2011/10/22

Oct 22 Incidents

Al-Jazeera TV Helps Armed Groups Kill Innocent Syrian People
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/22/377020.htm
Oct 22, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA)- Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel continues its crimes against the Syrian people through fabricating the events taking place in Syria as it has broadcasted a crime perpetrated by armed terrorist groups in Homs against the civilians accusing the Syrian security forces of killing them.

The broadcasted video shows a number of seriously wounded people surrounded by some persons filming them without doing anything to rescue them.

Al-Jazeera's participation in killing the Syrian people has been unveiled soon as it has been found that the martyrs who appeared in the video were killed at the hands of armed terrorist groups who have tortured, intimidated and filmed them and later sent the video to their partner al-Jazeera.

When the members of the armed terrorist groups tried to get rid of the martyrs' bodies, they were arrested by the competent authorities at al-Warsha neighborhood in Homs with the bodies of two martyrs in a Kia Truck.

The two terrorists and the driver of the truck confessed to killing five persons and throwing three of them near al-Nakhla Mosque at the same neighborhood.

Comparing the photos broadcasted by al-Jazeera and the photos of the martyrs broadcasted by the Syrian TV shows that the martyrs are the same persons which proves al-Jazeera's heinous role in killing the Syrian people.


مقتل إرهابي بعد إطلاقه النار على دورية أمنية بحمص .. تفكيك 4 عبوات ناسفة شرق معرة النعمان.. الإرهابي العساف: هاجمنا مقرات حكومية وأطلقنا النار على المتظاهرين
Four Explosive Devices Dismantled in Maaret al-Numan
http://www.sana.sy/ara/336/2011/10/22/377149.htm
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/22/377156.htm
Oct 22, 2011

Idlib, (SANA) – Military engineering units dismantled on Saturday four explosive devices planted by terrorist members near to stockrooms in Wadi Addeif, to the east of Maaret al-Numan, in the northern province of Idlib.

The first 25kg device was stuffed inside a gas cylinder and was rigged to explode by a remote trigger. Other two devices were inserted into pipes, while the fourth device was stuffed into a bus tire and it was prepared to explode by a remote control or a mobile phone.


Terrorist Confesses to Kidnapping, Torturing, Killing People in Homs
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/22/377166.htm
Oct 22, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Terrorist Mohannad Fuad al-Assaf on Saturday confessed to perpetrating several crimes of killing and sabotage in Homs Province with the help of a terrorist gang.

According to his confession, Assaf kidnapped, tortured and slaughtered many people. He also opened fire on protesters, killing ten of them in an attempt to accuse army and security members of the crime.

Terrorist Assaf also confessed to attacking army checkpoints in different parts of Homs, in addition to attacking the Police Command HQ, the Trade Union HQ, a health center and a school in al-Khalidiyyah and sabotaging public and private properties.

The confession is to be broadcast on the Syrian TV Channel in tomorrow's bulletins.


صحيفة سعودية : تعرض ثلاثة سعوديين لعمليات سطو مسلح خلال الأسبوعين الماضيين في سوريا
Saudi newspaper: the Saudis, three armed robberies during the past two weeks in Syria
http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_articles&id=ab607a30cbadfc46a8c352f63f3679d1&ar=162264717
Saturday - October 22 - 2011 - 13:33:30

Three Saudi nationals suffered armed robbery in a separate recreation area isolated in Damascus during the past two weeks, in which their passports were stolen personal and financial amounts that were in their possession.

According to the newspaper "Al-Watan" of Saudi Arabia, head of affairs nationals in the Saudi Embassy in Damascus, "Abdel-Moneim Mahmoud," said that, immediately after receiving the embassy communiqué what happened told the Foreign Ministry and the Syrian security that started the case immediately, and identified the culprits after displaying photographs of the victims, where turned out to be from employers precedents and ongoing search for them, stressing that there is continuous follow up and attention by the Embassy in coordination with the Syrian authorities to arrest them.

And pointed out that the embassy provided the tickets over to the victims and spent their money, and facilitated the return of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

And through the "commendable" surprised at the presence of some Saudis in places isolated and suspicious in light of the events witnessed in Syria these days.

He pointed out that during the last few days found a car of type Prado 2010 model inside Lebanese territory owned by a Saudi citizen was stolen last year in the Syrian territory, pointing out that the follow-up was between the embassies of Saudi Arabia in both Damascus and Beirut on the one hand, and with the security of Syrian and Lebanese continued for a full year, and that the citizen received a call to travel to Beirut to receive his car.

And that the Embassy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Damascus issued more than 500 documents passed to facilitate the return of families Saudi Arabia to their homeland, and that the embassy was made last year, financial aid, exceeded one million riyals for more than 100 Saudis who were in need of help to be able to return to their homeland and distributed well over two million riyals from financial aid provided by the Assembly of the bonds for Saudis living in Syria.


له أكثر من 100 حفيد .. وفاة اكبر معمر في الحسكة عن عمر ناهز 110 أعوام‏
Has more than 100 grandson .. The death of the oldest in the Hasaka at the age of 110 years
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=ad354c6067f8e21530f8365238e0a970&ar=506420511
Saturday - October 22 - 2011 - 11:34:54

"Matar Hussein Faris" died a few days ago in a village in the province of Hasaka, the oldest in the province for 110 years, leaving behind him more than 100 grandchildren.

His family said to the reporter that Aks al-Ser "Faris" was in good health and he keeps on his ability to remember even a few days before his death.

And pointed out that the "Faris" who lived in the village of "al-'Ataalah" of the guy, about 15 km from the center of the province, listed them with the most important historical events he witnessed in his life such as climate fluctuations, such as the year of the "worm", and the year of mother of the bone, and the year of 7 snows, and the days Safar Barlak.

