Jihad al-Binaa asks: `Is it terrorism to help people rebuild their homes?`

Source: AFP, 26-2-2007
SRIFA: For Hajj Hussein Lahham, whose house was destroyed by "Israeli" bombardment last summer, the Jihad al-Binaa Construction Company has been a blessing, giving him money and help to build anew. But to the United States government, this charitable group affiliated with Hizbullah is part of a terrorist group, and has been blacklisted.
"Jihad al-Binaa`s workers are completing the reconstruction of my house, which was leveled by `Israeli` planes," Lahham said.
"The members of Jihad al-Binaa are working day and night in Southern Lebanon to help people get back on their feet," he added, standing in front of the worksite in Srifa, where 37 people were killed and 250 homes were destroyed during the 34-day war with "Israel".
Lahham said Jihad al-Binaa ("Struggle for Rebuilding") gave him $10,000 to rent accommodation while his home and first-floor tailor`s shop could be rebuilt.
On Tuesday, the US government blacklisted the company, saying it was controlled by Hizbullah and funded by Iran.
Stuart Levey, the Treasury`s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, claimed Hizbullah runs Jihad al-Binaa "for its own construction needs as well as to attract popular support through the provision of civilian construction services.
"We will take action against all facets of this deadly terror group," he said in a statement.
Under a presidential order, the Treasury froze any US assets held by Jihad al-Binaa and forbade Americans from doing business with it.
But Abu Mahmoud, operations director of Jihad al-Binaa, disputes the "terrorist" moniker.
"Is it terrorism to help people rebuild their homes, destroyed by American-made `Israeli` bombs in the course of a war sponsored by the United States?" he asked.
A company engineer named Abbas, who declined to give his last name, pointed out that the Jihad al-Binaa was created amid the destruction caused during the 1982 "Israeli" invasion of Lebanon.