Shiia Hezbollah and Sunni Salafists forging an unlikely alliance?
Posted by W. Thomas Smith Jr. on 17 August 2008 at 8:25 pm UTC
Lebanon’s Shiia Hezbollah and Sunni Salafi extremists may be nearing an agreement of mutual respect and coordination, which could be signed-and-sealed over the next 24-to-48 hours.
(Incidentally, the terrorist network Al Qaeda was born of Salafism. So when you think of Salafi extremism, think Al Qaeda and all of its affiliates.)
Though almost nothing about this has been reported in the Western press, human intelligence and open sources are indicating the agreement could be signed in Beirut as early as Monday when Hezbollah leaders and Salafists are scheduled to meet.
According to our sources, despite the age-old Shiia-Sunni religious opposition – as well as recent bloodshed between the two radical Islamist organizations – “Hezbollah and Salafi leaders have been negotiating a sort of memorandum of understanding for some time.”
One of the catalysts for such an agreement is based on intelligence suggesting “the Iranians have flooded the Salafists in Lebanon with money in order to undermine moderate Sunnis – even Shiias – who are attempting to move toward democracy in Lebanon; building ties with Lebanese Christians and Druze.”
Sources say both extremist groups are issuing statements, primarily in the Arab media, such as, “Muslims should not fight Muslims,” but should instead bring all forces to bear “against the West which is trying to divide us.”
More to come.
— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. online at uswriter.com.
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