Oct 21 Others

トルコ 上海協力機構への参加申請を提出 (Turkey submits an application to the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO))
http://japanese.ruvr.ru/2011/10/21/59098957.html
21.10.2011, 12:06

 トルコは、上海協力機構のパートナー国となるための公式申請を行った。ロシア紙「コメルサント」が上海協力機構の情報筋として21日伝えたところによれば、アメリカも上海協力機構との協力の形について協議を行っているという。

 コメルサント紙によれば、トルコは4月、北京にある上海協力機構の事務局に申請を行っていたということで、現在非公式の協議と意見交換を行っているという。

 またトルコの外交筋がコメルサント紙に語ったところによれば、「ロシアと中国は、自らの政治的経済的な影響力により、上海協力機構を効果的な機構へと引き上げた。モンゴル、インド、パキスタン、イランがオブザーバー国となり、スリランカとベラルーシが対話パートナー国となっていることを考慮すれば、いまや上海協力機構はユーラシアでも最大の機構のひとつといえる。」という。

 アメリカ国務省筋も、「アメリカはいままで上海協力機構の力を過小評価していた。」と語っており、「ロシアと中国がこの10年間で、上海協力機構という明確なコンセプトと大きな影響力をもった機構を作り上げたことは驚くべきことだ。もちろん、参加国の価値観はまちまちで、この点でNATOとは違っている。しかしこれは大変興味深い協力の形であり、アメリカとしてもより組織について知りたいと考えている。」としている。

 トルコの申請は次回の上海協力機構サミットで承認される可能性もある。上海協力機構にはロシア、中国、カザフスタン、ウズベキスタン、キルギス、タジキスタンが参加している。


Report: Imam al-Sadr's Body Might be in a 'Farm' in Libya
http://www.lebanese-forces.org/local/Report-Imam-al-Sadr-s-Body-Might-be-in-a-Farm-in-Libya1005500.shtml
By Naharnet
Oct 20, 2011 - 5:08:57 AM

Imam Mussa SadrHead of Tripoli's supreme military council Abdelhakim Belhaj stressed that "reliable information" indicates that missing Imam Moussa al-Sadr is buried in a "farm" south of the Libyan capital.

"We previously received information that Imam al-Sadr was moved to Sabha and then buried in al-Qalaa neighborhood," Belhaj told BBC Arabic.

However, he said: "New information indicates that he is (buried) in a farm."

"We are following up the information and we want to know the truth, which will be declared at the right time," Belhaj told BBC.

BBC journalist Feras Kilani was preparing a report about a farm where Moammar Gadhafi's forces had detained and beat him up along with the BBC news team that was trying to reach the strife-torn western city of Zawiya in March.

Kilani was surprised during the shooting of the documentary that a special security unit burst into the area with equipment set to discover mass graves.

The unit tried to stop the BBC team from filming.

The report said that the "farm that was being probed includes bodies for Libyan opposition members and African figures."

In 1978, al-Sadr and his companions flew to Tripoli for a week of talks with Libyan officials. They were never seen or heard from again. The day he was last seen, on Aug. 31, 1978, is still marked annually in Lebanon.

At the time, the Libyan regime insisted al-Sadr and his aides left on a flight to Rome at the end of their visit and suggested the imam fell victim to an inter-Shiite power struggle.

Oct 21 International

باحث صيني: سورية مستهدفة بسبب موقعها ودورها الكبير
Chinese Researcher: It Is Impossible to Restore Peace in the Mideast without Active Participation of Syria
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/10/21/376903.htm
http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2011/10/21/376906.htm
Oct 21, 2011

Beijing, (SANA) – Professor Wang Jinglie, a researcher in the Middle East Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Syria plays a big role in the Middle East and enjoys an important geographic location, adding that "it is impossible to restore peace in the Middle East without active participation of Syria."

In an analysis published by the China Daily newspaper, Jinglie said no wonder that Syria has become the target of the US and western powers' schemes with every possible means - supporting opposition groups, imposing economic sanctions and several intervention attempts.

Jinglie stressed that the US and the western powers seek to turn the Mediterranean into a "NATO's internal lake"; and for this purpose they tried weakening Syria and Iran to establish a "Great Middle East" through their selective intervention policy which serves the western interests and ambitions only.

He noted that foreign intervention attempts were confronted with the wide popular support of the Syrian leadership, pointing out that the Russian-Chinese veto against foreign intervention in Syria's affairs saved the Middle East from rushing into chaos and its people from greater suffering.

Jinglie added that China will continue to cooperate with the region's countries, enhance economic relations and to achieve peace and stability which will help eliminate terrorism and extremism.


Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's interview with the Voice of Russia on current international relations
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/10/22/59151160.html
Oct 22, 2011 01:30 Moscow Time

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave an interview to the Voice of Russia, the Echo of Moscow and the Radio of Russia. The Voice of Russia is represented by the chairman Andrei Bystritsky, the Echo of Moscow by Alexei Venediktov and the Radio of Russia – by Sergei Arkhipov.

(omitted)

Sergei Viktorovich, will we, along with Chinese brothers, continue to block those resolutions on Syria that are offered by out Security Council partners. Should Syria learn from the Libyam revolution? Should we propose something new on Syria?

There is only one resolution on Syria Russia and China earlier blocked by using their veto right. India, South Africa, Brazil, Lebanon, also said their “No” to the document, which indicates serious differences on the matter at the UN Security Council. The Western resolution is fraught with a repeat of the Libyan scenario, which is denied by its authors. The document warns against the use of force but is based on a unilateral approach, putting all the blame on Syrian President Bashar Assad and urging countries to show vigilance when contacting the Syrian side. Russia has repeatedly condemned the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and blamed extremists who continue to join these demonstrators while getting weapons from abroad. Information about arms smuggling in Syria, is yet to be denied. Being mentioned is a number of countries, including Iraq and Lebanon. I would like to urge all those having relevant facts to give these facts as soon as possible. Meanwhile, information is ride about these extremists' attacks on administrative buildings and police stations, including Russian company Stroitransgas's office in Syria. According to the UN, about 2,700 people, including 800 policemen, have already been killed in Syria, something that is yet to be verified.

At the moment, Russia's Interfax news agency reports the ongoing riots in Syria, sparked by the killing of Gaddafi. Syrian opposition leaders, inspired by the liquidation of Gaddafi, staged mass demonstrations.

You just mentioned the fact, which may help confirm what I wanted to say. It's like this. If we support the West's stance, which stipulates positioning the Libyan revolution as an example of the future, the political riots will continue. We saw it before and continue to see the same in Egypt, where the situation seemed to have returned back to normal. The international community should avoid sticking to the You-are-a-bad-boy-and-you-should-resign-by- all-means principle, which may further provoke violence and riots. We stand up for a dialogue. We urge all the conflicting parties to sit at the negotiating table and discuss their countries' national interests, not their personal ones.

(omitted)


لافروف:" الغرب يريد تكرار السيناريو الليبي في سورية
Lavrov: "The West wants to repeat the Libyan scenario in Syria
http://arabic.rt.com/news_all_news/news/569655
21.10.2011 20:39

See Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister's position west of the normalization of the situation in Syria could lead to a repeat of what happened in Libya. This came in a statement he made on October 21 to the radio stations "Voice of Russia" and "Radio Russia" and "Echo of Moscow" Russian.

He said: "may cause the adoption of Resolution West (on Syria) involves the repetition of the Libyan scenario." Lavrov noted that the resolution is not actually a license to use military force in order to ensure that the resolutions passed in the interest of the opposition. And given a rating and a single side of the situation. "Lavrov stressed that" the whole cast blame on the government headed by President Bashar al-Assad.

