• Published 10:33 29.10.09
  • Latest update 17:37 29.10.09

Qaida-linked group in Lebanon claims rocket attack on Israel

Group: Attack in retaliation for Jerusalem violence; Lebanon: Israel arranged Katyusha fire.

By Jack Khoury and The Associated Press Tags: Lebanon Israel news

A Lebanon-based al-Qaida-linked group claimed responsibility Thursday for a rocket attack against Israel this week, saying it was in retaliation for Israel's crackdown on protesters at a Jerusalem shrine.

The claim from a group calling itself the Battalions of Ziad Jarrah came two days after a rocket was fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, causing no casualties. Lebanese troops subsequently found and dismantled four additional rockets in the village of Houla near the border with Israel.

The claim of responsibility, made on a Web site often used by Islamic militants, could not be independently verified.

The group is named after a Lebanese militant who as among the 19 suicide attackers that carried out the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. It has claimed responsibility for previous rocket-firings across the border into Israel.

The group said its fighters set up five rockets in Houla on Tuesday night but one launched prematurely, leading the militants to flee the area leaving four rockets behind. It was the fifth such attack against Israel from Lebanon this year. Israel responded with artillery fire, but there were no reports of casualties.

Earlier this month, Israel troops cracked down to disperse hundreds of stone-throwing Palestinian protesters in a fresh eruption of violence at the most volatile spot in the Holy Land. The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

Lebanon: Israel arranged rocket fire to keep tensions high

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on Thursday suggested that Israel had arranged for collaborators in his country to fire Katyusha rockets at the Galilee earlier this week, in a bid to keep tensions high in the area.

According to the Lebanese newspaper A-Sapir, Israel's declarations that it would not cease its intelligence activities on Lebanese territories validate Suleiman's accusations.

A panel of inquiry established by the Lebanese Army found that the rockets, fired from Houla in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, were launched from the home of the village's mayor.

The mayor was not present in his home, according to the panel, and has no connection to the rocket fire.

Lebanese troops found and dismantled four rockets ready for launching in a building under construction near the border with Israel on Wednesday, said a senior Lebanese army official.

Three of the four Katyusha rockets found were ready to be fired, said the official.

The discovery came one day after the Katyusha fired, the first such incident since last month.

The attack on Tuesday drew a rapid response from Israeli artillery in a brief flare-up across the border that caused no casualties.

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  • 63. 0 0
    Mystery deepens
    • Jasper
    • 30.10.09
    • 05:38

    Rocket launched from mayor's house. Israel thinks it was Hez. Suleiman says it was Israel's undercover, trying to stir up trouble. Jakoff Sullivan agrees, convincing potobac that it is causing Leb to crumble. Al Quida claims credit. Too many moving parts. Taking an aspirin.

  • 62. 0 0
    Absolute Dane
    • Rory
    • 30.10.09
    • 00:13

    Absolute B.S. Too bad Al-qaida folks always trump asses like you.

  • 61. 0 0
    the teacher/instructor 46
    • potobac
    • 29.10.09
    • 23:21

    Yes, it is crumbling and disintegrating before our eyes. It's a shame because without the trouble stirred up by Israel it had the potential for being a quite prosperous place.

  • 60. 0 0
    ChanahS
    • TonyL
    • 29.10.09
    • 22:42

    When are the Araabs going to stop swallowing all the garbage they are fed by their leaders? Actually it is the other way around. The muslim leaders are swallowing up the anti-Israeli `garbage` (the anti-Israeli mood and behavior) from their respective streets. What had just happened in Turkey?

  • 59. 0 0
    Esther
    • TonyL
    • 29.10.09
    • 22:37

    ...Well, one must admit this is an amazingly innovative approach... It is not an innovative approach, it is common practice throughout the Arab street that had intrenched itself all the way to the levels of the Arab leaders at any anti-Israeli opportune moment. What it became is attempt at pushing an anti-Israeli envelope as far as it can go or more precise, as far as it tollerated. Why not in the world gone anti-Israeli mad (without discussing who, what & why). It is the next best thing to `taking Israel down` millitarily or without violence. They are incapable of the later & it is much safer for the rest of the anti-Israeli world.

  • 58. 0 0
    english troop invaded poland
    • albert
    • 29.10.09
    • 22:27

    and hitler got the blame iranian agents attacked iran and saddam get a war with iran on his hand so why the surprise if israel does it too this suleiman is a genius his next job in hollywood great imagination

  • 57. 0 0
  • 56. 0 0
    Yeah right!
    • ChanahS
    • 29.10.09
    • 22:11

    Just like the Jews made up the Holocaust for financial gain, or attacked Israeli school kids in Maalot and blew up discos and busses to discredit terrorists. When are the Araabs going to stop swallowing all the garbage they are fed by their leaders?

