Report: Lebanon nabs top militant over rocket attack against Israel
Lebanese daily reports arrest; Lebanon FM: Israel's cease-fire violations hint it's planning to attack us.
By Jack Khoury Tags: Fatah Islam Lebanon Israel newsLebanon arrested a man suspected of orchestrating a recent rocket launch toward northern Israel, the Lebanese daily As-Safir reported on Saturday.
On Wednesday, Lebanese troops found and dismantled four rockets ready for launching near the border with Israel last Wednesday, a day after the Katyusha was launched from the southern village.
The Katyusha fire was the first such incident since last month, and the ninth since the Second Lebanon War.
The attack drew a rapid response from Israeli artillery in a brief flare-up across the border. Neither the rocket nor the artillery caused casualties.
The man, Fadi Ibrahim, also known as "Sikamo," is allegedly a member of the radical Sunni Muslim militant group Fatah al Islam, an organization with known ideological ties to al-Qaida.
The As-Safir report said Ibrahim is considered an aide to the group's leader, and that he the head of the group's bomb-planting and rocket-launching operations in Southern Lebanon, directed also at UNIFIL forces stationed in that area.
Lebanese intelligence, according to the report, apprehended Ibrahim after drawing him out of the Ein el Hilweh refugee camp, near the costal city of Sidon.
Also on Saturday, Lebanon's Foreign Minister, Fawzi Salloukh, told pan-Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that Israel had overreacted to the launches and that it wasn't waiting until a joint investigation of the incident by UNIFL and the Lebanese army could be concluded.
Salloukh added that the Israeli reaction comes even after Lebanon severely condemned the attacks and as both its and UNIFIL forces are working to maintain regional stability and implement UN resolution 1701, which saw a truce between Israel and Lebanon following the 2006 war.
Salloukh confirmed that he had indeed instructed the country's envoy to the UN to send a message to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon protesting Israel's bombardment of the southern Lebanese village of Houla, the site from which a the Katyusha rocket was fired at the Upper Galilee last week, saying it was a blatant violation of resolution 1701.
The Lebanese foreign minister added that there were no clear signs that Israel was about to attack it's neighbor to the north, since Lebanon was working to implement resolution 1701.
However, Salloukh did say that Israel's persistent violations of the UN resolution, in the land, the sea, and the air, which include orchestrating an alleged espionage network, lead him to the conclusion that Israel is laying the groundwork to justify a future strike against Lebanon.
On Friday, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Hayyat reported that Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations has warned that Israel is exhibiting signs of an imminent attack on his country,
Ambassador Noaf Salaam sent missives to the United Nations secretary general and to the Security Council condemning Israel's recent artillery fire on the village of Houla. the Salaam called the artillery fire a clear violation of Lebanon's sovereignty as well as of UN Resolution 1701.
According to Al-Hayyat, Salaam described in his missive repeated Israeli threats against the Lebanese government and citizens, an expression he believes signals Israeli plans for to attack.
Salaam also said that the Israeli decision to bomb Lebanese territory following every Katyusha attack delayed and prevented Lebanese forces from investigating the rocket attacks.
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"Does that mean Israel didn`t use disproportionate force?" - H Do six rounds of anti-personnel bomblets constitute 'proportionate' force for a few pounds of TNT? "Does the UN understand anything about Psychological warfare and how it destroys people`s hearts, minds and spirit?" - H The UN does not matter. " Do 8,000 rockets mean nothing?" - H Does a thousand tons of bombs for every rocket mean anything?
Lebanon has responded quickly and as best it could to the launch of the Kaseb a few days ago. Quick action prevented the launch of others. The man most responsible from the organization which has claimed credit for this and other similar attacks this year has been arrested. Thatis just 'proof' to the psycho-right that Hizbollah and the UN was behind the attack and that Lebanon is determined to not enforce it's sovereignty. We hear you folks, and we understand. The only world you will ever accept is one where every Arab has been exterminated. Your world view is familiar to those of us who have studied early 20th century Fascism. We understand why Ariel Sharon tried to put the last remnant of that classic Fascism into power in Lebanon in 1982. We know the racial hatred that bind the American-Israeli right, Ariel Sharon, and the Lebanese Phalange, with the Fascists of Germany.
"Arafat also had a habit of "condemning" terrorist attacks." And so did Yitzak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Menachem Begin, Benyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Olmert, Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak.
The rockest were the work of IDF operatives inside Lebanon and nothing else. It is so easy to claim responsability for such action by any group with a website! Lebanese people familiar with the locationsthe rockest know real well that this area is less than a mile away with theborders with Israel and only IDF agents can plant missiles in that remorte area.
We already know that this was the work of Israel - the Lebanese president said so. Who are you going to believe, him or your eyes?
Arafat also had a habit of "condemning" terrorist attacks.
If I had Hizbollah (whose stated goal of destroying Israel is clear) as neighbors to the north of me I would be doing all I could to prepare the groundwork for their end. Lebanon's embrace of the scorpion brings much suffering to them ,something they are still in denial about. To blame Israel for Lebanese stupidity is disingenious.
Lebanon is responsible for any attacks that come from its soil. End of discussion.
A radical group with known ties to Al Qaeda. One more disturbing development. Obviously Hezbollah does not need this competition. For it will disrupt not only Lebanon's new government but will cause further tensions along the Northern Border. One can only applaud the Gov. of Lebanon on nabbing said terrorist leader. Good day from snowy Alps.
Does that mean Israel didn't use disproportionate force? Does the UN understand anything about Psychological warfare and how it destroys people's hearts, minds and spirit? Do 8,000 rockets mean nothing?
lebanese conducted a just and brave resistance against their israeli agressors, firing blind rockets does not serve this cause. those who do that mean harm to lebanon and its resistance, not to israel.
shalom please give us all abreak... you send rockets into israel and everyone is to sit on their asses and not send a reply. wake up...this is a two way street.
Uh Huh ! But the President of Lebanon said it was an Israeli agent who fired the rocket from Lebanon at Israel ! Couldn't be more bisarr if they tried!
or, Lebanon would soon be reduced to rubble. Must be hell living w/ Hezb'allah as their benefactor. The price is death.
i really had a great laugh at Lebanon with their complaint about Israel's response. The government of Lebanon is responsible for what happens there and should know that Israel will protect its citizens. Maybe Lebanon should have not allowed all these armed militant groups to take over the southern part of the country. Shooting rockets into another country is an act of war, period.
IDF worried they Lebanon may soon get S-300 defence system which could force Israel to a costly ground attack or possibly use its navy instead of airpower if Hezbollah becomes a problem.