The resolution includes a demand that all countries, expressing vigilance on the sale of weapons and many other contacts with the Syrian side. He said: "The shortcomings of this situation lies in the analysis is based on reading the situation from one side. And we were beginning condemn any use of force against peaceful demonstrators.

But we condemn in the same time, extremist elements operating in the ranks of peaceful demonstrators, which is receiving weapons from outside the the country, knowing that any one did not refute after the news about the smuggling of weapons to Syria. and there is firm evidence about the establishment of these extremist groups infiltrating the ranks of peaceful demonstrators or disappearances in their ranks to launch attacks on administrative buildings, police stations and sign ruin it. These and Almjmuat bombing of a branch company "Stroytransgaz" in Syria."

He drew attention to Lavrov also said that the human rights movement activists say the last period saw the killing of 2,700 people including 800 police officers (according to official information received from the Syrian government).

Lavrov: The principle of the West, "You are bad" is a dangerous principle to resolve disputes

Sergei Lavrov announced that the Western countries seek to resolve conflicts based on the Libyan scenario is something serious. He said, commenting on the unrest in the Arab countries in response to the killing of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said: "If our followers of the approach practiced by the West now, which is limited to the need to reproduce the scenario Libya as a typical future, this approach will generate moods of this kind. And incite the people and the popular masses, which not hard to do as we have seen we are still seeing in Egypt. "

He said: "If the international community to implement the logic that" You are so bad you cannot make any Hawwarmek and should leave no matter what the price "of course, that would be incitement to violence and unrest."

Lavrov declared: "We call on everyone to make, without exception, in any country where there is a dispute sit down and agree on the basis of the interests of their countries and not out of selfish self-interests."

Source: Agencies.


اتفاقية عاجلة لإنشاء منطقة تجارة حرة بين سورية و أوكرانيا ثم روسيا
Convention on the urgent establishment of a free trade zone between Syria and Ukraine and Russia
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=a475023df7ec3ed080830af08a638860&ar=60697969
Thursday - October 20 - 2011 - 14:28:01

Informed sources said that a project is ready for signing between Syria and Ukraine free trade zone agreement between the two countries, and urgent procedures will begin immediately to reset customs between the two countries.

The source explained that the delegation which visited Ukraine a few days ago toured during his visit to other countries, including Belarus, which plans to visit Russia to prepare for similar agreements, but we'll start with the Ukraine, according to the "Economist."

Syria hopes that this Convention may be different from other conventions including the Convention with Turkey and Syria that it disfavoured, but the data Syrian official confirmed that the balance of trade between Syria Ukraine, is in favor of Ukraine as the value of Syrian imports from Ukraine, according to the latest statistics issued by the Office Central Bureau of Statistics for 2009 amount to more than 75 billion pounds, while exports to Ukraine from Syria, not to exceed 754 million Syrian pounds.


رشق السفير الأميركي في دمشق بالبيض والبندورة
Pelted the U.S. ambassador in Damascus with eggs and tomatoes
http://www.aksalser.com/?page=view_articles&id=94d9bcd03a3e5c3cef1710fe6a2b69a2&ar=319944167
Friday - October 21 - 2011 - 14:23:40

Pelted the U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, on Friday, with eggs and tomatoes, during his stay in the neighborhood of al-Midan in the capital Damascus.

Media sources said that "Ambassador Ford was pelted with eggs and tomatoes while he was in front of Al-Hassan mosque in the neighborhood of al-Midan in Damascus."

The Ambassador Ford was pelted with eggs and tomatoes middle of last month during a visit to the office of the Syrian opposition figure Hassan Abdul Azim in Damascus.


U.S. envoy pelted with eggs in Damascus' old neighborhood: TV
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-10/21/c_131205343.htm
English.news.cn 2011-10-21 21:34:09

DAMASCUS, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Fort was hit with eggs and tomatoes Friday while he was on his way to a mosque at the central al-Midan neighborhood of the capital Damascus, the private Addounia TV reported.

The report said that Ford went to al-Hasan mosque in al-Midan when passersby pelted him with eggs and tomatoes.

The al-Midan neighborhood has witnessed many anti-government protests over the past seven months.

The television station, however, didn't give further details.

Ford has visited many restive areas in Syria recently in a show of support to anti-government protestors. But the visits angered many residents in those areas, as well as the government that considered his visits as flagrant interference in Syrian affairs.

On Sept. 29, supporters of President Bashar Assad pelted Ford with eggs and tomatoes as he entered an office for a meeting with a leading opposition figure. He was trapped in the office for about three hours until Syrian security forces showed up and escorted him out.


رئيس مفوضية الاتحاد الافريقي يؤكد للمقداد رفض التدخلات الأجنبية في شؤون الشعوب وأهمية الإصلاحات التي قامت بها سورية
Ping Hails Reforms in Syria…Great Powers Should Respect Sovereignty of Arab and African Countries
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/10/21/376940.htm
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/21/376948.htm
Oct 21, 2011

ADDIS ABABA, (SANA)- Chairman of the Commission of the African Union (AU) Jean Ping on Friday stressed rejection of foreign interferences in the internal affairs of peoples and that the great powers should respect the sovereignty and independence of the Arab and African countries.

Ping's statements came during his meeting with Syrian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Fayssal Mikdad at the Union's headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Ping underscored the importance of coordinating work between the Arab and African countries in all fields and at the regional and international levels based on the common history and geography shared by the Arab and African peoples and the challenges they face.

The AU Commission's Chairman hailed the reforms Syria has started implementing in response to its people's desire, noting that this is the only way to preserve Syria's stability and its role in the Middle East region.

Mikdad, for his part, presented a review of the situation Syria is going through and the foreign-funded and backed terrorist attacks it has been subjected to.

He also referred to the misleading campaigns conducted by some media to smear Syria's image and incite the regional and international public opinion toward the Western countries' plot against Syria because of its standing in the face of the conspiracies targeted against the Palestinian Cause.

Mikdad highlighted the importance of solidarity between the Arab and African peoples which are facing the same U.S.-Western schemes aimed to loot the resources of the Arab and African regions and impose political domination on their peoples.

He said that Syria, having an observer status at the African Union, supports the causes of the African peoples and wishes the Union success in protecting the African countries and defending their interests.

Oct 21 Regional

البطريرك الراعي: العالم العربي يعيش ظروفاً صعبة ودقيقة
Patriarch al-Ra'i: the Arab world are living in difficult circumstances and accurate
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/10/21/376975.htm
October 21, 2011
New York - SANA

Patriarch of the Maronite Bishara al-Ra'i said that the Arab world, living in difficult circumstances, accurate and wished to get on the demands of the Arab peoples and their rights through dialogue, not conflict, civil war, away from all external interference here and there.

