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Aug 28, 2008
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Sunni Islamists in Tripoli, Lebanon: We Had Military Course by Hizbullah and Syrian Instructors in Order to Fight Lebanese Government

#1861 | 03:35
Source: Al-Arabiya Network (Dubai/Saudi Arabia)

Following are excerpts from an Al-Arabiya TV report on Hizbullah training Sunni extremists in Lebanon, which aired on August 28, 2008:

Reporter: [Sunni Islamist] Seif Al-Din Al-Husami has revealed the following issue: Hizbullah is training Sunni fighters in its camps, and inciting them against the Future movement.

Lebanese Sunni Islamist leader Seif Al-Din Al-Husami: The reason for the training is that we in the Islamic Action Front decided to form a 1,000-strong force to confront any Israeli aggression within Lebanon. We wanted these fighters to be backed by the Sunni villages in South Lebanon. But we were surprised to find that Hizbullah was recruiting and arming our men in Tripoli, so that they would clash with the Future movement and the March 14 Coalition.

[...]

Sheik Hisham Manqara's former bodyguard: For three years, I was a bodyguard of Sheik Manqara [head of the Islamic Action Front]. I was recruited to undergo training because of the Israeli enemy. The course included members of the Arab Party, the Marada movement, and of all the sects. We were surprised that they wanted us to fight the "Jews of Lebanon" – Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora and Sa'd Al-Hariri.

[...]

Sheik Hisham Manqara's former driver: I was the driver of Sheik Hisham Manqara. Once, when I was in the car with him, driving him home, he said: "I want to send you on a military course." The first thing he asked me was whether I knew how to use a gun. I said: "Of course I do. I was in the Lebanese army." He said to me: "That's not real training. I want to send you on a military course, in the south, by Hizbullah." I told him I was ready to go. He told me to give him my driver's license and two photos. Later, I told Sheik Hisham all the things they were telling us. My instructor was Syrian.

Interviewer: Along with Hizbullah operatives?

Sheik Hisham Manqara's former driver: Yes. There was also someone called 'Ali from the city of Homs. 'Ali... I've forgotten his alias, but his name is 'Ali. He was referred to as Abu Suheib. He said to me: "The Future movement are all Americans and Jews. They all have blood on their hands. They are responsible for the blood of our martyrs."

I went to talk to Sheik Hisham and told him all this, and he said to me: "Everything they say is true." My brother is a member of the Future movement, and so is my brother-in-law, and my sister works for the Future movement... Are they all impure, while we are the pure ones? I told him this was unacceptable, but he said it was true. When he was talking to me, he looked different, he got angry. I asked him what was wrong, and he said that they are responsible for the blood of the Hizbullah martyrs. He said: "They are the ones fighting us, and helping the Americans and the Jews against us."

[...]

"Husam": My name is Husam – that is the name Hizbullah gave me. I am an Emir in the Islamic Action Front. I am the commander of about 20 people. During this course, which lasted for six days, one of the instructors said to me: "Allah willing, tomorrow, or in a month, we will be fighting side by side in North Lebanon." I asked myself: Who am I supposed to be fighting? Is Israel coming to the north? He said: "We will fight the Future movement, who are assisting Israel and the U.S.” My brother and cousins are in the Future movement. Am I supposed to kill them?

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