Israeli daily Haaretz revealed on Monday that Israel informed the United Nations that it will continue its spying activities in Southern Lebanon after the United Nations has asked the Zionist entity for clarifications on “listening devices” that were uncovered near the village of Hula in southern Lebanon last week. The request was made following an official Lebanese petition to the UN.

According to Haaretz, Israel neither denied nor confirmed that it had placed intelligence-gathering equipment in the area, but informed the UN that “collecting intelligence” in southern Lebanon, in reference to spying, will continue “as long as the government in Beirut is not in full control of its territory.”

Last Wednesday, a tripartite meeting was held at the UNIFIL base near the Rosh Hanikra border crossing between representatives of Israel, Lebanon and the UN regarding recent tensions in the area. Lebanon claimed, according to foreign press reports, that it had uncovered monitoring devices planted by Israel on its soil.

The UN peacekeeping force was represented by the force commander, Major General Claudio Graziano, while Lebanon was represented by the commander of the Lebanese Army’s liaison unit and Israel was represented by the head of the Strategic Branch in the Planning Department at the General Staff, Brigadier Yossi Hayman.

Haaretz quoted a western diplomat as saying that one of the main issues discussed during the meeting was the exposure of the listening devices. The UNIFIL commander and the Lebanese officer asked for details on the listening equipment. The UN officers said that the equipment appeared to have been put in place during the 2006 July War against Lebanon, but the Lebanese officer insisted that the equipment appeared to be more up-to-date. “It seems that something new was put in place recently,” the Lebanese representative argued.

The western diplomat said that Hayman did not deny that the equipment was Israeli listening devices, and did not respond directly to the questions asked by his interlocutors. However, he did stress that Israel will make use of its intelligence gathering capabilities so long as Hezbollah pose what he called a threat. “Israel will continue to use all means necessary to defend its citizens,” Hayman was quoted as claiming.

He said that the exposure of the listening devices should be evaluated “in the broadest sense” and in light of the situation in southern Lebanon. “In view of all this we do not consider this instance as an Israeli violation of Resolution 1701,” Hayman went on to claim.

In the third month of war, the Shia of Saada take over two important military bases in northern Yemen while the Yemeni army was forced to retreat.

Al-Houthi soldiers took over the bases Shawabah Barakan and Bayn al-Hiyaf in the Razukh district of Saada. Shawabah is located on the highest peak of the city al-Nazir where tens of thousands of Yemenis and thousands of people who have become homeless due to the war live. The Bayn al-Hiyaf base is located in the lowest part of the city which is considered a safe place in Saada.

The Al-Houthi movement announced that it took many weapons from these bases and that the mission could not have been successful without the cooperation of the citizens of Yemen.

Clashes between Bahraini police and Shia youths are continuing on a daily basis despite a ruling acquitting 19 youth activists of murder.

“There are clashes almost every night in the villages,” Nader Al-Salatna, Vice President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, told The Media Line. “Youths start marching, asking for jobs with a living wage, or calling for detained activists to be freed, the government tries to stop it and this leads to clashes.”

The news comes after 19 young men accused of murdering a Pakistani policeman in the Shia village of Karzakan last year were acquitted of the crime by a Bahraini court less than two weeks ago.

The government accused the men of murdering the 24-year-old police officer, Majid Asghar Baksh, by throwing Molotov cocktails at unmarked police vehicles.

The 15-lawyer defense team argued the government’s case was based on confessions obtained using torture and a medical examiner determined the officer to have died as the result of a fall, not from a Molotov cocktail.

“Most of the youth here support more democratic rights,” said Al-Salatna. “After one and a half years of being tortured in jail they were freed without any charges.”

The court found the government to lack sufficient evidence and released all the detainees, but the trial led to a national political drama and to clashes between Bahraini police and primarily Shia youths throughout the country.

Lebanon’s most influential Shia cleric, Sayed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, appears on BBC Arabic television’s flagship interview programme Fil Sameem (To the Point) on Monday 26 October 2009.

Lebanon’s most influential Shia cleric, Sayed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, appears on BBC Arabic television’s flagship interview programme Fil Sameem (To the Point) on Monday 26 October 2009.

In the Programme, the BBC’s Hasan Muawad, queries the imam about the most pertinent issues of Shia-Sunni relations across the Middle East. Hasan Muawad finds out whether there is a common denominator between issues facing Shias in Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen and asks the cleric’s view on the claims of Shia proselytizing in the region.

Fil Sameem also explores Mohamed Hussein Fadlallah’s stance on the system under which Iran is ruled – known as Velayat-e Faqih, or ‘Rule by the Supreme Jurist’ (currently Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) – as well as the importance of maintaining a dialogue between Shias and Sunnis.

