http://www.washtimes.com/world/20021204-29720774.htm
From article:
"By Allah, if they touch Al Aqsa we will act everywhere around the world," Sheik Nasrallah told an estimated 10,000 gun-toting, bearded fighters in southern Lebanon on Friday. Several hundred "suicide commandos" also took part.
Where's the CIA drone where you need it?!? It is interesting that the leader of Hezbollah basically admitted that the Muslims in Jerusalem have freedom of religion and can worship at Al-Aqsa mosque. I find that downright fascinating that he would admit to that.
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Hezbollah calls for global attacks
By Paul Martin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
December 4, 2002
LONDON — The leader of the Lebanese Muslim group Hezbollah is urging a global suicide bombing campaign, increasing the prospect that the regional conflict between Arabs and Israelis will expand to mimic or even merge with al Qaeda's war against the West.
Two recent speeches by the Lebanon-based Hezbollah leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, have raised the specter of attacks outside the region by a powerful and well-organized military force — a force that successfully pushed the Israeli army out of southern Lebanon two years ago.
"By Allah, if they touch Al Aqsa we will act everywhere around the world," Sheik Nasrallah told an estimated 10,000 gun-toting, bearded fighters in southern Lebanon on Friday. Several hundred "suicide commandos" also took part.
Al Aqsa refers to a sacred Muslim site in Jerusalem that, although under Israeli military control, is in practice administered by Palestinian Muslim authorities.
The site, holy to both Jews and Muslims, is a flash point for tension and outbreaks of violence.
Taken alone, Sheik Nasrallah's remarks might be interpreted as no more than a warning to Israel not to alter the status quo.
But earlier in the week, at a rally in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, Sheik Nasrallah issued a far more ominous threat.
"Martyrdom operations — suicide bombings — should be exported outside Palestine," he said.
"I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it," he added.
Both speeches were broadcast by a Hezbollah-owned TV station in Lebanon.
Two recent speeches by the Lebanon-based Hezbollah leader, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, have raised the specter of attacks outside the region by a powerful and well-organized military force — a force that successfully pushed the Israeli army out of southern Lebanon two years ago.
"By Allah, if they touch Al Aqsa we will act everywhere around the world," Sheik Nasrallah told an estimated 10,000 gun-toting, bearded fighters in southern Lebanon on Friday. Several hundred "suicide commandos" also took part.
Al Aqsa refers to a sacred Muslim site in Jerusalem that, although under Israeli military control, is in practice administered by Palestinian Muslim authorities.
The site, holy to both Jews and Muslims, is a flash point for tension and outbreaks of violence.
Taken alone, Sheik Nasrallah's remarks might be interpreted as no more than a warning to Israel not to alter the status quo.
But earlier in the week, at a rally in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, Sheik Nasrallah issued a far more ominous threat.
"Martyrdom operations — suicide bombings — should be exported outside Palestine," he said.
"I encourage Palestinians to take suicide bombings worldwide. Don't be shy about it," he added.
Hezbollah enjoys strong financial backing from its mentor Iran, and has been permitted and encouraged to operate, within certain confines, by Syria, which controls Lebanon.
Its military prowess has been seen as a model by Palestinian leaders, who had hoped that by initiating a second uprising against Israel in September 2000, they too could force a similar withdrawal by Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza.
Hezbollah would never openly declare an alliance or relationship with al Qaeda, according to analysts, because that would embarrass Syria.
Syria is actively being courted by the United States because of Syria's longtime animosity toward its neighbor Iraq...
In some ways a tacit alliance between the two is surprising, in that al Qaeda along with Hamas and Islamic Jihad are strong adherents of Sunni Islam, while Hezbollah's followers are Shi'ites.
The two branches of Islam reflect a schism that occurred in one generation after the founder Muhammad.
However, the branches' common hatred of the West appears to have muted social and doctrinal differences. Hezbollah has close Sunni allies in two key Lebanese cities, Tripoli and Sidon.
Imad Mughnieh, the Hezbollah official who masterminded the attacks against the U.S. Marine barracks, French Marines and the U.S. Embassy in 1983, fled to Iran. Intelligence sources report he met with al Qaeda operatives in the late 1990s.
Of concern for anti-terror agencies is the stronghold Hezbollah has established in Canada, which is seen as a springboard for future actions and influence inside the United States...
The group has been using Canada as a source of money, forged documents, stolen cars, recruits and military-use equipment, the Post reported Saturday, citing unnamed police and intelligence officials.
One of Sheik Nasrallah's top men, Ayub Fawzi, 38, operated from Canada for several years. He was on the list of 22 wanted terrorists published by the United States after the September 11 attacks.
At some point, he moved back to the Palestinian territories and was captured by Israeli security forces in June