Hizbullah Denies CIA Claims on Training Iraqis

Hizbullah's responds to the American claims.


Hizbullah denied Thursday accusations made by US National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell, who said that the resistance group was training Iraqi fighters in Lebanon and sending them back to Iraq to commit attacks against American troops.
In a statement issued by its press office, Hizbullah described McConnell's allegations as "yet another American fabrication." The statement added that such accusations "only highlight the United States' abhorrence of any resistance movement fighting against its hegemony in the region."

The author of the article had observed "Hizbullah fighters wearing camouflage uniform and carrying rifles and talking from walkie-talkies" coming out from bushes surrounding the area of the river. He also claims to have found a track blocked by a chain carrying a sign "Warning. Access to this area is forbidden. Hizbullah," reinforcing the claim that Hizbullah is using the area to rearm and re-establish its position in the South. He also said villagers in the area had noted increased Hizbullah activity.
"We urge the media to contact us if they would like any information about us, and not just go and make observations," Rahal added.

The article in The Times said an unidentified UNIFIL officer had seen Hizbullah members "building new positions" and observed ... trucks coming into the area. But when contacted by The Daily Star, UNIFIL spokesperson Liam McDowell refused to comment on the issue.

***Hizbullah Skirts Claims of Buildup North of Litani***

London daily reports resistance gearing up for another war with Israel.

Hizbullah skirted around claims Tuesday that it was repositioning its forces north of the Litani River in preparation for another war against Israel. An article published in The Times of London said Monday there was evidence supporting claims Hizbullah was repositioning itself in the South of Lebanon, north of the Litani River and areas monitored by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon .

"The military build-up, only six months after the last Lebanon-Israel conflict, is being conducted in valleys and hillsides guarded by uniformed Hizbullah fighters in the rugged mountains north of the Litani River" the article said.
In response to the article, Hizbullah spokesperson Hussein Rahal neither confirmed nor denied the claims. "I will not confirm nor deny the statement," Rahal told The Daily Star. "Usually Hizbullah does not give out information regarding such issues."

***Network Spying on Hizbullah Discovered***

Assafir Newspaper reports the network uncovering.


Lebanese security experts have uncovered a European intelligence-run network spying on Hizbullah, the daily Assafir reported Wednesday.

It said authorities at Rafik Hariri International airport have arrested an inspector working for the Surete General bureau after "noticing suspicious action."

Assafir said the inspector, from the northern port city of Tripoli, was one of the leading network members.

Qassem blamed the United States for the deadlock, saying it is pressuring Saniora to refuse a compromise. Washington's goal is to undermine Hizbullah's resistance against Israel, he said.

Qassem dismissed Lebanese and American government charges that Hizbullah was a tool of Iran and Syria. In contrast, he said, "the (Saniora) government is directly dictated by the Americans."

Iran has threatened to attack the hundreds of thousands of U.S. forces based in the Persian Gulf and in Iraq if America launches a strike.

Qassem warned, "we will definitely respond and defend ourselves" if Israel attacks Lebanon.

Qassem's comments aimed to counter speculation that Hizbullah may stir up trouble in the region ? including attacking Israel ? if Iran is attacked: "They have to know that any military adventure, if widened and involves several countries in the region, would have dangerous consequences for everyone."

Hizbullah has been locked in a power-struggle for months with Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government. Hizbullah and its allies are demanding a new government in which they would have greater power. Washington has dramatically beefed up support for Saniora, who has rejected the opposition's demands.

"We've evaluated the experience of the war and learned lessons from it and are taking steps to accommodate them with new realities," he said. "We are making sure the enemy will be in the dark in the future. This is the strength of the resistance and the secret of its success."

The United States insists it is not planning to attack Iran and is trying to persuade Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment, as demanded by the United Nations. But fear of a strike is growing throughout the Middle East.

Qassem warned that an assault on Iran could expand across the region.

"It remains to be seen what the level of an American aggression on Iran would be," he said. "Is it going to be limited or an all-out war? Will other countries become involved? Will it spread to the entire region?"

Asked if the U.S. attacked Iran, Hizbullah would retaliate by striking Israel, Qassem said Iran is capable of defending itself because it "possesses the means, a tenacious populace and a wise leadership."