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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| North Lebanon conflict now in Qaida hands says cleric |
| 2007-06-12 |
| Leader of the Islamic Action Front Fathi Yakan declared the collapse of the mediation efforts to broker a peaceful end to the Nahr al-Bared confrontation in north Lebanon as the conflict was now in the hands of al-Qaida with which he had no contact. Yakan, who is among a group of Muslim clerics shuttling between Fatah al-Islam and the army command, said on Sunday: "The issue is now very complicated after the Nahr al-Bared dossier has been handed over (by Fatah al-Islam) to al-Qaida worldwide. We have reached a dead-end." The mediators on Friday already said they had suffered a setback when they were able to see only Shahine Shahine (Fatah al-Islam spokesman), not more senior Fatah al-Islam leaders. Yakan said his mediators had been unable to speak to Fatah al-Islam leader Shaker al-Abssi. "I do not think those speaking in the name of the group are able to give a decision. The fate of (Abssi) is not known," Yakan told Reuters. However, another Fatah al-Islam spokesman, Abu Salim Taha said the mediation was not welcome as it required the Islamists to surrender as demanded by the Beirut government. Ministerial as well as security sources ridiculed Yakan's announcement, accusing him of trying to distance Fatah-al-Islam from the Damascus regime in a move designed to "eliminate suspicion" of Syrian involvement in this direction. Yakan is aligned with the pro-Syrian opposition. This is perhaps why government sources doubt his neutrality. Many government sources consider Fatah al-Islam as " Made in Syria" terrorist organization that has nothing to do with Qaida, Islam or the Palestinians. |
| Posted by:Fred |