The Patriarch, in a speech in the Lebanese consulate in New York that he does not have an Arab Spring if the violence continues and the war continued as they claim innocent numerous, pay the price usually are the minorities will not be an Arab Spring if he dies, and one of the sons of this nation will not be an Arab Spring if we got to the civil wars or religious or sectarian.

al-Ra'i wished to return the Arab world to take his place in the international community as a scientist distinguish the unique character, a coexistence of the Islamic - Christian.


Respect rights, religious freedom in Mideast, Maronite patriarch urges
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1104165.htm
By Beth Griffin
Catholic News Service

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Unless Middle Eastern countries support religious freedom and respect human rights, the "Arab spring" movement will devolve into an "Arab winter," said Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai.

Patriarch Rai said the "Arab spring" movement holds much promise, but its leaders must "adopt a separation between religion and state." He said such a system exists in his native Lebanon and "respects all religions and all values of each religion."

"We wish to see freedom practiced in those countries. We wish to see the values of human rights and democracy implemented," he told a news conference Oct. 20 at the New York headquarters of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a pontifical agency that supports the Catholic Church in the Middle East, North Africa, India and Eastern Europe.

"It's not easy to talk about democracy in the Western sense in countries that have a theocratic system. Christianity divides politics and religion, and we wish Islam and other religions to do the same," Patriarch Rai said.

Failure to do so will result in civil wars, such as the one in Iraq, he warned, and will lead to the rise of regimes "that are even more fundamentalist. This is something that will be to the detriment of everybody."

Patriarch Rai said conflicts between Israel and the Arab countries and between Israel and the Palestinians have had a negative impact on Christians.

"The Arab-Israeli conflict is at the level of religion and culture. The conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis is a conflict (about) a people whose sovereignty, whose land, was taken away, who were displaced and for 64 years have been promised by United Nations resolutions a right of return, but this has not happened," he said.

"In Lebanon, we have suffered from the presence of a half million Palestinian refugees, and the war in Lebanon in 1975 started with the Palestinians," he added.

He said the conflict led to injustice, oppression and the rise of fundamentalist movements in the region.

"The atmosphere that was created by those conflicts has impacted the Christian presence in the Middle East, causing some to leave for economic and security reasons," he said.

Speaking about Israel, Patriarch Rai said, "In this day and age of globalization, it is strange to see a nation that wants to be for one religion or one race because, automatically, you are excluding the others."

"There will be no peace in that part of the world until Judaism, Islam and Christianity separate church and state," he said.

Patriarch Rai said tolerance of Christians in the Middle East falls into three categories. In some countries, they have no rights to establish a church or maintain a presence. In other countries, such as Egypt, the church exists and Christians can worship, but religious life is difficult and there are restrictions on construction and repair of churches. The third category covers places where Christians live freely and are accepted, but freedom of conscience is not respected and people do not have the right to change religions.

Patriarch Rai stressed that Christians are not outsiders in the Middle East and were established there "and impacted society with their values" 600 years before Islam. They have contributed positively to their countries and should not be made scapegoats in any area.

He said the international community has a responsibility to limit the spread of fundamentalism in the world and encourage moderate people to take the lead in countries of the Middle East.

"The very large part of Islam is moderate," he added.

He said the church does "not side with any government or regime," but asks whoever is in power to respect the rights of the people and guarantee freedom of speech, religion and conscience.

Patriarch Rai said that in Lebanon, 18 distinct religious groups live together, "not in ghettoes." He said Lebanon is a sign of hope for peoples of the region, and "the church in Lebanon is considered a guarantee for the Christian presence for that part of the world."

Patriarch Rai, 71, was elected March 25 as the leader of the Lebanon-based Maronite church, which is the largest of the six Eastern Catholic patriarchal churches with an estimated 13.3 million members.

Since his installation, he has traveled throughout Lebanon, meeting Catholics, Muslims, Orthodox and Protestants. He described spontaneous gatherings of people of many faiths, carrying placards referring to him as the patriach of national unity and of political reconciliation.

Patriarch Rai's visit to New York concluded an inaugural U.S. trip that included pastoral events in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York. He met with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Oct. 21.


Pope may visit Lebanon in 2012: report
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Oct-21/151870-pope-may-visit-lebanon-in-2012-report.ashx
October 21, 2011 12:39 PM
The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Bkirki and the Vatican are preparing for a possible visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon in 2012, as part of the Catholic Church's strategy to protect Christians in the Middle East, Friday's As-Safir reported.

"The Maronite patriarchate and the Vatican are coordinating to discuss preparations for a possible by Pope Benedict's visit to Lebanon in 2012," the paper quoted Church sources as saying.

"This is part of the Vatican's new strategy to protect the Christian presence in Lebanon and the East," the Church sources said.

Sources added that the Vatican and Bkirki share the single priority of protecting the Christian presence in the Middle East, especially following recent developments in the region.

Egypt's military police drove armored vehicles into a crowd of Christians protesting against an attack on a church in southern Egypt earlier this month, resulting in the death of at least 25 people.

With the fall of Hosni Mubarak, fears have escalated that ultraconservative Salafists and other Islamic groups may be targeting Coptics, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's roughly 80 million people.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai has also raised the alarm over the Christian presence in Syria, warning that the unrest there could threaten Christians should it lead to the Muslim Brotherhood taking power, or to civil war between Sunnis and Alawites.

"The Vatican and Maronite patriarchate have information about the increase in immigration in the number of Christian families from Syria and that some of these families have begun buying houses in Lebanon, Arab and other foreign countries for permanent residence due to developments in Syria," the paper reported.

The daily also said Rai's remarks, which sparked weeks-long debate in Lebanon, stem from information provided by the Vatican regarding the danger facing the Christian presence.

Rai later said his remarks were taken out of context and dismissed any concerns over the future of Lebanon's Maronite community.

Sources also said that Rai's main concern now is the creation of a new electoral law that can protect the presence of Christians in Lebanon.

"Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai is placing great importance on establishing a new electoral law given that this issue represents a primary step toward … lessening political dependence of Christians on other parties," the paper added.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel has drafted a new electoral law based on proportional representation. The Cabinet has not discussed the draft law which Charbel has proposed be implemented for the upcoming 2012 parliamentary elections.

The current system in Lebanon is based on a winner-takes-all electoral system.

The paper also added that Bkirki aims to eliminate what it views as the political isolation of Christians and rid the country of foreign strategies, either Arab or foreign.


Khoury: Syria committed no violations since border undefined
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Oct-21/151879-khoury-syria-committed-no-violations-since-border-undefined.ashx
October 21, 2011 03:03 PM
The Daily Star

BEIRUT: The Syrian-Lebanese Council's secretary-general said Friday that the Syrian army had not violated Lebanon's sovereignty during recent incidents, because they occurred in disputed areas where the borders between the countries have not been demarcated.

