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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
The real story behind yesterday's bomb explosion in south Lebanon
2007-06-20
Ya Libnan reported yesterday about an explosion that ripped through a tire shop in the south Lebanon Palestinian refugee camp of Ein al-Helweh, killing 2 people. Security sources initially reported that the blast was caused by the explosion of an oxygen canister. The story changed later based on Palestinian sources that the blast was caused by a bomb that was placed inside a tire in the tire shop.

The real story, according to Lebanese security officials, is that the explosion occurred while the extremist militants of Jund al-Sham tried to prepare a bomb in the tire shop. The Lebanese security officials said that some of Jund al-Sham members were extracting TNT from a 107 mm shell, apparently to use it in making a bomb. Among those lightly wounded was a leader of Jund al-Sham, Shehadeh Jawhar, also known as Abu Omar, according to residents and Abu Sharif, the officials said. Residents said the two dead men were the shop owner ... Jawhar's uncle ... and his nephew. Also wounded was a Lebanese man named Mohammed Ghuneim, whose brother, Shadi, has been held for months in Saudi Arabia for suspected links with al-Qaida, the security officials said.

Since the Lebanese army and security personnel cannot enter the Palestinian refugee camps, based on the absurd "Cairo agreement" that was agreed on in 1969, the camps have become breeding grounds for terrorism. A number of small, little known Islamic militant groups proclaiming a Jihadist (holy war) ideology have arisen in recent years in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camps, which have long been home to numerous Palestinian militias. Jund al-Sham, which is Arabic means literally "Soldiers of Damascus", is a splinter group from another Palestinian militant group called Asbat al-Ansar based in Ein al-Helweh.

Jund al-Sham's fighters battled Lebanese troops earlier this month, killing two soldiers, as the army fought Fatah al-Islam terrorists in the northern Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared. Another group using the name Jund al-Sham has carried out attacks in Syria, seeking to topple its secular regime, but it is not known whether it is connected to the Ein al-Helweh group.

It is obvious that the Ein al-Helweh camp is a tinderbox, like the other 11 camps in Lebanon, and people like Abu Chehadeh Jawhar, are a living symbol of the weakness of the Lebanese state, in not being able exercise its authority throughout the Lebanese territory. This arrangement has been a haven for criminals, who within the camps' confines, were immune from the country's rules, laws, police and oversight, but for the average Palestinian this has been hell as this turned them into second-class citizens.

The explosion that took place yesterday could repeat itself again. For example Abu Omar lives in a basement apartment on Emergency Street, a free-wheeling alley known for its filthy condition. Inside his apartment, Abu Omar stores TNT, plastic explosives, guns, land mines, detonating wires, and ammunition. According to reliable reports the explosives stored in his basement are similar to those that have been used to destabilize Lebanon since the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, in February 2005. There is no way to know if the basement was the source of any of those bombs.

Political insiders in Lebanon are calling for canceling the Cairo agreement, to enable the Lebanese government to control activities in its own territory. This should lead to law and order throughout the country, and help integrate the camps into the Lebanese society, which should improve the lives of the Palestinian people.
Posted by:Fred

#14  The very essence of RB--well reasoned civil discourse with ocassional 2x4s.

Author! Author!
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-20 16:58  

#13  Right, Zen. Snipes are fine if accompanied by meaningful contribution, cuz they are spice of life. The very essence of RB--well reasoned civil discourse with ocassional 2x4s. ;-)
Posted by: twobyfour   2007-06-20 16:25  

#12  Abdominal Snowman, I wonder if you ever bother to consider what intellectually honest people think of those who constantly snipe but have little to offer in the way of constructive contributions.


That's your macro-of-the-week, no matter what I actually type into here?
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-06-20 16:21  

#11  Funny how I can always know it is Zenster before I have scrolled down to the signature.

S'alright, Excal. I suppose we'll just have to settle for dividing the spoils once we've finished conquering a burnt and smoking globe.

It doesn't add anything to the conversation, just leads to flame wars.

Whoa, Deac! You been hanging out at the O Club or something? It just so happens that evidently this is "pile on Zenster week". Nothing I haven't seen before. Some people just don't have anything better to do that sit around and snipe at someone behind their back. Far as I can tell, it says more about them than me, but what do I know? Whether we agree or not, you've got the right attitude. Leave the personalities out of it and cut to the chase. Makes for a lot more interesting reading.

Danielle, you're far too kind, but thank you very much.

Abdominal Snowman, I wonder if you ever bother to consider what intellectually honest people think of those who constantly snipe but have little to offer in the way of constructive contributions.

