Syria's intelligence may have assassinated Hezbollah's Mughniye, Wikileaks
BEIRUT, By Antonin GREGOIRE | iloubnan.info - April 27, 2011 http://www.iloubnan.info/politics/actualite/id/60667/titre/Syria%27s-intelli gence-may-have-assassinated-Hezbollah%27s-Mughniye A diplomatic cable from 2008 revealed by WikiLeaks explores the different theories about Hezbollah's Imad Mughniye's assassination in Damascus. Nearly everyone in Lebanese intelligence, political and diplomatic circles, as well as those in foreign powers circles, believes that the Syrian Intelligence apparatus played a great role in Mughniye's assassination. This information provided below is not a scoop; however, it can highlight the very difficult position of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, if his allies suddenly decide to stop supporting his double game. In a diplomatic cable obtained by WikiLeaks and initially published by Al Akhbar website, the US embassy lists the suspicions surrounding Moughniye's assassination and explores the possible implication of the Syrian regime. "While most regional finger pointing is directed at Israel, with the U.S. coming a close second, several local political and intelligence sources believe the Syrian regime had good reasons to rid itself of Mughnieh," reads the cable. The theories running among lebanese intelligence circles are diverse. US diplomats also pointed out the "crocodile tears" of the March 14 colaition's public condemnation; namely, Prime Minister Saad Hariri in his statement following the assassination. "Hariri also hinted at a Syrian role when he noted that Mughnieh was killed in Damascus, near an Iranian school, and in an area controlled by Syrian intelligence. " The theory that Moughniye could have been assassinated with the help of Syria is not new. Moughniye 's widow herself accused Syria of having played a role in her husband's death: "The Syrian traitors assisted in my husband's murder," said the wife, her words being reported by Alborz, a pro-Iranian government source. The theory hints an influence struggle inside Hezbollah between those willing to ally more with Iran and those defending to keep the Syrian security apparatus as a protector. In the US embassy cable however, a new theory appears, pointing out that the Syrian regime wanted to send a message to Hezbollah. "Minister of the Interior Hassan Sabaa (.) undecided as to the identity of the perpetrator, commented it could be Syria wanting to send a message to Hezbollah or to the U.S., or it could even be the result of a split within Hezbollah." The message could be a gift to the US or a reminder that US should give priority to Syria over Lebanese Presidential elections "Mid-level officials from Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) told embassy officials they believe Syrian forces affiliated with President Bashar al-Assad may be responsible for the assassination in an effort to force a compromise on the ongoing political impasse, by lessening pressure on Syria. Other WikiLeaks cables reveal strong rivalries between Syrian security services: the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) and the Syrian Military Intelligence (SMI), blaming each other for the "security breach" that resulted in Mughniye's death. These rivalries are coupled with Bashar al Assad rivalry with his brother in law, Assef Shawkat. Shawkat who is the head of SMI and who was known to work closely with Mughniye. GID is headed by one of Assad's men and Assad wanted to make Syria less dependent of its alliance with Iran and move towards opening relations with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the US. The cable also reveals that members of the Lebanese opposition were also sceptical about Mughniye's assassination. "Aoun-bloc MP Ghassan Mokheiber noted privately to embassy officials that it was bizarre that Mughnieh was killed after stepping out of a Syrian intelligence office (.) Mokheiber commented that the days ahead would probably reveal the nature of a possible "deal" made." In another cable revealing a conversation between US officials and Abdel Aziz Khoja, former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, the latter stresses that no Syrian official was present for Mughnieh's funerals while the Iranian foreign minister made the trip "to calm down Hezbollah and keep it from taking actions against Syria." The cable also reveals that it took almost a year after Mughniye's assassination to normalize relations between Iran and Syria. Al Assad has always taken pride of his anti-Israeli position. Nonetheless, during Assad's 10 year rule, Syria has not fired a single shot against the Israeli army; yet, Syrian security forces have left 400 Syrian citizens dead in their violent crackdown against peaceful protestors. If rumours about Mughnieh's killing are true, it would mean that the Syrian regime has killed more Hezbollah resistance members than it has killed "Zionist" soldiers. Until now, Assad has been backed by March 8 forces in Lebanon and by Iran, but this alliance is not insured for life. All of Assad's supporters have left enough room to change their position ultimately. Their supports goes for "Syrian stability," but Assad could quickly become the one responsible for the chaos if the Syrian revolution keeps up. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [email protected]. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [email protected] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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