Fil Sameen is a hard-hitting, one-to-one interview news programme, in which the host, Hasan Muawad, talks to the personalities behind the stories that make the news – from international political leaders to entertainers; from corporate decision-makers to ordinary individuals facing life’s challenges.

On 20 October 2009 the Saudi General Investigation Directorate (al-Mabaheth al-`Amma) of al-Ahsa arrested the Shia citizens Mohammad al-Hattab , 18 years , student , and Ali Hussain al-Qurainy 27 years , employee from Bani Maan village of Al-Ahsa.

The citizens were arrested on accusations that they participated in the celebration of Imam Al-Mahdi Day of Remembrance which Shi’a celebrated last August .

The Saudi Intelligence Department called the two citizens and upon their presence before the department were immediately put in prison.

They were sentenced a period of one week based on orders from Al-Hasa governor ( Badr bin Muhammad bin Jalawi ).

It is worth to mention that on 5 August 2009 the Saudi security forces were sent to Shi’a areas and removed all sorts of celebration and festival decorations meant for Imam Al-Mahdi Day of Remembrance.

Security authorities had instructed custodians and supervisors in the village of Bani Maan to remove all sorts of fixtures and road decorations meant for Imam Al-Mahdi Day of Remembrance otherwise they will be imprisoned.

Mohammad al-Hattab and Ali Hussain al-Qurainy are in these conditions, deprived of their liberty in an arbitrary manner. Their current detention is contrary to both the Saudi laws and relevant international standards set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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Hangu: 1 Momin Mazhar Ali embraced shahadat.

He was kidnapped 10 days ago.
Pakistan says it will help the Tehran government locate and arrest the masterminds behind a deadly terrorist attack that killed scores of people in southeastern Iran.

In remarks published on Wednesday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced that an Iranian delegation will soon arrive in Islamabad for talks on the matter.

“We will help them and support them in unearthing the people responsible …We will sort this thing out on a government-to-government basis,” Reuters quoted Qureshi as saying.

He said terrorism was a regional problem and Iran and Pakistan should join forces in rooting out extremism and radicalism.

“What we are asking is that we [sic.] as neighbors, as friends, as brotherly friendly countries, have to adopt a cooperative regional approach to deal with this menace,” he continued. “Pakistan is suffering, Pakistan is a victim of terrorism.”

At least 42 people, including senior commanders from the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Nour-Ali Shoushtari and Rajab-Ali Mohammadzadeh, were killed in a Sunday morning bombing during a gathering of Shia and Sunni tribal leaders in the borderline region of Pishin.

The Pakistan-based Jundallah terrorist group, which is closely affiliated with the notorious al-Qaeda organization, has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast.

Led by Abdulmalek Rigi, Jundallah terrorists have staged a tidal wave of bombings and terrorist attacks in Iran, one of which left at least 25 Iranians dead in early June.

The Asia Times reported in May, that al-Qaeda militants had sought to establish an alliance with the exiled Jundallah to fulfill longstanding plans of creating a strategic corridor in the region and lay the foundation for joint regional operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

Abdulhamid Rigi, the apprehended brother of the Jundallah point-man, told Press TV in a recent interview that Abdulmalek had held several “confidential” meetings with FBI and CIA agents in Karachi and Islamabad.

He added that during one of the meetings, two female US agents had offered weapons, safe bases in Afghanistan and professional trainers and had attempted to recruit volunteers.

Abdulhamid’s remarks comes two years after The Sunday Telegraph declared Jundallah to be a CIA brainchild engineered to achieve the Bush-era goal of “regime change in Iran.”
His beheaded body was found in Shahu Khel village.

Namaz-e-Janaza was held at 7pm yesterday.

Houthi Shia soldiers in north Yemen on Wednesday said control of a number of key government positions in Razeh district of Saada province, a Yemeni news website reported.

The Houthis said they had taken full control of Bisbas, a government military position in Razeh district during the fighting, the report said.

The Shias also seized a strategic military base and a government military checkpoint in the region after hours of heavy clashes.

“These positions were full of military equipment, and we still control them along with an airport we seized yesterday,” the report quoted a spokesman for the Shias Mohamed Abdul-Salam as saying, without giving further details.

The Houthi said on Tuesday they had seized control of an airport in Razeh region bordering Saudi Arabia.

The international campaign for the release of lawmakers stated Tuesday that there are still 25 Palestinian MPs in Zionist occupation authority jails, most of them are affiliated with Hamas.

The international campaign for the release of lawmakers stated Tuesday that there are still 25 Palestinian MPs in Zionist occupation authority jails, most of them are affiliated with Hamas.

It noted that five of the lawmakers did not stand trial and most of them completed their sentences, but the Zionist occupation authority refused to release them and extended their administrative detention.

One of those imprisoned Hamas lawmakers, Hatem Kufaisheh, said in a letter leaked from Israeli jails that the Palestine liberation organization (PLO) deliberately discriminates between Palestinian prisoners.