  • 55. 0 0
    Israel did it the Lavon Affair
    • Tim
    • 29.10.09
    • 21:27

    Israel's already been caught doing it.

  • 54. 0 0
    The Germans did it in WW2
    • Tim
    • 29.10.09
    • 21:26

    Let's not pretend to be so naive.

  • 53. 0 0
    It is not beyond the realms of possibility
    • Chris Linthwaite
    • 29.10.09
    • 21:25

    Afterall there are many who believe that Israel enabled 9/11.

  • 52. 0 0
    to Najeeb
    • Maria Rita
    • 29.10.09
    • 19:13

    The true is that after 60 years are now forced to accept Israel. If Israel really want to expand and dominate all countries in the region, it would already have done that. They are more smart than most of you, they have more resources, more lobby in the big capitals and more weapons. If zionists were all that bad, sorry, dude, but Israel would have already dominated. Israel never attacked Egypt or Jordan after the peace treaty. Never attacked Cyprus or Saudi Arabia. The question is simple: like immature entities, you provoke Israel (crossing the borders, killing soldiers, firing katiyshas)and then you cannot bear responsibility. That's why Israel has to monitor your territory. One day you'll learn the lesson and will stop provoking Israel.

  • 51. 0 0
    I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, ISRAEL DID IT!!
    • Mark from Georgia
    • 29.10.09
    • 17:43

    OK, call me naive. I thought Hezbo or its supporters fired the rockets? I should have known, Israel so well known for faking stories really did this as a clever way to gain PR advantage. OR Israel was the victim and the Lebanese are lying? If the past is any indicator see here: http://www.aish.com/v/50574432.html I think the readers here can decide for themselves.

  • 50. 0 0
    43 - Yaakov Sullivan
    • Maurice
    • 29.10.09
    • 17:38

    Even though I never agree with your talkbacks, I used to think that your opinions were at least based on some personal sincere logic. Now you have proven that you are "coucou" just like the rest of the people beleiving in these absurd conspiracy theories. But I guess in your case being "coucou" shoud be quite a normal thing... (if you don't understand what I mean just think of "The Bird Cage" :-)).

  • 49. 0 0
    ibrahim #36, you provoked my laugh
    • charro
    • 29.10.09
    • 17:06

    I am laughing so much that I want to congratulate you for your very inovative and profound theory that Israel and the rest of the world provoke all nice and peaceful arab and similar countries. Did Kuwait provoke IraK. Or Yemen provekoed Egypt years ago, I suggest you to stop watching al jazeera.

  • 48. 0 0
    #39 David, Your lebanese friends are part of Lebanese diaspora
    • Canadian Observer
    • 29.10.09
    • 17:00

    There are more Lebanese or people of Lebanese descent outside Lebanon then those that live in Lebanon now.Many of the Lebanese residents have dual cirtizenships.In case of war they flee begiing the countries whose passports they hold to take them out in airlifts or ship.During the last lebenes war provoked by Hezbollah by shelling Israel,and ambushing an IDF patrol killing 3 soldiers.They claim victory by the leaders including Nesrallah are in perpetual hiding. The most enterprenural Lebanese and those with high skill and highier eductation are in North America although they badmout Canada and USA. There are close to 200,000 Canadian of Lebanese extrcations.Most settled in Quebec because they are fluent in French.Go to Montreal and you see mostly Lebansee food outlets and restaurants on the Western part of Montreal.The Mian St Laurence Blvd,once with jewish stores and Schwartzes are now replcaced by Shwarma, Taboule fast food outlets and clubs owned by Lebanese.So is Dearborn,MI.Good

  • 47. 0 0
    The real thing is the falafel war
    • charro
    • 29.10.09
    • 17:00

    This acusation are in tone with the war of falafel and hummus. Next time they will acuse Mexico for stealing the original recipe for tacos. what a pity, and they call themselves diplomats.

  • 46. 0 0
    Lebanon
    • The Teacher/Instruct
    • 29.10.09
    • 16:36

    Lebanon, Is there another country in the world that claims to be a sovereign state & has a terrorist group of thugs with more rockets & arms than the country itself ? Lebanon will never be free ! With foolish rulers like Suliman & as yet no decision on the perpetrators of the Harrari murder,one cannot expect anything positive coming out of that country. A country falling to the dogs.Crumbling,& disintegrating under our very eyes !

