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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Suleiman: Fatah al-Islam is a branch of al-Qaida |
| 2007-08-15 |
| Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman on Monday denied charges that Fatah al-Islam terrorists are linked to Syria or to factions represented in the Lebanese government. Fatah al-Islam, Suleiman said, "is not sponsored by Syrian intelligence, nor it is backed by Lebanese government circles. It is a branch for al-Qaida which had been planning to use Lebanon and Palestinian camps as safe haven to launch its operations in Lebanon and abroad." He said efforts exerted by the Lebanese Army "to avoid inflicting many civilian casualties slowed down the advance" in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp. However, "much has been done and little remains to be achieved," Suleiman was quoted by the state-run National News Agency as saying. He estimated that "about 70 (Fatah al-Islam) fighters remain in the camp along with about 100 women and children who refuse to leave despite repeated calls by the army." Suleiman rejected describing Fatah al-Islam as a gang. "Those fighting us at Nahr al-Bared are highly-trained fighters, equipped with sophisticated weapons ? and highly experienced in booby trapping and explosives." Suleiman expressed regret over the failure to materialize promises to provide the army with badly needed equipment while fighting terrorists in the north. "We need a lot of weapons and ammunition, conventional and modern, but we have received only a lot of promises and some ammunition, but no equipment. As if they are telling us: Die first and back up would arrive later. That is why we are looking for sources to acquire weapons." He stressed that "I will stay in my post as commander of the army until a new president is elected and a new government is formed." "Is it possible to leave command of this ship while it is facing such high waves?" Suleiman asked. The majority of Fatah al-Islam militants came from the neighboring Islamic countries...from as far as Bangladesh in the east to Morocco in the west. A large number of them fought in Iraq . The foreign militants came to Lebanon illegally thru the Syrian borders with their sophisticated weapons. Many observers think that Suleiman in absolving Syria was wearing his political hat and his aim was to please the allies of the Syrian regime in Lebanon in the event he is nominated as a consensus candidate for the presidency to replace the outgoing pro-Syrian president Emile Lahoud. |
| Posted by:Fred |