"There were no incursions into Lebanese territory from the Syrian army as it was claimed and you could easily ask the Lebanese army who is the responsible authority on the border," Nasri Khoury told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail.

"The area that was in the news is a common, disputed area and consequently we cannot determine whether it is Lebanese or Syrian because the borders have not been demarcated yet."

Earlier this month, a famer was killed in the northern town of Arsal when Syrian soldiers reportedly crossed several kilometers into Lebanese and shot in the direction of farms.

Arsal residents have reported several similar incursions. There have also been reports of Syrian troops crossing the border in the Wadi Khaled area.

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have for several years been calling on the government to demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria.

"What happened in Arsal is that there is a disputed area with each side claiming it belongs to them," Khoury said, adding that a committee from the council was working to resolve border demarcation issues.

Khoury also criticized the media coverage of the incidents, saying that most of the reports were not followed by official statements to support them, and added that the Lebanese and Syrian armies were coordinating on a daily basis on several border issues.

"I think that things are good between the two countries on all levels, regardless of all attempts to disrupt the relationship," he said.


باحثون وصحفيون مصريون: ما يبث حول سورية يثبت أن الإعلام يشهد فوضى وغيابا لأخلاقيات المهنة وبات أداة لخدمة أجندات خارجية
Egyptian journalists and researchers: what is broadcast on Syria proves that the media is a mess and the absence of the ethics of the profession and become a tool to serve the agendas of Foreign Affairs
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/10/21/376942.htm
October 21, 2011
Cairo, (SANA) -

A number of researchers and journalists, the Egyptians that what is broadcast on the situation in Syria from the events of fabricated facts and contrary to the fact proves that the media is a mess is unprecedented and an absence of ethics and the Charter of the profession where he became a tool of the forces controlled by and employed by service orientation ideological, political, or to carry out instructions or external links.

The director of the Center for the dawn of Strategic Studies in Cairo, Hussein Maaloum in a statement to SANA correspondent today that Mibut about the situation in Syria confirm a lie is because it is broadcast and facts fabricated in order to employ them to the trends of the way the media and funders, and perhaps dealing Western media and some Arab channels can be considered as an extreme example of political direction have where the use of those channels to amplify the small events of the Nile from Syria and its leadership, while completely ignoring the facts are in support of this leadership and show its support.

Maaloum said that the saying is do not lie down, where it is certain that the TV picture, which is trying the media presented as a mirror of reality and that it plays the role of the carrier objective of ongoing events is the kind of deception because it is in fact primarily concerned with making and provide a reality TV show unconditional considerations of ideology, political and economic .

Maaloum said that many of the images provided by the media but are subject to the interests of product news and see the political, ideological and trying to influence events across the image provided by claiming as fact what is happening in reality, which can be called a breakthrough media.

In turn, said Mohamed Voile deputy editor of the Republic, that some Western media is witnessing all forms of chaos unprecedented in the absence of commitment to ethics and the Charter of the profession and overlap and desires for the differences and friendships in the content and content of the message media, and directed to serve the goals of private or execution of the instructions or external links.

The Voile that this mess was not created after what happened in Egypt and Tunisia, but was present in one form or another but it is now taken to widen a plan to guide the masses in the direction of a particular or to suggest the events are not real and can be seen in the coverage of some channels to make Syria a living example of where it is amplified events or the use of old photographs or footage from other places to suggest reality is contrary to the truth of what is happening in Syria, and publish only what is negative and Tdkhmh while completely ignoring the positive events.

The Voile facts that occurred in Egypt, was published in a newspaper of the proceedings of the special places of ancient Egypt is Egyptian and say that it was exposed by the readers of Facebook and explained how it's transferred from Arab newspapers to bring in another country.

For his part, noted columnist Mustafa architecture that media freedom turned into a mess of many Arab media, and to achieve a hidden agenda of some political parties or currents, and often for some countries.

Oct 21 Local government

برنامج صندوق التمويل في مكتب تنمية الريف السوري برئاسة الجمهورية يقدم 125ر8 ملايين ليرة سورية لـ 6 قرى بحماة
Fund program funding in the Office of Rural Development under the chairmanship of the Syrian Republic offers 125 800 000 Syrian pounds for 6 villages in Hama (micro finance)
http://www.sana.sy/ara/4/2011/10/21/376885.htm
October 21, 2011
Hama, (SANA) -

Oct 21 Central government

Syria spent $3 billion on pound defense since revolt
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Middle-East/2011/Oct-21/151887-syria-spent-$3-billion-on-pound-defense-since-revolt.ashx
October 21, 2011 05:57 PM
By Massoud A. Derhally
Bloomberg

BEIRUT: Syria has spent about $3 billion defending its currency and financing trade since the start of an uprising seven months ago against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, said Adib Mayaleh (al-Mayyaalah), governor of the central bank.

The money was from a government fund created in 2007 that had $5 billion when the revolt began, Mayaleh said by phone from Damascus today. The pound is stable and the central bank's foreign-currency reserves remain at about $18 billion, he said.

"The market is constantly changing and we've had to finance external trade, so we've spent about $3 billion from the fund," Mayaleh said. "There is confidence in the central bank, the currency and our ability to manage in this crisis."

Protests against Assad's rule have swept Syria since mid-March, inspired by the uprisings earlier this year that ousted Egypt's and Tunisia's longtime rulers. Assad and the government have blamed the unrest on Islamic militants and foreign provocateurs. He has used tanks, armored vehicles and artillery to crush the most serious threat to his family's 40-year rule, rejecting U.S. and European demands for him to resign.

The European Union expanded sanctions against Syria Oct. 13 in a push to end the crackdown on demonstrators, freezing the EU assets of the state-owned Commercial Bank of Syria. The U.S. also targeted the Commercial Bank of Syria and a subsidiary, banned the import of Syrian petroleum products, and cut Syria's access to the U.S. financial system.

'Psychological Warfare'

Mayaleh dismissed the possibility that the Syrian economy may collapse as the uprising approaches the one-year mark.

"So many have speculated, and we've seen many rumors, about people's wages not being paid or that the central bank has a shortage of banknotes," Mayaleh said. "These are all rumors to try to scare citizens. It's psychological warfare."

He said that if the government was short of cash it wouldn't have helped to finance a $1 billion project to produce electricity in the east of the country this month.

Mayaleh said that while there are no shortages of products in Syria and prices are stable, the international sanctions have affected the operations of Commercial Bank, the country's largest, and the central bank, which no longer uses the dollar.

"We're not living on another planet," he said. "Yes, of course they will."

