Al-Asir Warns of Escalatory Measures in 'Intifada' over Non-State Arms
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Imam of Sidon's Bilal bin Rabah mosque Salafist cleric Ahmed al-Asir warned on Thursday that he would take escalatory measures as part of his open-ended strike if the issue of non-state arms were not resolved.
In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5), al-Asir said: “Our sit-in in Sidon is peaceful and civilized. It includes women, children and elderly.”
“We can no longer tolerate the spread of arms in the presence of the state,” he stressed, saying that his protest does not threaten the month-long security plan launched by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel.
In remarks to MTV he dubbed his protest an Intifada or Uprising.
Hundreds of the mosque preacher’s supporters blocked the northern and southern entrances to the southern city of Sidon on Wednesday night by lying down on the road.
Around 50 protestors resumed their protest on Thursday morning by erecting tents near Abou Bahaeddine Hariri mosque at Sidon’s northern entrance.
Mufti ofSidon and the South Sheikh Salim Sousan asked al-Asir in vain to hold the sit-in elsewhere and open the road for traffic.
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel also tasked Governor of the South Nicolas Abu Daher and the commander of the southern region Brig. Gen. Tareq Abdullah to do the same.
In his remarks to VDL, al-Asir denied that he received the political backing of the city’s officials.
“The decision to hold the sit-in came under my request,” he stressed. “Political personalities haven’t contacted me.”
“It is also untrue that contacts are underway to disperse the sit-in,” al-Asir told VDL, warning that if officials do not take effective measures to resolve the problem of non-state arms, starting with Hizbullah’s arsenal, then he would take escalatory measures.
The Salafist preacher accuses Hizbullah and AMAL movement of taking over the political decision-making of the state.
“If they continue to dominate the political decision-making through controlling the army, the dignity of the Sunni sect and the state institutions, things will never be set straight,” he was quoted as saying on Tuesday.
28 June 2012, 16:09
04
Just because of his beard he is Wrong... people like you are so arrogant. what he says sound just right!!!
28 June 2012, 09:37
411
It is a sad day to have to say it takes an extremist to face another extremist but there you have it turban against turban so to speak. When will Lebanese Shi'a and Sunnis realize that religion, even amongst coreligionest, does nothing but device people. Spiritual beliefs should be left up to each individual's choice and should never dictate civic doctrines.
Another sad truth is that the one thing Christian and Moslem clerics ALWAYS agree on is to keep their meddling in our lives and maintain the sectarian laws of Lebanon that keep them in power.
Separate Mosque/Church and State now before it is too late.
28 June 2012, 13:46
07
Salafist are preceived as having extreme view and may well be I don't know much about them but hey, as long as it is a peaceful fight as it said it in the article above I have no problem with it. I am all for being extreme for removing a non state arms and armed militia under any name. Thank you.
28 June 2012, 21:54
01
As long as I can sip an almaza (regular... not the 7alal one) on the corniche in Tyre or Saida I have no issue with Salafists, jihadists and other wacos. The question is, how do you fight intolerence?
28 June 2012, 13:50
12
What benefits Saudi Arabia gets for calls to resolve a non Lebanese state arms. Apparently you are not for resolving this issue or are you?
28 June 2012, 10:17
13
I agree with Lebnanfirst. It would take Sunni Fundamentalists to confront Shiia Fundamentalists. As a result of alienating the Moderate Future Movements from politics, the Sunnis have felt that no one is protecting their interests except for the ones with loud voices and those who are willing to confront Hezbollah and those who support Syria's Regime. Mixing politics and religion is very poisonous. It would surely lead to hatred and bigotry. The Moderates on both sides will eventually become more radicalized. Tough luck in stopping them once they confront each other.
Only a new Liberal and Secular constitution will save the Lebanese from themselves. Religious figures should be banned from interfering in politics because all they do is corrupt politics and religion.
28 June 2012, 10:57
14
Extremism breeds extremism. This Salafist led movement will strengthen Hezbollah instead of weakening it.
Sunni leaders should immediately stop Al Aseer before those shias who were drifting away from Hezbollah's grip are forced by sectarian fears to hide under its protection.
