Aviv to take any action it deems "necessary" against Iran. Ehud Olmert, the outgoing premier, said Tuesday that he had extensively discussed Iran and its nuclear program with "Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the (US) president".
"There is a basic, deep understanding about the Iranian threat and the need to act in order to remove the threat," Olmert told reporters.
Israel insists that a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to Tel Aviv, claiming that Tehran has "plans to build a nuclear weapon." Under the allegation, Israeli echelons and army brass have long argued that militarily taking out Iran's nuclear infrastructure is a legitimate option.
An earlier report by Time suggested that Washington had expressed its opposition to an Israeli military strike on Iran before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. "We have been warned off," the American magazine quoted an Israeli Defense Ministry official as saying.
However, the outgoing Israeli premier dismissed the Time report. "I don't remember that anyone in the administration, including in the last couple of days, advised me or any other of my official representatives not to take any action that we will deem necessary for the fundamental security of the state of Israel, and that includes Iran," said Olmert, who is forced to leave office following a corruption scandal.
On Sunday, in a leaked annual National Security Council assessment, Israeli army chiefs advocated a timely military strike on Iran before a "limited" window of opportunity is missed. The intelligence assessment declared that Tel Aviv must draw up "contingency plans to attack Iran" even if it means courting a confrontation with Washington.
Earlier in July, Texas congressman Ron Paul warned that any Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would take place with the explicit backing of the US government. The outspoken congressman told Press TV that, "No matter what they do, it is our money, it is our weapons, and they are not going to do it without us approving it."
Olmert's remarks, meanwhile, suggested that should Israel involve in a military conflict with Iran, there would not be a quarrel between Tel Aviv officials and the Obama administration.
President-elect Obama has vowed to 'engage in aggressive personal diplomacy' with Iranian leaders to resolve the controversy surrounding the country's nuclear program.
Continued on Page 47
Posted by: Fred ||
11/26/2008 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11140 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Israel's prime minister says Washington has not rejected a request by Tel Aviv to take any action it deems "necessary" against Iran.
#2
Perhaps it's so right on so many levels because it's so inscrutable.
Posted by: Titus Gruting5237 ||
11/26/2008 11:28 Comments ||
Top||
#3
This will er, er, ah er, ah take delicate preparation during the transfer of power in Washington. One can't have Israel bombing Iran while negotiations without preconditions are going on by the U.S.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
The capture of 