  • 45. 0 0
    Lebanon's claims are as fake as the rest of the Arab world
    • Gee
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:51

    The so-called rockets that they dismantle yesterday were artillery shells. If you look at the pictures the bottoms were smooth - no venturi cones for exhaust, just above the base was the indent for driving bands to engage the rifling of a artillery tube, and there was no elongated fuse that Haseb have to have. As an retire Artillery officer with more than 20 years service I know munitions and this was clearly a fake. What else are they lying about?

  • 44. 0 0
    the reality
    • Dave
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:46

    In 2nd lebanon war it was lebanese army using idf jets to bomb beyrut and the ground forces were the lebanese forces coming from israel fighting with hizb while isr was doing nothing... The whole war was a mise en scene to blame israel And in Cast lead it was iran bombing gaza to create a pretext for hamas to attack isr than blame the jew state we were so blind how couldnt we see this!!!!

  • 43. 0 0
    Standrad Colonial Policy
    • Yaakov Sullivan
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:44

    As a regional colonila power, this kind of activity is normal for Israel. It needs to have pots burning on all fronts. Have a look: 1. Keep tensions high on the northern front and set up your paid agents to fire rockets making it seem like the enemy (Hizbollah in this case) is preparing for an imminent confrontation. 2. Do all one can to destablise Abbas while claiming you want to bolster his position not by political concessions but economic incentives. When Abbas does not bite, claim that he is undermining Israel's desire to initiate peace talks.3 3. Continue in maintaining inhuman living conditions in Gaza and propagate the lie that every truce with them they broke when in fact they were all broken by Israeli provocations meant to do just that.

  • 42. 0 0
    Accusations
    • syrian opinion
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:37

    According to the Lebanese newspaper A-Sapir, Israel's declarations that it would not cease its intelligence activities on Lebanese territories validate Suleiman's accusations. Whether Israel did that or not like mentioned, which is most likely not the case, it is a FACT that Hizbollah has always been and still is the initiator of hostility towards Israel and it needs to be monitored for security purposes. No hizbollah or other forms of hostility = No intelligence needed.

  • 41. 0 0
    Totally logical
    • utagawa
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:37

    I don't know why so many people on this talkback refuse to believe the almost irrefutable evidence that Suleiman produced to support his accusation that Israel was behind the rocket attack which targetted itself. After all, if George Bush and his Israeli handlers planned and carried out the attacks on the World Trade Center, why wouldn't Israel attack itself too?

  • 40. 0 0
    Get a clue Lebanon, make peace, stop war
    • David
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:36

    Lebanese leaders are cowards and against peace and for keeping their own people suffering, how sad. I have Lebanese friends and they are sick of the s*** Hezbollah and the Lebanese government does.

  • 39. 0 0
    Sulimans note suggest that the Mayor of
    • Abuya
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:19

    Since acording to the Lebanees army the rockets were fired from the Hula's mayor home then he according to Suliman works for Israel.

  • 38. 0 0
    Israel fires on itself?" Huh?
    • Rod Serling
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:12

    "You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas; you've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone."

  • 37. 0 0
    to #2
    • Najeeb
    • 29.10.09
    • 15:05

    just to remind you that your illegal state invaded Lebanon at least 3 times in the past 25 years with tremendous amount of human and property causilties. So, when you talk about murder and killings, the IDF file is not so pretty!! Those rockets were planted by IDF agents and Lebanon is aware of Isreal preparation of the next war! Netanyahau is a man of dustruction and nothing else. The cowboy mentality will never work and any military action by Isreal against Lebanon will bring disatrous results to everyone in the region!!

  • 36. 0 0
    I do agree that Lebanese President is TOTALLY right.
    • Marcelle Ibrahim
    • 29.10.09
    • 14:55

    Knowing about the Past experiences in how many Arab countries were provoked in joining in numerous previuos wars, nothing surperise anybody these days.

  • 35. 0 0
    lets place ourselfs in the place of turkey
    • Dave
    • 29.10.09
    • 14:50

    so when PKK attacks its a fake attack made by turkey to by its own soldiers to the poor people in the east?: (pretext to attack poor kurdish camps in irak (Full of US ARMS)) enough ridiculous talks really dont we had enough of those...