Kufaisheh added that this discrimination is an insult to the sacrifices of Palestinian prisoners and reflects the state of political division in the Palestinian arena.

He explained that the PLO deprived 55 percent of the Palestinian prisoners, who do not belong to the PLO factions, of 45 percent of their financial allocations, unlike its prisoners who receive their allowances in full.

Beirut- Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite movement, claimed Monday that it had discovered and thwarted an Israeli spy surveillance network in southern Lebanon.

The claim refers to three electronic underground censors seemingly planted during the 2006 incursion by Israeli troops, and which monitored communications in Lebanon.

All three devices were subsequently destroyed after being discovered. A security source in southern Lebanon, who requested anonymity, said two of three devices were detonated remotely by the Israeli army, whilst a third was blown up by the Lebanese army on Sunday morning.

In a statement Hezbollah said it has achieved a ‘major accomplishment’ after its members ‘uncovered and thwarted an Israeli enemy aggression.’

Hezbollah said its group ‘managed to uncover a spy device planted by Israel between Houla and Mais el-Jabal that had been installed prior to the July 2006 war.’ It said the device was booby-trapped.

According to a security source in southern Lebanon, the devices were used for surveillance of communications by Hezbollah.

A United Nations Interim Forces (UNIFIL) statement said preliminary indications showed that these blasts were caused by ‘explosive charges contained in unattended underground sensors’ which were placed in that area by Israeli forces ‘apparently during the 2006 war.’

‘UNIFIL immediately launched an investigation to ascertain all the facts and circumstances relating to the presence of these devices and to establish how the explosions were triggered,’ the statement added.

Israel waged on July 12, 2006 a 33-day war against Lebanon, during which 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 mainly Israel soldiers, were killed.

Saudi Arabia issued a ban on building of mosques, cemeteries and religious houses for Shia residing outside the Qatif, Al-Hassa and Najran where dense Shia citizens reside.

Sources informed Rasid that Eastern Province Governance issued a «Secret and Very Urgent» memo that contain clear sectarian instructions against Shia.

The memo outlines instructions for enforcing a ban on building Ismaili mosques outside Najran and religious houses and cemeteries outside Qatif and Al-Hassa.

The memo, which Rasid received a copy of it, is signed by Deputy Prince of Eastern Province, Jalawi bin ABdulaziz, and refers to direct orders from Interior Minister, Naif bin Abdulaziz.

The memo is addressed to the governors of Qatif, Al-Hassa, Jubail, Khobar, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura in addition to Chiefs of Police and Intelligence services. It mandates full compliance to Interior Minister instructions of enforcing a ban on using court yards as mosques and requesting extreme vigilance.

Analysts think that the memo which focuses on Ismaili Shia came late as arbitrary instructions are already in action since long.

It should be noted here that authorities refuse to issue permits for building Shia mosques outside Shia dense areas like Qatif, Al-Hasa and Najran.

Authorities refuses also to provide any justification for permit issuance refusal.

On the contrast, Saudi authorities build big and spacious Sunni mosques in the heart of Shia dense areas in Al-Hassa, Qatif, Najran and Madinah. These mosques used by small groups of expatriates and Shia citizens are not allowed to use them.

Closure of the Seventh Shia Mosque

Sources informed Rasid that Saudi authorities closed on Sunday an Ismaili Shia mosques in the Saudi Kuwaiti border city of Khafgi without giving any reason for the closure.

Seven Shia mosques were closed so far in Dammam, Khobar and Khafgi out of which three were closed within the past two months.

Sectarian Banishment
Sources informed Rasid that Saudi authorities started a campaign to remove high ranked officers from the Shia «Yam» tribe from security services.

Thousands of Ismaili who original come from Najran spread all over Saudi and many of them occupy major and important security positions in the State.

Some Analysts linked the recent banishment to the ongoing tension between Yemni Government and Huthies supporters on South borders of Saudi Arabia.

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has called on Islamic countries to make joint efforts to stop followers of Wahhabism from depicting a wrong image of Islam.

The leaders of Islamic countries should team up in their efforts to hold various conferences and gatherings or even invite Saudi Arabian officials in order to help stop such wrong teachings by followers of Wahhabism, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said in Qom on Wednesday.

He pointed to the recent terrorist attack in south eastern Iran, saying the killing of Muslims in Islamic countries has had two important consequences: it has created insecurity in those countries and it has portrayed a distorted image of Islam.

On Sunday, a terrorist attack killed over 40 people, including five senior commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The terrorist group Jundullah, also known as the Rigi group because it is led by Abdul-Malek Rigi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which was carried out in the city of Pishin, near the border with Pakistan.

The Ayatollah said as long as such incidents take place, Islam’s enemies can easily misrepresent Islam.

