Your Excellency Mr. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan,



To carry on the pretense that Syria is a country dedicated to peace, Syria's Foreign Ministry protests the Israel Air Force raid against a terror base in Syria. To better understand the raid of the IAF against a terrorist training camp in the suburbs of Damascus, it is imperative to understand the dynamics of terror that Syria uses to destabilize the U.S. role in Iraq, to disrupt every peace attempt between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, through a terror series of bombing campaigns against innocent civilians in Israel.



The security map of Lebanon, once a peaceful country and called the Switzerland of the Middle East, has been transformed by Syria to a country known for harboring terrorists:



Terrorism in Lebanon



Hezbollah & PFLP-GC

Hezbollah, (a terror organization on the list of the US State Department) is controlling large parts of the country, mainly the regions of Baalbek, Hermel, Bint-Jbeil, Tyre, Nabatyeh and Marjeyoun. It also controls some parts of the central and western Bekaa, the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the US hostages were hidden in the eighties, and some small enclaves in eastern Beirut and the jurd of Jbeil.



Hezbollah headquarters are located in Beirut, a major Hezbollah stronghold. Hezbollah, from Beirut, coordinates terrorism in the West Bank in Israel with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and a bombing campaign in Iraq in coordination with Iranian intelligence agents, to prevent the stabilization of the country. Meetings are constantly held between Ousama Hamdane, the Hamas representative in Beirut, Ziad Nakhal, representing Islamic Jihad, and Hajj Hassan Khalil and Imad Mughnieh, who represent the Hezbollah terrorist intelligence structure. Mughnieh, on the FBI most wanted list is traveling constantly to Iran via Damascus to provide the latest terror instructions from Teheran for implementation in Israel and in Iraq.



Hezbollah can mobilize up to 10,000 men in time of crisis and is supported financially by Iran, which pays about 4 to 5 million dollars a month. Iran supplies weaponry, ammunition, technical support, paramilitary training, ideological and religious training, and political and intelligence support.



Hizbollah intelligence is deployed in all parts of Lebanon, including the Christian areas, under the cover of commercial establishments and other companies. For example, bakeries, restaurants, building and construction companies are all used as cover for their operations. Hezbollah's principal mission is to monitor the Christian areas and to collect information about the people, their leaders and so on. They monitor the US Embassy and other Western diplomatic missions for intelligence information and activities. The ex-security zone in South Lebanon, evacuated by Israel under the pressure of former US President Clinton, is now totally under Hezbollah terrorist control. Hezbollah has permanently deployed there 2,000 men, with significant weaponry: 6,000 to 10,000 improved long-range Katyusha missiles with tube launchers, anti-aircraft missiles of the "Strella" type, anti-aircraft guns of different calibers, 130mm guns, 120mm and 80mm mortars, electronic warfare equipment, anti-tank missiles, of the "Sagger" type, improved and with some of them wireless.



This ex-security zone is now called, in Lebanese terminology, Hezbollahland and it is being used today as a terror card by Syria and Iran to pressure and torpedo every US Peace initiative in the Middle East.



The overall Syrian strategy in terrorism is parallel to the Iranian approach in terrorism, which is to do everything in its power to destabilize the ground in Israel and in Iraq.



Information from Hezbollah circles report a plan of increasingly spectacular terrorist operations in Iraq before the US elections by the group, with the help of Iranian intelligence agents (refer to the Beirut bombing, which inflicted 243 U.S. Marines casualties in one operation). They intend to apply maximum political pressure on the Bush Administration before the elections, in order to anger the US public and prevent the re-election of President Bush. By bringing down Bush in the next election, they hope that the US will lose the momentum of the war in Iraq and Islamic terrorism will regain lost ground in Iraq by causing political problems for the US. Syria and Iran, through proxies, will be executing this scenario, at a time when France and other countries will play the political game against the US presence in Iraq.



In Hezbollahland, it is imperative for you to understand that other organizations operate in close coordination with The "Party of God [Hizbollah]." The first one is the PFLP-GC (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command) of Ahmad Jibril. Jibril is totally obedient to Syria and gives technical assistance to the Hezbollah for Katyusha rockets, anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft missiles. The PFLP-GC is deploying a full battalion of guerrillas (around 300 men) in South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa (Syrian Army-controlled). Another battalion of PFLP-GC is deployed in a stronghold in the town of Naameh near Damour, mainly an underground base perfectly protected against air strikes or heavy bombing. It has a very strong base at "Koussaya " (east of the city of Zahleh ), which is a training base, an ammunitions stock with around 500 men (one battalion). Under instructions from Syria and Iran, the PFLP-GC is responsible for the ongoing weapons smuggling traffic between Lebanon and the Palestinian territory.