The central bank is now using Arab currencies, the Chinese yuan, the Russian ruble and euro, he said, adding that if the EU bans Syria from using its single currency the government will take steps to get around such restrictions.

Growth Slows

Growth in Syria's $60 billion economy is expected to slow to about 1 percent this year from 5.5 percent in 2010, Finance Minister Mohammad Al-Jleilati said in a Sept. 7 interview. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the economy will contract 2 percent this year, while the Institute of International Finance said it may shrink 3 percent.

"The sanctions are having an impact, foreign currency is going down perhaps not at as fast a rate as some pessimists think," Chris Phillips, an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit in London, said today by phone. "The Syrian economy is certainly contracting at the moment. There is far less economic activity, sanctions are affecting trade and they are trying to reorder the economy around the countries they are still allied with, like Russia and China."

Tourism, which accounts for about 10 percent of gross domestic product, is slumping, with hotel-occupancy rates of almost zero in Damascus, the capital, and Aleppo, Phillips said.

As the uprising continues, "a lot depends on the reaction of the public to increased hard times and the reaction of the business community," Phillips said. "The big question is whether or not the current public will put up with a deteriorating situation, having tasted a degree of economic openness and access to foreign consumer goods, and turn on the regime."


الاقتصاد: لجنة دراسة آلية دعم المحروقات تجمع المعلومات والإحصاءات لوضع الأفكار والمقترحات
Economy: Commission to Study the mechanism of fuel gathering to support information and statistics to develop ideas and proposals
http://www.sana.sy/ara/4/2011/10/21/376863.htm
October 21, 2011
Damascus, (SANA) -

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, said that the committee formed to study the mechanism of fuel subsidies, composed of representatives of several ministries to collect information and statistics needed in this area.

The Ministry made clear that if the completion of the collection of information and statistics start phase of the development of proposals and ideas to present later on to the concerned authorities for final approval.

Oct 21 Pro-government

الآلاف من أبناء البوكمال يردون على حملات التحريض بمسيرة تأييد للاصلاحات: سورية قوية بوحدة شعبها
Thousands of Abu Kamal responding to campaigns of incitement marched in support of the reforms: the unity of the people of Syria, a strong
http://www.sana.sy/ara/354/2011/10/21/376960.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgOIx3rPrOk
October 21, .2011
Deir Al-Zour (SANA) -

Rallied today, thousands of citizens of the towns and runny Ghubra and Alhafah of the Abu Kamal area in the province of Deir al-Zour in the town square runny in the process of raising the national flag of public support for comprehensive reform process and an expression of their rejection of foreign interference and the campaign of incitement by the misinformation.

The participants in the march for their love of the homeland and their adherence to its unity, chanting slogans calling for the national face of the plot and foiled.

Hamid Jassim, said town mayor runny that citizens gathered in this process to respond to some of the media that continue to incitement against Syria and refuses to recognize the truth and move, stressing that Syria is a strong awareness of the unity of its people and its children.

He noted the citizen Dzaa Hamdan from the people of the town to Ghubra he submitted to the town of runny expression of his love for the country and its leader and march in support of comprehensive reform.

He also expressed Mohammed Suleiman of the people of the town Alhafah for its commitment to security and stability of Syria and rejection of all the conspiracies being hatched to destabilize the homeland security, stability and targeting of its economy.


الكزبري: مهمة اللجنة الوطنية المكلفة إعداد مشروع دستور للبلاد صياغة دستور متكامل يناسب سورية
Kuzbari: the task of the national committee to prepare a draft constitution for the country's constitution an integrated suits Syria
http://www.sana.sy/ara/2/2011/10/21/377009.htm
October 21, .2011
Damascus, (SANA) -

Lawyer Ahmed Kuzbari member of the national committee to prepare a draft constitution for the country that the committee will meet next week to determine the mechanisms of action and the dates of meetings which will discuss all the articles of the Constitution and will use it deems appropriate experts, economists, social workers and its mission is to formulate the Constitution of an integrated suits the Syrian Arab Republic, not a party or a government or a person .

The Kuzbari in an interview on Syrian television that the decision of the Committee and the formation of a clear and explicit and demonstrates the leadership's keenness on the participation of the people to fully re-drafting a new constitution and therefore it is the people will decide if it fits or not by referendum.

The Kuzbari that there is no guide to the work of the Commission or any member from outside the Commission which will discuss all the ideas and there should be a spokesperson media have and a website asked him what to know what the Committee discussed during its meetings in order to identify the views of citizens.

Oct 21 Anti-government

Syria dissidents secure Libya embassy promise
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=embassy-in-libya-to-snc-2011-10-20
Thursday, October 20, 2011
İPEK YEZDANİ - ipek.yezdani@hurriyet.com.tr
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The National Transitional Council of Libya (NTC) has promised to hand over the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli in the coming months to the Syrian National Council (SNC) formed by Syrian dissidents, the Hürriyet Daily News has learned.

"We asked for handing over of the Syrian Embassy in Libya to the SNC during our visit to Libyan transitional authorities a couple of days ago. This kind of act would not be legally recognized, but it would have a symbolic meaning for us. They promised to do so in the near future," Halit Hoca, the SNC Foreign Affairs Committee Turkish representative, told the Hürriyet Daily News in an interview Thursday.

NTC officially recognized the Syrian opposition council 10 days ago and decided to close the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli. Thus Libya became the first country to announce its recognition of the SNC, which was established about one month ago in Istanbul.

Leading members of the SNC visited Egypt two days ago on their return from Libya. The council members met with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi in Egypt and repeated their request for the suspension of Syria's membership from the Arab League.

"There are some countries in the Arab League that are against the suspension of Syria's membership," Hoca said. "Now we are planning to visit those countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan and Qatar to explain to them the situation in Syria and convince them."

Hoca said their short-term aim was to persuade the international community to isolate Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League Wagih Hanafi announced Thursday that they had received approval from the Syrian government to receive a ministerial delegation headed by Qatar on Oct. 26, AFP reported.

The delegation will include al-Arabi and the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Oman and Sudan.

At an urgent session in Cairo on Oct. 16, the Arab League called for "national dialogue" in the Egyptian capital between Syria's government and the opposition by the end of the month to help end the violence and avoid "foreign intervention" in Syria. But the proposal was swiftly slammed by Syria's official media.

Hoca said they would announce the eight members of the SNC executive committee next week in Istanbul. "The leadership team might change according to rotation every three months, so that everybody in the council can have the chance to be part of the decision-making process," Hoca said. The United Nations estimated more than 3,000 people, including 187 children, have been killed in a fierce crackdown on dissent in Syria.

