Posted on 02/22/2005 12:42:21 AM PST by JohnHuang2
JERUSALEM – Lebanese security officials backed by Syria carried out the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, who knew his life was in danger, a Lebanese opposition leader told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview today.
"Lebanese security services handled by Syrian security were behind the assassination of Hariri," said Walid Jumblatt, a leading opposition figure in Lebanon. He said in a meeting with Hariri two weeks ago the former prime minister said he felt he was in danger. "Hariri said something bad was going to happen and that it is either going to be you or me."
Hariri, along with 16 others, including nine bodyguards, was killed in a massive explosion last Monday along the seafront in Beirut. Hariri was a leading figure in Lebanon calling for the ouster of Syrian troops and the alignment of the Lebanese government with pro-democratic ideology.
Walid Jumblatt
Jumblatt told WND he is calling for an "uprising for independence" demanding Damascus withdraw its nearly 20,000 troops from the country and urging the current pro-Syrian government to step down.
"We ask all in Lebanon to claim independence from Syria peacefully and democratically," said Jumblatt.
Jumblatt, in conjunction with other major figures of the anti-Syrian movement, put out a statement Friday urging the "dismissal of the government, which has no legitimacy, and the formation of a transitional administration to protect the Lebanese people and ensure the immediate withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon to pave the way for holding free and honest legislative elections."
"In response to the policy of intimidation and terrorization by the Lebanese authorities and the Syrian authorities, the Lebanese opposition declares the launching of the democratic and peaceful uprising for independence," the statement said.
Jumblatt told WND the mood on the streets in Beirut is one of defiance.
"Already we have our uprising. Most of the Lebanese are angry at the loss of Hariri, who was a symbol of freedom to them. Today, we had a huge demonstration. Christians and Muslims are joining together in an unprecedented campaign to free Lebanon. They are protesting, visiting [Hariri's] tomb and praying there. We call for this to continue."
Over 100,000 people attended Hariri's funeral last week, with opposition Christian and Druze leaders, including Jumblatt, holding rallies denouncing the Lebanese government and fueling what became a mass anti-Syrian street protest. Demonstrators reportedly set fire to the tents of Syrian farm workers near the northern town of Tripoli, and several hundred marched toward Hariri's grave shouting independence slogans.
Earlier today, thousands of Lebanese massed on the Beirut seafront chanting "Syria out" and "Down with the government," as they marched on the site where Hariri was killed. The sea of demonstrators reportedly observed five minutes of silence to mark the exact moment of last week's bomb blast.
Sources told WorldNetDaily Syria is so concerned about the prospects of major violence and attacks against its Lebanese installations that Syrian military commanders have allegedly been telling troops in Lebanon to remains in their barracks until an order is given following any attack. If that occurs, sources say, Syrian troops would be backed by Hezbollah and by key Palestinian fighters.
But Jumblatt said he doesn't support the use of violence in the campaign against Syrian occupation: "We will not resort to violence. This is a peaceful uprising."
The opposition leader said he has "nothing against Hezbollah," which he credits with "doing an excellent job" of "freeing Lebanon from Israeli occupation. Now we must free it from Syrian occupation."
Jumblatt said he doesn't expect American help. "Actually, thanks to an American green light in 1976, Syria was allowed to come into Lebanon. We are not asking for anyone to send troops. We just want peaceful relations with everyone and an independent Lebanon."
Jumblatt said he supports an investigative team being sent by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to "urgently report" on the circumstances, causes and consequences of Hariri's killing.
"We hope this can be investigated thoroughly and the blame can be assigned where we know it should be," said Jumblatt. He also blamed Syria for a recent attempt on the life of his party colleague, Marwan Hamade, last October. "They tried to kill him too, but he escaped assassination."
Jumblatt and other opposition leaders scored a victory in Lebanese Parliament today, winning an agreement for a debate on the situation, which could see a vote of no-confidence for the pro-Syrian government of current Prime Minister Omar Karameh. The date for the debate will be fixed in talks between Parliament's speaker and government officials.
Syrian officials have accused Lebanese opposition leaders of taking advantage of Hariri's killing to further their political agenda and have reacted with defiance to calls for troops to be withdrawn.