  • 34. 0 0
    David
    • Dave
    • 29.10.09
    • 14:45

    as u see good old blame the jew tactic turned into (new in appearance but old in mentality) blame the jewish state tactic. they accept it or not this shows that isr is a jew among the other states. this is one of the proofs that ISRAEL IS ACCEPTED AS A JEWISH STATE we should be happy cuz at least this shows deep inside they accepted. and the truth will come to the surface soon or later!

  • 33. 0 0
    I waited twenty-eight long years
    • OneFilthyJew
    • 29.10.09
    • 14:39

    ...for some of these dictators clearly stating that Israel is faking the terrorist attacks and actually financing so that this huge conspiracy can help them say the Israel is a vitcim. I was surprised no one did it at first, or even when the rockets began to be launched by Hizbullah. But the level of stupidity these guys can reach seems to never end.

  • 32. 0 0
    LOL
    • OZ
    • 29.10.09
    • 14:36

    Now we know what they will say if Iran will launch missiles on Israel.Those people are sick! The real problem with them is that they are truly believes those lies,and not only using it as propoganda.Repeat a lie in the Muslim world,and for a billion people it is the truth.

  • 31. 0 0
    Katyusha fire to keep tension high
    • Absolute Dane
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:56

    As a matter WE DO NOT KNOW! Would anyone have beleived (prior to it all came out) that Hamas leader Meshal was poisoned by Mossad in Jordan; or that Mossad killed an unfortunate innocent Morrocan in Lillehammer after the Munich- massacre? (They were caught and brought to trial in Norway.) Or that Oliver North in Reagan times funded the anti-Contras in Nicaragua with weapons sale to Iran? Very little seem to be beyond our wildest imagination!

  • 30. 0 0
    REMEMBER THAT...
    • ClearCut
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:56

    ...to serve their "cause", zinonists in the past planted bombs in synaguoges and jewish premises. Israel has many agents in lebanon, and what Suleiman said is very possible, those who don't believe that are not well informed.

  • 29. 0 0
    Hard to Believe
    • MiddleStanian
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:27

    It is evident that Israel is trying too hard to escalate tensions in the West Bank & Jerusalem, and to bring about a third Intifada (for reasons not yet clear to me). But, firing Katyushas on its own territory is highly unlikely.

  • 28. 0 0
    Who needs evidence when accusing israel of something?
    • Avi
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:18

    this is an old story...

  • 27. 0 0
    Ibelieve
    • 19
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:11

  • 26. 0 0
    And what happens to so-called collaborators in their culture
    • Avi
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:10

    torture then death. So where are the collaborators besides in someones imagination?

  • 25. 0 0
    Israel`s neighbors never criticize themselves
    • Avi
    • 29.10.09
    • 13:06

    and never take a shred of responsibility for their own. This is a recurring scenario of scapegoating.

  • 24. 0 0
    Lebanese President accuses Israel of...
    • David Nigel Braham
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:56

    Katyusha fire. Can he give the names of those involved? Mr President,Israel does not need high tension on the lebanese border,she has enough with Hamas on the southern border.

  • 23. 0 0
  • 22. 0 0
    preposteros
    • what a joke
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:49

  • 21. 0 0
    #3 Marco Antonio, Hizbanese definetely aren'tcapable to monitor
    • Canadian Historian
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:41

    Labanon.Its an artificial country created by Colonial Powers,France and England after WWI at the Paris Peace Conference.English and French Colonial governments curved up Middle East after The Defeat of the Ottoman Empire after WWI. France wanted to control part of Syria which was populated by Christians on the Med Sea Coats ostensibly to protect Christians. Thas why Lebanon was curved up and separated from Syria.British at First wanted Labanon be part of Syria,by horse traded with Pres.Cousineau of France and gave in to French demand to create Lebanon.There were more Christian there in 1919.Now Moslem lebanese are a majority due to natural birth rate(sire like rabbits)Syria was also given to French control.England mixed and not matches,Sunnis,Shiites and Kurds to create a new entity Iraq,with power given to minoirty Sunnis.Saudi Prince Faysal was brought in to rule over the"Iraqi"people.Balfour Declaration Jews were given land between Jordan R.and Seashore.Jordanians are Palestinians

  • 20. 0 0
  • 19. 0 0
  • 18. 0 0
    Yes, and the Jews Organized the Holocaust for Political Gain
    • Ovadiah ben Avraham
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:16

    Insanely, there are people who really believe it. The Arab mind can hold at the same time the belief that 9/11 was a Muslim victory against the Crusader West **and** a plot by Zionists to gain political capital. The only argument that will get past their arabesque-knotted frontal lobes and into the behavioral zone is blunt force.