The other organization is the militia of the SNSP (Syrian National Socialist Party), operating in the area of Marjeyoun and totally controlled by Syria. This militia and political party was widely used by Syria for recruiting suicide operations and assassination missions in Lebanon and overseas. It takes its orders directly from the Syrian intelligence headquarter in Damascus. It coordinates and distributes tasks with Hezbollah in order to control the ground in Lebanon and Southern Lebanon; however, it is unlike Hezbollah, which reports to Iran. The SNSP coordinates and reports to Syria directly. This militia assassinated former President Bashir Gemayel, attempted and failed in the assassination of former Lebanese Army Commander Michel Aoun in Cyprus, and organized a series of bombings in Europe and the US against Jewish designated targets. The strong man of this militia is imposed by Syria as a current minister in today's government in Lebanon. He is the one who masterminded and executed most of the bombings, car bombings, and assassination operations in Lebanon, for the interests of Syria.



Hezbollah has six major training bases in the Bekka valley and in South Lebanon. They are mostly under the supervision and protection of the Syrian army in Lebanon. No activities could be run without the approval, knowledge and support of the Syrian army and its intelligence apparatus. The trainees are volunteers and fanatics from various fundamentalist groups, from Hezbollah to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and others. Volunteers are later smuggled into Iraq, with the others in Lebanon waiting to confront the Israeli military, should the time come.



In the Bekaa Valley, the location of the bases are:



1. Ain Bourday base (South of Baalbek): training camp for general guerilla warfare.

2. Nabi Sheet base: training camp for general guerilla warfare.

3. Baalbek Homs Road base: general guerilla warfare.

4. Wadi Firsan base (in the Hermel, Bekaa Valley): Main activities taught at this base are guerilla warfare, survival warfare, long range patrols, observation techniques, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapon techniques and so on. Missiles and chemical weaponry smuggled before the war from Iraq to Syria is believed to be buried and hidden around this base in the Bekaa Valley.

5. Wadi al-Yammouneh base: This terrorist base is located between the Bekaa Valley and the upper mountains of Jbeil. Activities are guerilla warfare, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons training, and other terrorist skills.

6. Nabeh el-Assi base (el-Assi River; Hermel, Bekaa Valley): This base is a covert base disguised as a fishing farm. The main activities in this base are marine and underwater guerilla warfare techniques, demolition techniques, and general training for close combat and weapons techniques and skills.



These bases are used to train Palestinians from the PIJ (Palestinian Islamic Jihad) and Hamas. The trainees are mainly Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians and Jordanians; most instructors are Iranians, members of the Iranian intelligence, Palestinians (from the PFLP-GC) and Lebanese (from Hezbollah). All these bases are in the Syrian army-controlled area.



Al-Jama?a al-Islamiya:

This group is the extension of the Egyptian Islamic integrist organization al-Jama?a al-Islamiya. This organization has large influence in northern Lebanon (Akkar, Dennyeh and Tripoli), in some areas in Beirut and in Shebaa in southern Lebanon. The Jama?a is not well organized, but it does have many links with Arab extremists and with Bin Laden?s al-Qaeda. It has links with the PIJ and Hamas and some small Islamic groups in Palestinian camps in North and South Lebanon. The Syrian Army protects and monitors this group.



Al-Tawhid al-Islami:

This organization was founded by Sheikh Sa?id Sha?aban, who died three years ago. It is now headed by his son, Ussama Sha?aban. The Tawhid initially had many minor wars with the Alawite minority of Tripoli, who was backed by the Syrian army. During the ?80s hundreds of dead were counted among both sides and finally the Syrian army sweeped out the Tawhid and arrested all its leaders, including Sa?id Sha?aban. After a while those leaders were released bit by bit and now the Tawhid is totally obedient to Syria. It receives 250 million Lebanese pounds (150,000 US dollars) per month from Hezbollah to finance its activities, which are concentrated in many mosques in Tripoli. The Tawhid can mobilize up to 600 men in Tripoli and has no activities outside the city. The Syrian army monitors and protects this group.



The Palestinian Military Camps:

A. Rachidyeh camp (Tyre, South Lebanon): The Fatah command in Lebanon (General Sultan Abulainin) is located in this camp. The camp is controlled by 90% Fatah and 10% PFLP (former Habash and former Abu Ali Mustafa) and DFLP (Hawatmeh, obedient to Syria). In this camp, elements of Hamas and PIJ (Islamic Jihad) are rare and there is no presence of PFLP-GC.



