Saudis secretly funneled weapons to anti-Hizbullah forces
Source: WorldNetDaily, 11-05-2008
'JERUSALEM' (AL-QUDS) - With U.S. approval, Saudi Arabia in recent months provided weaponry to militias associated with (US backed government) Lebanese leaders to bolster them against the Hizbullah (occupation-resistance) organization, informed security officials told WND.
The information follows five days of heavy street clashes pitting (pro-US backed government) gunmen against Hizbullah forces in and around Beirut that has reportedly left 54 dead and much of the country paralyzed.
It also follows a public dispute the past few months between Syria and U.S.-backed Saudi Arabia, both seemingly vying for more control in several Mideast arenas.
The Saudi weapons were provided to militias associated with Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, Parliament Leader Saad Hariri, and former president Amin Gemayel, according to security officials.
The weapons mostly consisted of assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades, and combat equipment such as military boot, tents and night-vision goggles, the officials said.
The weapons may have been put to use during urban warfare battles yesterday between Hizbullah and Jumblatt followers in the town of Aley, east of Beirut. At least two people were killed and four wounded in those clashes.
Informed security officials say the Saudi weapons were used by US backed militias battling national forces since Hizbullah started the violence last week after the Lebanese government decided to dismantle and take legal action against Hizbullah's communications network amid accusations the terror group set up a system to monitor the travels of US backed Lebanese figures.
The Lebanese Army has largely stayed out of the clashes, which have been fought mostly with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The fighting paralyzed most of Lebanon, shut down the country's international airport, confined the pro-Western Lebanese government to their secured compounds and violently closed media outlets controlled by the Hariri family.
The Lebanese army yesterday reversed two cabinet resolutions that would have seen Hizbullah's communications network dismantled and would have removed the chief of Beirut Airport's security, Major General Wafik Shokeir. The resolutions were used by the national opposition as a direct threat necessitating direct action.
Prime Minister Siniora announced yesterday he was putting the two issues into the hands of the army, which said in a statement it was keeping Shukeir at his post and that it would handle the Hizbullah communications network in a way "that would not harm public interest and the security of the resistance."
'JERUSALEM' (AL-QUDS) - With U.S. approval, Saudi Arabia in recent months provided weaponry to militias associated with (US backed government) Lebanese leaders to bolster them against the Hizbullah (occupation-resistance) organization, informed security officials told WND.
The information follows five days of heavy street clashes pitting (pro-US backed government) gunmen against Hizbullah forces in and around Beirut that has reportedly left 54 dead and much of the country paralyzed.
It also follows a public dispute the past few months between Syria and U.S.-backed Saudi Arabia, both seemingly vying for more control in several Mideast arenas.
The Saudi weapons were provided to militias associated with Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, Parliament Leader Saad Hariri, and former president Amin Gemayel, according to security officials.
The weapons mostly consisted of assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades, and combat equipment such as military boot, tents and night-vision goggles, the officials said.
The weapons may have been put to use during urban warfare battles yesterday between Hizbullah and Jumblatt followers in the town of Aley, east of Beirut. At least two people were killed and four wounded in those clashes.
Informed security officials say the Saudi weapons were used by US backed militias battling national forces since Hizbullah started the violence last week after the Lebanese government decided to dismantle and take legal action against Hizbullah's communications network amid accusations the terror group set up a system to monitor the travels of US backed Lebanese figures.
The Lebanese Army has largely stayed out of the clashes, which have been fought mostly with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The fighting paralyzed most of Lebanon, shut down the country's international airport, confined the pro-Western Lebanese government to their secured compounds and violently closed media outlets controlled by the Hariri family.
The Lebanese army yesterday reversed two cabinet resolutions that would have seen Hizbullah's communications network dismantled and would have removed the chief of Beirut Airport's security, Major General Wafik Shokeir. The resolutions were used by the national opposition as a direct threat necessitating direct action.
Prime Minister Siniora announced yesterday he was putting the two issues into the hands of the army, which said in a statement it was keeping Shukeir at his post and that it would handle the Hizbullah communications network in a way "that would not harm public interest and the security of the resistance."