"We had everything to gain by working with Hariri, and everything to lose by his death," said Bouthaina Shaaban, Syria's minister for expatriates. "Hariri was a bridge. The one who carried out his killing is the one trying to escalate the tensions and instability in this region."
Countered Jumblat: "Syria is going to have to respond to the will of the people. All we want is peace and independence."
Syria stepped in it big this time.
Walid Jumblatt is a tough cookie. Doesn't trust Americans in the slightest. Really quite frank, not diplomatic, in public. Very good English. Intelligent. Middle 50's. Very astute politician, always on the winning side.
That is all I know.
<< Syria stepped in it big this time. >>
Synchronicity.
The gangs posing as the "governments" of Lebanon and Syria but did what was needed of them -- what needed to be done.
And now we Americans will do what comes next!
Blessings All Y'All -- Brother Brian
Who was president in 1976?
Goober, who else.
Why, I do believe it was Mr. Peanut.
1976 : (GERMANY, JOSCHKA FISCHER PARTICIPATES IN PROTEST SUPPORTING THE BAADER-MEINHOF FOUNDER MEINHOF WHERE A POLICEMAN WAS TORCHED WITH A MOLOTOV COCKTAIL) In 1976, to protest the death in prison of Baader-Meinhof founder Ulrike Meinhof, the future Foreign Minister of Germany, Joschka Fischer, planned and participated in a Frankfurt demonstration in which, New Left historian Paul Berman later wrote, ``somebody tossed a Molotov cocktail at a policeman and burned him nearly to death.'' You were arrested, but not charged.- "Mr. Fischer, who are you?" by Michael Kelly (archive), townhall.com, February 12, 2003, ©2003 Washington Post Writers Group
What a strange world this is.
JUNE 27, 1976 : (BAADER-MEINHOF / PFLP HIJACKING, ENTEBBE, UGANDA) An Air France airliner is hijacked by a joint German Baader-Meinhof/Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist group and its crew are forced to fly to Entebbe airport in Uganda. Some two hundred and fifty eight passengers and crew are held hostage but all non-Israeli passengers are eventually released. On 4 July Israeli commandos fly to Uganda and rescue the remaining hostages. All the terrorists were killed in the rescue, as are three passengers and one commando.
1976 : (IRAQ FRANCE AGREE ON CONTRACT FOR IRAQI PURCHASE OF OSIRAK/TAMMUZ REACTORS, A HOT LAB NAMED 'LAMA,' WORKSHOPS & RADIOACTIVE WASTE TREATMENT STATION) Iraq and France conclude the contract for the Iraqi purchase of the nuclear research reactors. The French agree to supply a 40MWth MTR reactor called Tammuz-1 or Osirak, a zero-power reactor called Tammuz-2, a materials testing hot laboratory (called LAMA), workshops, and a radioactive waste treatment station (RWTS).
—David Albright, Corey Gay, and Khidhir Hamza, "Development of the Al-Tuwaitha Site: What if the Public or the IAEA Had Overhead Imagery?," Institute for Science and International Security, ; "Iraq's Nuclear Weapons Program: From Aflaq to Tammuz," .- "Iraq Nuclear Weapons Program—An Annotated Chronology,"
JANUARY 21, 1976 : (LEBANON, PALESTINIANS)The Christian town of Damour in the south of Beirut was attacked. Two hundred and sixty people were massacred. The majority of the victims were women, children, and elderly. Palestinian responsibility
JUNE 1976 : (LEBANON) U.S. Ambassador, Francis Meloy and two other Americans killed in Lebanon.
JUNE 13, 1976 : (LEBANON, PALESTINIANS, SYRIA) The town of Shikka in the north of Lebanon was attacked. Thirty people were massacred. Among them were women, children and elderly. Palestinian responsibility
U.S. Ambassador in Lebanon Francis Melloy was assassinated by Palestinian gunmen and the killer was apprehended by Lebanese authorities and jailed. The killer was released by the Lebanese court under pressure by the Palestinians and Syria. The U.S. protested unsuccessfully. Palestinian and Syrian responsibility.
(...And some folks thing this war started on 9/11/2001...)
Carter would have been inaugerated 1/20/1977.
Five times more people attended his funeral than Syria has troops in the entire country. One suspects that it is a bad thing to be a Syrian in Lebanon right now.
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