He added that Iran is ready to provide advice in order to help resolve such problems and exterminate the terrorists who are damaging the real image of Islam.

Lucknow: The Shia Muslim Personal Law Board in Lucknow has made it mandatory for all Muslim marriages to be solemnized in local mosques irrespective of their financial status.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, which is preparing to announce its national policy on October 25 in national capital.

Maulana Mirz Mohaommad Athar, a Muslim cleric and Shia scholar, welcomed this move, and said: “The marriages or the Nikkah (the contract between a bride and bridegroom) should be solemnised in the big mosques which is owned by the Muslim community. Not in the marriage halls or the banquets as neither the family of the girl or the boy gains out of it,”

Echoing similar sentiments was Maulana Khalid Rasheed, Principal of Darul-Quaza-Wal-Ifta, who said that this tradition has been continuing from the time of Hazrat Muhammad.

“As per the Islamic Shariat (Islamic law) performing of nikkah is auspicious if performed in a Masjid and this tradition has been continuing from the time of Hazrat Muhammad,” Rasheed said.

The move also aims to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

A blast was heard at the Islamic University in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday, TV stations and a police official said, but there were no immediate details of a cause or casualties.

Two bomb blasts tore through a university in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Tuesday, with at least nine people reported injured as paramedics ferried casualties to hospitals, police said.

Police official Mohammad Afzal from the emergency response department said, “We have sent a team to the site. We are collecting information about casualties,” the policeman said.

Pakistan’s state PTV reported that nine people were wounded as private television channels broadcast footage of paramedics stretchering out two casualties with blood stains seeping through their clothes.

Yemeni Information Minister Hassan al-Lawzi says the army is close to quashing the movement by Houthi fighters north of the country.

Yemeni Information Minister Hassan al-Lawzi says the army is close to ending Houthis movement in the north.

“The armed forces are taking calculated moves, and a final end to these confrontations will come soon,” the state-run Saba news agency quoted Lawzi as saying on Tuesday.

His remarks come 10 weeks after the Operation Scorched Earth started on August 11 to crush Shia forces in Saada province and its surrounding areas, triggering fierce clashes which have left hundreds of people killed and wounded.

Yemen’s state media are reporting tight siege of anti-government groups, adding the armed forces have cut off their lines of supply.

Earlier, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi said the government was ready to hold conditional talks with Shia fighters in the north, but reiterated Sana’a’s refusal to negotiate with those who hold ‘separatist’ demands.

Houthis took arms against the Sana’a rule, accusing the dominantly Sunni government of neglect and discrimination against Yemen’s Shia minority, which accounts for almost 30 percent of the country’s population.

Al-Mazraq refugee camp, near the northwestern Yemeni province of Saada, is the only UN relief center for the displaced Yemenis.

Some 150,000 people have been displaced or affected by the conflict since 2004, more than one-third of whom have fled since the army’s latest offensive against the Shia fighters in the northern Saada province.

According to UN officials, tens of thousands of the displaced are still living in Saada, mostly in abandoned buildings, in the mountains and on roadsides in the war zone.

Lack of food, water and other basic necessities are plaguing those in Mazraq camp in Hajjah, the only UN camp for the displaced Yemenis, as widespread malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition have become major concerns.

The Sana’a government has also been facing massive protests in the south, where people are calling for a return to their formerly independent South Yemen prior to the unification of the north and the south in 1990.

Yemen, the ancestral homeland of Osama bin Laden, is also believed to host al-Qaeda militants around its borders while the waters off the Gulf of Aden nation remain a hotbed of relentless piracy.

The court jailed six others for 15 years in one of a series of trials of members of the movement in Northern provinces by Zaidi Shi’ite Muslims known as Houthis after their religious and clan leaders.

The trials are of men captured during a month-long fight at Bani Husheish only 30 km (19 miles) north of the capital Sanaa last year. Two others were sentenced to death last week.

Upon sentencing the men shouted the Houthi slogan “Allah is great, death to America, death to Israel, curse the Zionism, victory to Islam.”

They were found guilty of belonging to a so-called “terrorist organization,” the first time Yemeni courts have accused Houthis on a charge usually reserved for al Qaeda militants.

The Zaidis first took up arms against the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2004, citing political, economic and religious marginalization by the Saudi- and Western-backed government.

But the conflict intensified in August when the army unleashed Operation Scorched Earth. Aid groups, who have been given limited access to the Northern provinces, say up to 150,000 people have fled their homes since 2004.

Saleh, who also faces a separatist movement in the south, said last week the army would crush the uprising “within days.” Top Wahhabi – anti Shia – State and oil exporter Saudi Arabia fears the rise of Shia in Yemen.

Saudi forces on Monday fired into a northern border town in support of the Yemeni army’s operations.

Both the government and Houthis reported heavy fighting on Monday and Tuesday at Razeh near the Saudi border.