Lebanese ex-general accused of spying for Israel

[bemildred]

BEIRUT – A retired Lebanese general was arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel, a senior Lebanese security official said Tuesday.

The ex-general from the General Security Department of the Interior Ministry's detention is among several arrests in recent months that appear to be part of a stepped up campaign in Lebanon against those suspected of gathering information on Hezbollah militants for Israel.

The security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said the retired general told interrogators he had worked for Israel for more than 10 years and regularly met with his Israeli contacts at European destinations. He also allegedly used the business he owned, which managed foreign domestic workers, as a cover for intelligence work, the official said.

Israeli government officials would not comment on the allegations.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090414/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_lebanon_israel

[GoesTo11]

1. Death by torture, anyone?

What does Hizbollah law prescribe?

[Sezu]

2. Uh, pretty much whatever it wants? n/t

[bemildred]

3. Like Gitmo or Bagram or all those "renderings".

"Rendering" isn't really the image I want to think about anyway, makes me think of Uzbekistan and boiling people.

But anyway, I was mainly interested that this is the second of these in recent times. There was some car dealer not so far back too. And I was wondering if there is any connection to the Egyptian conniption about Hamas-Hezbollah-Iran and the Muganiyeh revenge project.

[bemildred]

4. Third Lebanese Arrested for Spying on Behalf of Israel

(IsraelNN.com) G. Alam, the nephew of a former high-ranking Lebanese general arrested over the weekend, has become the third person detained on suspicion of spying for Israel, according to Thursday reports in Arab media. According to the reports, security forces arrested the General Security Department Corporal, in the border town of Naqoura and then raided his home in the town of Rmeish in Bint Jbeil province, where his uncle Adib and Adib's wife Hayat had been arrested.

The London-based Arab daily al-Hayat said security forces seized a computer from G's house. The Beirut-based as-Safir daily said security forces are expected to make more arrests. Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Wednesday, "Preliminary information indicates he had been working as a spy for Israel for over 25 years and retired from his position in national security eight years ago," Qassem said. "His arrest was a major achievement," he noted.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/163619

[IndianaGreen]

5. And how is this different from Abbas taking CIA money?

Heck, even the late King Hussein of Jordan took money from CIA, as does the Egyptian tyrant Mubarak.

This is a tough call for me. The Palestinians are the Lebanese version of America's undocumented aliens, and just as unwelcomed. Spying for Israel on Lebanon is one thing, spying on Hizbollah seems to me to be a horse of a different colour.

Let's not wear rose colored glasses when it comes to Hizbollah and Hamas. They are not a modern version of Algeria and Vietnam's National Liberation Fronts. They are not nice people!