Oct 21 Incidents

Oct 21 Demonstrations after the Friday Prayers

Dair Ba'lbah, Homs countryside
You can see one person waving a new Libyan flag. (Red, black, green, and a crescent in the black stripe)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdlDPjF7bqQ

Bab al-Sibaa', Homs city
Two big Libyan flags hang on the wall along with a Syrian flag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLJZGtdPJpw

Protesters in Idlib city chant "no dialogue" with the government.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpknakHcftU

Daa'il town in Daraa province.
Paper at 00:38 reads "Congratulations to Libyan people!" . A Libyan flag at 00:59.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPwPWe92BDc


استشهاد عسكري ومدنيين برصاص إرهابيين بحمص وحماة ومقتل مسلحين اثنين .. القبض على مجموعة إرهابية مسلحة بحمص قامت بعمليات خطف وقتل وإطلاق نارعلى المدنيين
Army Member, 2 Civilians Martyred by Terrorist Groups in Homs and Hama (confession)
http://www.sana.sy/ara/336/2011/10/21/376932.htm
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/21/376938.htm
Oct 21, 2011

DAMASCUS, SANA_ An army member and two civilians were martyred on Friday by the fire of armed terrorist groups in the provinces of Homs and Hama.

An official source in Homs told SANA correspondent that the competent authorities chased a terrorist group and clashed with it, killing two gunmen.

In Hama, a Police leadership source told SANA correspondent that an explosive device planted by armed groups in al-Ta'awouniyeh neighborhood blew up without injury.

Another explosive device was dismantled by a military engineering unit near the Municipal Stadium in the city of Hama.

An information source on Friday denied the news broadcast by al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya Satellite Channels on deaths in the Syrian cities and considered such news as "operations orders for the armed terrorist groups."

In Aleppo Province, an official source refuted as "false and fabricated" the news broadcast by al-Arabiya regarding warplanes flying over the city.

The source said that Aleppo Province has witnessed a normal and calm Friday as it was over the past period.

Aleppo Police Chief told SANA correspondent in Aleppo that broadcasting false and misleading news by such channels aim at spreading chaos and indicate the bankruptcy and failure of all attempts to tamper with the security of the province to complete the conspiracy to which Syria is being exposed.

4 Terrorists Arrested in Homs

Competent authorities arrested on Friday a terrorist group in a Kia truck with two mutilated bodies inside.

An official source told SANA correspondent in Homs said that the terrorist group caught in al-Warsheh neighborhood in Homs includes two gunmen and the truck driver, adding that they confessed to dumping three other bodies near al-Nakhlkeh Mosque in the same neighborhood.

The source added that another terrorist was arrested with a Kalashnikov rifle as he was shooting citizens and law-enforcement members in Bab Dreib neighborhood in Homs.

The source added that fake passports, ID cards and uniforms were found in the house of the terrorist.


خروج مظاهرات متفاوتة في مناطق عدة .. أنباء عن سقوط شهداء ومصدر ينفي ويعتبر هذه الأخبار "أوامر عمليات "
Demonstrations degrees in many areas .. News of the fall of the martyrs and the source denies this news is "orders of operations"
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_articles&id=7a49a338db28dbd6a42c8b1c568e0534&h=%CD%E3%D5&ar=464357539
Friday - October 21 - 2011 - 13:58:10

Demonstrations took degrees in several regions of Syria, after Friday prayers, broke most of them without significant problems, while media sources said that Homs witnessed at all the fire and acts of violence that left the fall of the Martyrs, which was denied by a media source as a "command of the armed terrorist groups, according to the agency Syrian Arab News (SANA).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (Exhibitions based in Britain) that 11 people were killed Friday in Homs.

The USGS said the opposition that nine people were killed on Friday after the demonstrations that came out "in most neighborhoods and the city, during which dozens were injured, some critical cases, as cited before Friday prayers, two nationals of wild animals in the neighborhood of the door."

"The demonstrations came out today in the city of Homs to revive construction, Baba Amr and Jouret spammer and Bowl Jobar and pitch, red, and Ghouta and Dablan and field, and the door hood and generous Shami and Nazhieddin and the deacon and the door of wild animals and the door Aldreb shall Gandla and clan-Bayada, Deir mailbox, palaces, Khalidiya, Homs, new, and protests were held in towns and villages Ezz religion and the Hula and destroy and Sokhna, Bureij and paneling Homs Governorate. "

"أن مظاهرات خرجت اليوم بمدينة حمص في احياء الانشاءات وبابا عمرو وجورة العرايس والسلطانية وجوبر والملعب والحمراء والغوطة والدبلان والميدان وباب هود وكرم الشامي والنازحيين والشماس وباب السباع وباب الدريب وجب الجندلي وعشيرة والبياضة ودير بعلبة والقصور والخالدية وحمص الجديدة، كما خرجت مظاهرات في بلدات وقرى عز الدين والحولة وتدمر والسخنة والبريج وتلبيسة بمحافظة حمص".

"The two citizens were killed in the neighborhood of palaces city of Hama, a citizen was also killed and wounded five others wounded in the town of Daraa Jassim province."

The news agency "United Press International," the U.S. for official Syrian source that several demonstrations came out on Friday in some parts of Syria and that the clash happened with gunmen in Homs center of the country led to the killing of two dead gunmen and one of elements of the maintenance of order and wounded officer of the rank of colonel.

The source said that two people fell in Homs FP regions of Bab Hood and Baba Amru gunmen to attack the septal security forces also led to the fall of martyrs and wounded of the elements of the rank of colonel.

He said the small demonstrations came after Friday prayers in Homs and dispersed, while the largest demonstration in the Hula in Homs countryside included about 1,500 demonstrators, and dispersed without any problem.

The source added that several demonstrations of several neighborhoods came out in the city of Hama, a total of demonstrators, where about 600 protesters dispersed after Friday prayers without any friction with the security forces, while a bomb exploded in a garbage containers without causing casualties, and informed citizens other container for packaging has been dismantled.

He said a local source that protests were limited in a good forward and Kafr Zeta Strait and al-Qal'ah in the countryside of the province.

In Aleppo, which saw two days ago, Magdy Rady march in support of President Bashar al-Assad and reforms, out of about 20 people in the neighborhood, "Salah al-Din," and started to shout but no one from the congregation respond to them.

In rural Aleppo, demonstrations took place in Tall Rif'at, Maari', Hayyan and Andan, where Andan saw some fighting, and security forces used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, said the people of the village.

In Idlib out a demonstration of several mosques in the city and gathered in the courtyard of Jama Masjid Saad bin Abi Waqqas and then went in some streets of the city and adjourned without any accidents.

In the countryside demonstrations took place in Idlib Taftanaz and Kafranbil and account yet? And Martmbarn and Saraaqib and adjourned without any security problems.