Well, so much for the bullshit, on with the show!
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-20 16:17  

#10  And now I have to put on the human suit and get back to stealing luggage.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-06-20 14:18  

#9  Search LGF, and you'll be able to find pictures of Palestinian civilians being hung by the Palestinian Government way back before Hamas took over the whole thing,

(I mention that for the benefit of the people who will say that the success of these tactics are because we didn't support Fatah enough. I think with groups like those two, who both receive most of their funding from outside sources like Saudi Arabia or Iran, the differences are on a par with Professional Wrestling, and the west let itself get suckered. I did say earlier we should seek to divide the enemy, but there needs to be a side to begin with that doesn't want to hang anyone who wants to negotiate.)
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-06-20 14:17  

#8  From a different source:
One bushel of the enemy's provisions is worth twenty of our own, one picul of fodder is worth twenty of our own.

Killing the enemy is a matter of arousing anger in men;

taking the enemy's wealth is a matter of reward.

Therefore, in chariot battles, reward the first to capture at least ten chariots.

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own.

Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well.

This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.


The Cairo agreement is about letting the enemies have their own recruits while dividing the forces of the rest of us.

(For that matter, letting Syria and Hezbollah have Lebanon to do with as they wish hasn't exactly turned out to be good for Israel).

From Chapter 3, Planning Attacks:
Generally in warfare, keeping a nation intact is best, destroying a nation second best;

keeping an army intact is best, destroying an army second best;

keeping a battalion intact is best, destroying a battalion second best;

keeping a company intact is best, destroying a company second best;

keeping a squad intact is best, destroying a squad second best.

Therefore, to gain a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the highest excellence;

to subjugate the enemy's army without doing battle is the highest of excellence.

Therefore, the best warfare strategy is to attack the enemy's plans, next is to attack alliances, next is to attack the army, and the worst is to attack a walled city.


If the phrase "attacking alliances" (which is different, please note, than attacking the enemies' allies) sounds familiar, it should. It's what Petraeus has been trying to do in Iraq, and I suspect it's a major reason behind the tribes in Anbar turning against the Al Qaeda-backed terrorists they were formerly fighting against.

Syria, Iran, and others' apparent control of the Palestinians, in addition to giving them an army, also gives them leverage to attack whatever alliances we might form:

From Haaretz,, via Little Green Footballs:
Hamas effectively completed its victory over Fatah in the Gaza Strip yesterday following a day of fighting in which 26 persons lost their lives. Most of the dead were affiliated with Fatah, although at least two civilians participating in a peace demonstration and two United Nations aid workers were also killed. Since the fighting began on Sunday, at least 67 Palestinians were killed in the internecine battles.

...Before noon, two civilians were killed during a protest held in Gaza City under the banner "Stop the Killing." Some 1,000 Palestinians marched in the city, calling for an end to the fighting, but when they approached a Hamas position, militants fired at the protesters, killing two...
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-06-20 14:09  

#7  
This arrangement has been a haven for criminals, who within the camps' confines, were immune from the country's rules, laws, police and oversight, but for the average Palestinian this has been hell as this turned them into second-class citizens.

My heart pumps piss.

Zenster, giving the Palestinians over to the likes of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Fatah to be ruled, even if you think they deserve the likes of those those three groups, only serves to increace the power of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Fatah, and decreaces those of the civilized countries.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2007-06-20 13:42  

#6  I happen to enjoy Zenster's comments a lot for his keen insights and lack of BS is attractive to many women;) This Cairo Agreement on the otherhand, is total BS. Lebanese Paleos have also intentionally colonized to all parts of the world but have not seemed to garner as much attention as they should.
Posted by: Danielle   2007-06-20 12:58  

#5  What is this, Pile on Zenster week? Hows about we lay off the personla snarks? It doesn't add anything to the conversation, just leads to flame wars.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2007-06-20 11:57  

#4  EEEEEYU ! Cold shower time.
Posted by: wxjames   2007-06-20 09:24  

#3  Funny how I can always know it is Zenster before I have scrolled down to the signature. If I was a woman I would want to have his babies.
Posted by: Excalibur   2007-06-20 09:07  

#2  Maybe the CIA has got to go ahead to distribute those dodgy detonators.

Happy bomb-building followees of terrorislam.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2007-06-20 03:00  

#1  It is obvious that the Ein al-Helweh camp is a tinderbox

So? Strike the effing match!

This arrangement has been a haven for criminals, who within the camps' confines, were immune from the country's rules, laws, police and oversight, but for the average Palestinian this has been hell as this turned them into second-class citizens.

My heart pumps piss.

The explosion that took place yesterday could repeat itself again.

Seems to be a commonplace problem wherever Palestinians are involved.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-06-20 01:50  

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