  • 17. 0 0
    Tension nothing to do Persian puppets of Hezballah armed
    • PETER SM
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:11

    armed to the teeth controlling the border between Lebanon and Israel.? No thanks to the UN that is supposed to oppose any militia there other than the Lebanese army. Conspiracy and fantasy is so much easier to deal with than reality.

  • 16. 0 0
    lebanese credibility
    • Edward
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:07

    So what else is new....It's this type of false accusations that brings the credibility of the Lebanese government down to zero. Israel already knows that Arabs have become quite proficient in the spreading falsehood, This time around is no different.

  • 15. 0 0
    Yet Obama is giving arms to the lebanon president leader of army
    • jeff
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:04

    Obama is supplying the lebanon army which suleman is the head of with drones and many weapons when the lebanese army is in tight with hezbollah.

  • 14. 0 0
    Well, one must admit this is an amazingly innovative approach...
    • Esther
    • 29.10.09
    • 12:00

    ...by Lebanon ofcourse...

  • 13. 0 0
    Lebanon's feeble leadership fails it again
    • Joe Sittizen
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:52

    Gosh, next thing you know they'll accuse Israel of staging the cross border attack that caused the last Lebanon war. Sure, we shot our soldiers and handed the bodies over to Hezbollah in order to create a justification for the war. You have to ask Hezbollah why they fell for that Israeli trap. You also have to ask the Lebanese why they let a dozen or more different armed militias run around the country wreaking havoc. And oh yes, these same Islamic militias sometimes fire rockets at Israel too. They don't need any encouragement from the Israelis to do so. Lebanon needs Iran and Syria to leave them alone and stop supplying weapons to everybody except the Lebanese army. Then maybe they could get more control and stop making up feeble stories to protect themselves.

  • 12. 0 0
    Lebanon is resposible
    • Jochai Rubinstein
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:48

    Even if Israelis fired katyushas towards their own country.

  • 11. 0 0
    Blame Israel
    • David
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:44

    Wow, and these people have just won a seat on the UNSC.

  • 10. 0 0
    Yes, yes we also arranged a birth for Suleiman`s wife
    • Gil
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:21

    Yes, yes we also arranged a birth for Suleiman`s wife That also validates Suleiman`s accusations

  • 9. 0 0
    Yes, yes we also arranged a birth for Suleiman`s wife
    • Gil
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:20

    Yes, yes we also arranged a birth for Suleiman`s wife That also validates Suleiman`s accusations

  • 8. 0 0
    And I'm the next queen of England
    • An Israeli
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:19

  • 7. 0 0
    Israeli new tactics discovered
    • Dumont
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:11

    Offcourse Lebanon, all the Israeli wars since 1948 were fake,... Sick, sick, sick

  • 6. 0 0
    so stupid. as to intelligence gathering. Hezbo does it in Israel
    • jo
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:06

    and all is fair game when your enemy is spying on you and trying to attack you. Hezbo is no victim. shame on Lebanon for not being honest. Hezbo spies in Egypt for crying out loud. It's okay as long as they do not get caught!!!! Then lie lie lie. Name of the game in the middle east.

  • 5. 0 0
    Perhaps Hariri also assassinated himself to make Syria look bad!
    • David Eisen
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:05

    ...And the world says it's the Jews who are full of hutzpa!!! David

  • 4. 0 0
    FREAK OUT
    • Marco Antonio
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:04

    He said the IDF entered Hizbalon, planted the rockets, returned to Israel and activated the Katiyushas. Is he a mental healthy guy? Do the Hizbanese really believe in these conspiracy theories? That's why Israel is right with the overflies... if they believe things like that, Hizbanese definetely aer incapable of monitoring their land.

  • 3. 0 0
    That's pathetic
    • Peter Williams
    • 29.10.09
    • 11:01

    Get a proper army Mr Sulieman. A proper army wouldn't allow Katyushas in the hands of people who acted against the interests of the state.

  • 2. 0 0
    Will Lebanon find its way out of the grip of bigotry and terror?
    • B. Gold
    • 29.10.09
    • 10:59

    Across the Lebanon border, Israelis may have once found a culture not so distant from their own, with mercy, decorum and ?rules of engagement? even in times of conflict. The Lebanese will have to retrieve that older world if they are to find their way out of the grip of bigotry and terror. A decent country would be under no moral or political obligation to celebrate a murderer as a heroic son returning from a long captivity. More about the reality of the M-E at : http://xrl.us/kkxrc

  • 1. 0 0
    1001 nights
    • 17
    • 29.10.09
    • 10:40