Aks al-Ser learned from a source familiar with the engineering units in the army was able this morning to dismantle explosive devices ready to go off in Wadi al-Daif surrounding Ma'arrat Numan.

The pro-regime demonstration occurred in "al-Kiswah" in Damascus.

There were also reports that threw the U.S. ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford with eggs while he was in front of Mosque of Hassan district in the "field" in Damascus.

For his part, denied media source reported by the media channels in Arabic-speaking about the deaths in the Syrian cities and saw this news in default orders of armed terrorist groups, according to the official news agency (SANA).


إرهابيان: أطلقنا النار على المتظاهرين وسرقنا سيارات وسلبنا ركابها .. السلاح كان يأتينا من لبنان والأموال من بريطانيا
Terrorists Confess to Shooting Demonstrators, Committing Armed Robbey (confession)
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/21/376953.htm
http://www.sana.sy/ara/336/2011/10/21/376999.htm
Oct 21, 2011

DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Terrorists Thaer Salah Saifuddin and Mahmoud Hussein al-Maleh confessed that they were part of an armed terrorist group that opened fire on demonstrators and committed robbery, murder and theft in Madaya, Damascus Countryside.

In confessions broadcast on Friday evening by the Syrian TV, terrorist Saifuddin said that the weapons were brought to them from Lebanon and that a London resident, Anas al-Abdeh, is the person who was paying for these weapons.

He mentioned that al-Abdeh sent S.P 12 million to his cousin, adding that disagreements erupted among members of the group regarding the distribution of this amount.

For his part, terrorist al-Maleh confessed to his involvement in shooting demonstrators and armed robbery of cars, affirming that his cousin was injured by the gunfire of these terrorist groups during firing on demonstrators.

Saifuddin, an assistant engineer from Madaya, said that when demonstrations began they started off by calling for reform, and then Mohammad Diab al-Nammous came along and started instructing them to open fire on demonstrations.

"Al-Nammous would stand with his armed group at the back of the demonstrations when they started… after the demonstration passes by, he would give us a command through radio to open fire in the demonstrations and we would do so to accuse security forces of opening fire," Saifuddin said, adding that they injured Ashraf Saifuddin, Mohammad al-Halbouni and Alaa Jadid in this manner.

He went on to say that al-Nammous would issue them Fatwas permitting them to steal and rob on religious basis, telling them that they could rob any car heading to Madaya with the excuse of buying weapons and supporting the "revolution" and their group.

Saifuddin said that al-Nammous instructed them to draw security forces to a location where the gunmen were stationed on both sides of the road, with Zakaraya Nassif using a motorbike to lure the security forces vehicles to the location. Upon their arrival, al-Nammous gave the order and they opened fire, killing three security personnel and wounding three others.

He pointed out that al-Nammous, Ahmad Sultani and Abdo Mehrez smuggled AK-47 rifles, machineguns, grenades and ammo from Beirut, adding that orders came via al-Nammous from Abu Sleiman Awad from the Islamic Liberation Party which is located in Lebanon, adding that Awad snuck to Syria and visited them at an earlier date, encouraging them to protest and saying that his party supported them wholeheartedly and was prepared to provide money, weapons and more.

Saifuddin added that Anas al-Abdeh sent SYP 12 million and about 30 pistols to his cousin Rashad al-Abda via Lebanon, indicating that al-Nammous was forcing store owners to pay SYP 3000-4000 every week.

For his part, terrorist al-Maleh confessed that his group shot demonstrators upon orders from Ayham al-Nammous and Amer Seeta in order to accuse law-enforcement and army personnel soldiers of shooting the demonstrators.

"One day and while we were shooting at demonstrators, I unintentionally shot my brother Ahmad Hussein al-Maleh. At that time, I accused the law-enforcement personnel of doing so."

He said that Jawad al-Mansour, a member of the group, had a Thuraya satellite phone which he used to phone al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya channels and tell them that the demonstrations were huge when in fact the number of the demonstrators didn't exceed 100 persons, adding "he was telling them that law-enforcement and army personnel shot people while he was a member of a group that was doing that."

Al-Maleh pointed out that Abu Ayham al-Nammous gave me an AK-47 rifle with 5 magazines and a handgun, and that he and the group committed 3 armed robberies, stopping cars and stealing their passengers' possessions. The first victims were a man and his wife in a white Lada from whom they stole two mobile phones and SYP 25000. The second car was a pickup truck from which they a mobile phone and SYP 15000. In the third robbery, they stole SYP 175.000, jewelry and two mobile phones from a Saudi man and his wife.

"Abu Ayham al-Nammous ordered these operations; he told us that these people are infidels. He, himself, was addicted to drugs and gambling," al-Maleh pointed out, adding "Amer Assaf, nicknamed Amer Seeta, gave the group members and the demonstrator's drugs for free. All of us were taking drugs". He concluded.

2011/10/21

Oct 20 Others

Saudi Arabia arrests YouTube activists
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/205509.html
Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:32PM

Saudi Arabian government has forced all online newspapers and bloggers to register with the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Saudi Arabia has arrested three young men for posting online a video on poverty in the oil-rich country, rights activists have reported.

The three identified as Firas Baqna, Khalid al-Rasheed and Hussam al-Darwish were arrested a few days ago in al-Sahaba district, north of capital, after opposition television, al-Islah, aired part of their YouTube series titled "Malub Aleina" ("We are being cheated"), AFP reported.

The UK-based al-Islah channel is believed to belong to the Movement for Islamic Reform in Saudi Arabia which is banned in the Kingdom.

In the part aired by al-Islah, poverty in al-Jaradeya, a poor Riyadh neighborhood, is shown and it features an interview with a mosque imam saying that vice and drugs were becoming popular in the region due to poverty.

The video also points to the wealth of 11 Saudi billionaires that are among the world's richest men, while nearly 30 percent of Saudis suffer from poverty in a country that is the holder of 20 percent of the world's oil reserves.

Saudi authorities have accused the three activists of "turning public opinion against the public order of the country."

One Saudi activist said authorities suspected the three men "were receiving finance from al-Islah channel and were taken into custody for interrogation."

"The aim of the series is to draw attention to social problems, nothing more," the activist added.

The Cairo-based rights group, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, has criticized Riyadh for suppressing activists, adding that their arrests were politically motivated.

"Saudi authorities have to implement genuine political reform, instead of stalking and harassing the activists and (neglecting) laws and fundamental freedoms," the rights group said.

It has also accused the Saudi government of restricting freedom of expression as a means to "intimidate pro-democracy citizens''. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information also condemned the silence of the Arab and international community on rights violations in the Kingdom.

According to the Democracy Index for 2010 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Saudi Arabia is the least democratic country in the Middle East and ranks 160th out of 167 countries worldwide.