This purely sectarian sit in plays well into the hands of the Syrian Regime and could be easily transformed by its agents into a blood bath that would lead to a major deflagration.
28 June 2012, 11:28
14
That's all Lebanon needs at the moment more threats,it's not enough we have our lunatic friend Lance Corpral Michel Aoun, with his weekly diatribes, that consist nothing but empty rhetorics.It is time our so called leaders pull there heads in and start showing some laedership.
28 June 2012, 12:00
34
agree with you on this one.
however you should agree that same should apply to others like extremist shia clerics and others.
28 June 2012, 12:35
33
This guy, even though he should be locked up for ever, is very smart. HE knows that he is worth nothing and represents nobody, but he also knows that if he puts himself on a collision track with the security forces the number of disillusioned supporters will surge. HE will look like the victim and he will say see what the hizbullah controlled security forces are doing to the sunnis! Such people are poison to society!
28 June 2012, 12:38
21
cannot wait anymore for the moment extremisme will confront each other
and let the sttrongest win ou khalssouna ba2a
28 June 2012, 12:52
44
who is this monkey, we have this in Lebanon ? i though this was in kandahar Afghanistan......... lol
28 June 2012, 14:09
03
the steady fall of hariri in the sunni arena.this proves that farsi help his devil brother the salafi.
28 June 2012, 15:17
03
It seems that in Lebanon only extremists can control the State. This is worrying. I must however share some of this cleric's views, the Hezbollahi arsenal cannot remain. This impunity some criminals enjoy is more than worrying, it's disgusting. I'm glad they blocked the roads without burning tires, it isn't as bad as the Dahye boys. The question is, how would you fight for your rights if the state doesn't give a damn? Sheikh Asir's men should block Sidon's roads on Friday night and saturday , when the shi'ites are all going to Nabatiyyeh and Tyre (former sunni city colonized by Iran), and teach them a lesson.
28 June 2012, 15:50
10
benzona - what is the alternative to Hezbollah? They at least use their weapons to defend the border; something the Lebanese army cannot do!!!!
28 June 2012, 16:29
32
"Sheikh Asir's men should block Sidon's roads on Friday night and saturday , when the shi'ites are all going to Nabatiyyeh and Tyre (former sunni city colonized by Iran), and teach them a lesson."
Loot at you! Looks like you're thirsting for a fight :)
You really think the people driving to the south would be on the receiving end of that lesson? :)
28 June 2012, 16:43
06
Well, they need to feel the BS they give us everyday on the airport road. They ruin the commuters life, let's ruin their weekends in a peaceful way! The army is totally corrupt, can't rely on it any more.
28 June 2012, 18:26
00
Benzona, could you tell me more about tyre? When was is it a sunni city and when did it become shiite? How did it become shiite? Did the muslims convert to shiaism or were they simply kicked out to make room for the shiites? It does seem to make sence considering its location and also considering that there are more sunnis from sour that live outside of it than in it.
28 June 2012, 19:20
34
You seem to be clueless about Lebanon. 50 years ago Tyre was predominantly Sunni... Just like many areas of western Beirut were Christian and are now 90% Shia. The wars, the displaced and the Persian money did the rest.
28 June 2012, 20:00
00
, im not clueless, i know more about lebanon than most other lebanese when it comes to saida and upwards. South of saida i dont know as much of as it has always been like a diffirent country as long as i can remember, that is why i asked you about the clarification.
28 June 2012, 15:40
12
Look at this guy with his bandaged head and that beard, he looks like some creature out of the 7th Century. This is supposed to be the 21st Century. Why are clerics engaged in such things as this?? There is a serious default in the exercise of power by the Lebanese government. As power abhors a vacuum, I would imagine that these guys are being sucked in to fill the vacuum. Salafists!! Hezbolli!!! Where are the suits and clean shaven types to run this country??
28 June 2012, 15:40
21
Look at this guy with his bandaged head and that beard, he looks like some creature out of the 7th Century. This is supposed to be the 21st Century. Why are clerics engaged in such things as this?? There is a serious default in the exercise of power by the Lebanese government. As power abhors a vacuum, I would imagine that these guys are being sucked in to fill the vacuum. Salafists!! Hezbolli!!! Where are the suits and clean shaven types to run this country??