B. El-Bass Camp (South Lebanon): Same figures as apply in the Rachidyeh camp.



C. Burj al-Sham camp (Tyre, South Lebanon): It is the largest Palestinian camp in Lebanon, with 75,000 people, and the strongest such camp, with important logistics facilities for the Fatah. Fatah has 3,500 men in this camp. Their commander is Colonel Mounir al-Makdah. Fatah controls the camp with 90% of its members and Abu Mahjen controls about 10%. Abu Mahjen, who integrates various terror groups, is leader of the so-called Isbat al-Ansar, linked to Ussama Bin Laden and the Lebanese organization al-Jama?a al-Islamiya and to Egyptian terror groups. Abu Mahjen has 300 men under his command. A few of Bin Laden?s lieutenants, running away from Afghanistan, found safe haven and took refuge in this camp.



D. Myeh W?myeh camp (Sa?ida, South Lebanon): Controlled by Fatah, without a significant military presence.



E. Burj al-Baranjeh camp (Beirut): This camp is a strong one. It is a mixture of Palestinian tribes, mainly from Gaza, who decided in 1948 not to go to Egypt, but to Lebanon. In this camp are located large Palestinian families, such as al-Miliji and Abu Ainan. The terrorist structure of this camp is controlled 55% by Fatah, 15% by PFLP, 10% DFLP, and the rest is mainly PFLP-GC (300 men), strongly backed by the Syrian army.



F. The famous Sabra and Shatilla camps (Beirut): As Lebanese lawyer Chibli Mallat has described it, these two camps harbor only innocent civilians. The military faction of Fatah, however, has around 500 men and controls around 40% of them and the PFLP-GC of Ahmed Jibril controls the other 50%, also about 500 men.



G. Mar Elias camp (Beirut): No presence of Fatah military wing. 350 men control this camp, distributed among followers of the PFLP-GC, PFLP, DFLP, Hamas and PIJ ( Islamic Jihad).



H. Wavel camp (Baalbek): It is a weak camp. Fatah controls only 10% of it. The Syrians control and support 90% of it through the PFLP-GC, the Palestinian military organization al-Saika, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas and PIJ.



I. Nahr el-Bared and el-Beddawi camps (Northern Lebanon): Fatah controls only 40% of these two camps, PFLP-GC controls 25% and PIJ controls about 15%. These two camps are a strategic reserve for all organizations in terms of weaponry and ammunition. Syrian intelligence has a heavy presence within them.



As of today, going through this difficult time after Israel retreated from Lebanon, how long could the free world and the United Nation witness Syria's gradual support for terrorism in Lebanon and keep the matter silent? Thank you for understanding the causes that pushed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to warn Syria in this fashion, as Syria's seat as a permanent member of the United Nation is the biggest slap in the face of this body and that of the free world.



This bloody regime that spilled the blood of thousands of innocents, that practiced terrorism against the US for three decades, should disappear in the same fashion Saddam Hussein?s regime disappeared, for the better stability and security of the world. Identifying the core of the problem in the Middle East is a must in order to find the adequate solution for that problem. By ignoring Syria's terrorism, you're exposing the geopolitical Middle Eastern region to an uncertain future, full of terror.



There is an answer Mr. Secretary General: Syria should stop its terrorism and get out of Lebanon.



Indeed, the military solution will be the only choice left to stop the incentives from Syria that inflame Iraq and Israel with terrorism, in order to foil the US role in stabilizing the region. Lebanon cannot stand forever as a sacrificial lamb for Syria's dirty business in the Middle East.



Where do you stand on this issue Mr Secretary General?



The double standard of France and its allies in Europe will not escape the wrath and blackmail of those rogue nations in the Middle East, should the US be defeated there. With a nuclear Iran emerging, where is the Middle East heading in a few years? Lebanon today is a small example of what a bigger Middle East could be in few years from now, should the US fail in its role in Iraq, thanks to Syria?s and Iran?s contribution and the United Nations? imbalanced stand on the matter.



Defeating this Syrian-Iranian axis of evil will be the turning point in winning the war against terrorism and will place us on the way to achieving victory, by stabilizing the world. We hope the United Nations in the future will support the US role in Iraq instead of criticizing it, as it did regarding President Bush's and Prime Minister Blair's political decision to fight the war. As no one directly feels the heat in the United States from a war that is taking place overseas, our prayers go to the families of those victims falling in the line of duty every day to secure a stable US and a better world, free of terrorism. Without these heroes falling in the street of Baghdad every day, the world would have been in a far uglier reality. The solution to the problem of Iraqi terrorism is in Syria and Iran, not in Iraq.



Thank you for your attention, as we are bracing for a dangerous and crucial moment in the fight against terrorism.