Hezbollah No. 2 says western perception of group has changed

Hezbollah's second-in-command on Monday said the Lebanese Shi'ite militia has gained new legitimacy in the western world, adding such greater legitimacy should pressure countries to stop their support of Israel.

In an interview printed in the Los Angeles Times on Monday, Naim Qassem said that the group "has convinced the West it is a popular, authentic, and important movement that cannot be ignored."

Qassem, who is the next-in-line to succeed Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, proposed that "the more we [Hezbollah] clarify our image to the people of the West, the more pressure they will put on their governments to stop supporting Israel."

The LA times quoted Qassem as saying that Hezbollah is not carrying out any sort of military operations outside of Lebanon.

Qassem's statement contradicts those made by Nasrallah over the weekend, when he confirmed that Hezbollah had sent a member to Egypt - a rare acknowledgment that the group was operating in another Arab country.

On Monday, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported that a Hezbollah agent arrested in Egypt last week told investigators his cell was planning attacks on Israeli targets to avenge the killing of terrorist mastermind Imad Mughniyeh.

Also Monday, an Egyptian security official said police are tracking down 13 members of an alleged Hezbollah cell believed to be hiding out with Bedouins in the Sinai peninsula.

	Naim Qassem