28 June 2012, 20:05
02
Well, this is a sign....a sign that confessionalism has reached its threshold. Perhaps, a laïc state could be the solution, leaving the khamenei, al Rahi and other clerics deal with their holy places and shrines. However, whe you look at France for instance, I don't think their system is working it should... Still,it's better than Iran or KSA.
28 June 2012, 15:58
10
WTF! I actually thought Lebanon was a modern country with modernised and civilised people. I can't believe in Lebanon you can find heads like this who actually have followers. It has got to be the end of the road for Lebanon. If this monkey can get air time on TV and block major roads in Lebanon then to hell with Lebanon and its security forces. People like this should be locked up not given air time! WTF!! Like to see monkey's like this walking the streets of Australia. They would get stoned.
28 June 2012, 16:15
11
Their misguidance and radical ideas towards Muslims:
- Wahhabis accuse hundreds of millions of Muslims with shirk
- They oppose all Sunni scholars and breach the unanimous agreement of Muslims Ijma^
- They say reciting Quran for the dead Muslims is dalal misguidance
- They claim that imitating the four schools of Ahlus-Sunnah (taqleed) is shirk
- They claim that majority of Muslims today are blasphemers
- They claim that visiting the graves of the Muslims is shirk
- They claim that Islam perished between Ibn Taimiah till Ibn Abdul-Wahhab
- They claim that all Asharies and Maturidis (Majority of Ahlus-Sunnah) are kuffar
28 June 2012, 16:15
11
They claim that all Islamic Sufism is shirk and must be eradicated
- They claim that our master Adam is not a Prophet!
- They accuse our lady Eve with all the sins of mankind
- They follow Ibn Taymiah and claim that Hellfire will end when Allah said in Qur'an that it stays forever
- They defend the philosophy of Ibn Taymiah who says that this world is eternal
- They claim that triple divorce is not valid
- They ban women from driving a car
- They ban women from going on the internet alone
- They ban women from visiting the grave of the dead Muslims
28 June 2012, 16:22
03
Extremism is wrong no matter what religion it is,starting with christianity and I am christian.
28 June 2012, 18:08
14
the M8 supporters don t have the right to criticize this man as long as they support its shiite twin iranman ... it s the same kind of extremist as nasrallah.. if you allow one you have to allow another: it s called logic!
28 June 2012, 18:44
04
In a democracy a man cannot be condemned for his looks or religions beliefs, I am against salafists and for the separation of state and religion but this man should be left alone to peacefully demonstrate and practice his freedom of speech as long as he doesn't break any laws
28 June 2012, 22:12
02
he makes sense more than people of Hizballa, who say, we keep the arms and no lebanese has the right to do so.
29 June 2012, 00:20
01
lebanon has become duwailat with competintg warlords and respective supporting clerics. I never believed in federalism, but now i blieve each sould carve a tinu principality for his own people and Khallina nartah. By the way, Lord Jesus accused clerics of being marble tombs, all shiny outside, and rotten inside. He said they are the blind leading the blind. All our religions are tolerant: La Ikrah fi eldddin, and thou shall not kill? Why dont Lebanon's leaders: secular and religious, observe that? They claim to be people of God, but are selective when it comes to religious observance of the Holy Books. We should weep at our misfortune with such leaders. Aibeshshoum. Tfou alikum as you have sold your souls to money and to power. U R strangers to God and decency.
29 June 2012, 02:04
20
This guy is crazy,
The weapons are reserved fot the Liberation of the South.
29 June 2012, 04:41
10
I don't tolerate this speaking mop. Go back to Saudi Arabia! You are not welcomed in Lebanon!
29 June 2012, 18:13
00
Hilarious. Yet another terrorist arises! Poor Lebanon, you should kick all these wankers out and continue building your amazing city! Don't let the bloody Israelis or the other bloody Arabs around you influence you. Just shut people like Hezbollah and like this guy up, allow civil marriage, give gay right and be the country in which moves the Middle East forward!
