2010-04-29
Nasrallah: Egypt's jail sentence shows hardships faced by members seeking to help Palestinians.
BEIRUT - Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed to seek a "diplomatic and political way out" after an Egyptian court's conviction of 26 men for plotting attacks in Egypt on behalf of his Lebanese group, a charge which he denies and says was politically motivated.
The vow echoed similar comments made a day earlier by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
"From day one, we have said -- and I personally have said -- that these men are honorable brothers, fighters of the resistance, and not outlaws, terrorists and criminals, as the court verdict says," Nasrallah said.
"We will continue to use all political and diplomatic means to deal with this issue, give our brothers what is fair and ensure they do not remain in prison," he added.
Nasrallah said Wednesday's jailings as a "badge of honor."
"The verdicts are a badge of honor for these noble brothers of the resistance," Nasrallah said in an interview to be broadcast on Thursday by Kuwaiti television channel Al-Rai.
Nasrallah said the men had aimed to help the Palestinians and had no issue against Egypt.
"It is a source of pride to us for all Arab and Islamic peoples to know that we are detained and jailed for... standing by our brothers in Palestine and Gaza," Nasrallah said, according to a transcript of the interview released by his office.
A Cairo court on Wednesday handed down jail sentences against 26 defendants it convicted of working for a Hezbollah cell and plotting attacks against ships in the Suez Canal, among other charges.
The defendants, most of whom were detained between late 2008 and January 2009, said in a hand-written letter that they never planned attacks in Egypt.
They said they had tried to help Hamas in Gaza during Israel's devastating December 2008-January 2009 offensive against the besieged Palestinian territory.
Nasrallah admitted after the arrests were publicized that he sent a senior commander, Mohammed Yusef Mansur, alias Sami Shihab, to Egypt to support Palestinians in Gaza.
But judge Adel Abdul Salam Gomaa rejected the defense case, sending the 22 defendants who were in the dock to jail.
Four of the defendants remain at large, including the alleged Lebanese head of the cell, Mohammed Qabalan. Life sentences were handed down against three of them.
The trial reignited a war of words between Egypt, Hezbollah and Iran.
Egypt, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Iran, accuses Tehran of backing the plot.
Iran and Hezbollah say Egypt contrived the case against the men.
Hezbollah is a vocal supporter of Hamas, which is very popular among many Egyptians.
It accused Cairo of complicity in the Israeli blockade on Gaza and such accusations add to the Egyptian President's unpopularity in his own country.
Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38694.
Nasrallah: Egypt's jail sentence shows hardships faced by members seeking to help Palestinians.
BEIRUT - Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed to seek a "diplomatic and political way out" after an Egyptian court's conviction of 26 men for plotting attacks in Egypt on behalf of his Lebanese group, a charge which he denies and says was politically motivated.
The vow echoed similar comments made a day earlier by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
"From day one, we have said -- and I personally have said -- that these men are honorable brothers, fighters of the resistance, and not outlaws, terrorists and criminals, as the court verdict says," Nasrallah said.
"We will continue to use all political and diplomatic means to deal with this issue, give our brothers what is fair and ensure they do not remain in prison," he added.
Nasrallah said Wednesday's jailings as a "badge of honor."
"The verdicts are a badge of honor for these noble brothers of the resistance," Nasrallah said in an interview to be broadcast on Thursday by Kuwaiti television channel Al-Rai.
Nasrallah said the men had aimed to help the Palestinians and had no issue against Egypt.
"It is a source of pride to us for all Arab and Islamic peoples to know that we are detained and jailed for... standing by our brothers in Palestine and Gaza," Nasrallah said, according to a transcript of the interview released by his office.
A Cairo court on Wednesday handed down jail sentences against 26 defendants it convicted of working for a Hezbollah cell and plotting attacks against ships in the Suez Canal, among other charges.
The defendants, most of whom were detained between late 2008 and January 2009, said in a hand-written letter that they never planned attacks in Egypt.
They said they had tried to help Hamas in Gaza during Israel's devastating December 2008-January 2009 offensive against the besieged Palestinian territory.
Nasrallah admitted after the arrests were publicized that he sent a senior commander, Mohammed Yusef Mansur, alias Sami Shihab, to Egypt to support Palestinians in Gaza.
But judge Adel Abdul Salam Gomaa rejected the defense case, sending the 22 defendants who were in the dock to jail.
Four of the defendants remain at large, including the alleged Lebanese head of the cell, Mohammed Qabalan. Life sentences were handed down against three of them.
The trial reignited a war of words between Egypt, Hezbollah and Iran.
Egypt, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Iran, accuses Tehran of backing the plot.
Iran and Hezbollah say Egypt contrived the case against the men.
Hezbollah is a vocal supporter of Hamas, which is very popular among many Egyptians.
It accused Cairo of complicity in the Israeli blockade on Gaza and such accusations add to the Egyptian President's unpopularity in his own country.
Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=38694.
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