Issam Hobballah : Money Laundering! How is it spread in Lebanon?

                                                         May 18,2015

Money Laundering!

How is it spread in Lebanon?

Money Laundering is actually one of the most serious financial problems which are plaguing the International economy. It influences the political stage and affects the stability and security of nations over the world.

How is Lebanon dealing with this terrible threat to its financial security? Have we issued proper legislation in order to fight such illegal activities?

What is the leading role of the Central Bank of Lebanon? Where is the position of the Association of Lebanese banks?

In the course of this presentation, we will try to enlighten some sides of this thorny challenge and dispel, as much as possible, sources of fear and growing concerns.

Law no. 318, April 20 - 2011

Fighting Money Laundering

The Lebanese authorities proved a high level of awareness and vigilance against illicit transfers or suspicious deposits in bank accounts. Earlier than the Middle East’s states, Lebanon issued in 2001 the anti-Money Laundering Law, which defines this case in its Article 2 by the following clauses:

            Money Laundering is any act committed with the purpose of:

1-      Concealing the real source of illicit funds, or giving by any means, a false justification about the said source.

2-      Transferring or substituting funds known to be illegal, for the purpose of concealing or disguising their source, or helping a person involved in the offence to dodge responsibility.

3-      Acquiring or holding illicit funds, using or investing such funds in purchasing movable or immovable assets, or in carrying out financial operations, while being aware of the illicit nature of these funds.

A few years ago, waves of rumors from American sources had shocked the Lebanese public opinion as well as  the financial and political circles of the country. The U.S. Treasury Department had designated two Lebanese money exchange firms as a “primary money laundering concern”, alleging the groups may be laundering millions of dollars of narcotics profits and funding the money to armed organizations in Lebanon.

The Central Bank Governor’s Clarifications

     The Daily Star newspaper published on March 11, 2015 an article in which the Lebanese financial circles were pleased to listen to the Central Bank Governor, Riad Salemeh, dismissing allegations of money laundering activities in Lebanon as nothing more than psychological warfare against the banking sector. “I totally refuse these allegations. If anyone has information then the Lebanese Law allows him to provide this information to the Special Investigation Commission, which will conduct an investigation. Any violation of the Lebanese Law will be punished accordingly. These reports are part of psychological warfare against Lebanon because its banking and financial sectors are vital in Lebanese life”(Daily Star,2015,p.5)

       Riad Salemeh, added,“….coordination with Americans, Europeans and Arabs in the fight against money laundering and terrorist funding is continuing” (Daily Star,2015,p.5)

       For more precaution, banks in Lebanon are obligated by law to freeze or reject the account of any individual or group that is mentioned on the U.S. and European blacklists.

The Association of banks in Lebanon called on Parliament to ratify three draft laws to combat money laundering that the Cabinet already approved three years ago. Lebanon also created the SIC ten years ago to investigate any complaint of suspicious money laundering, terrorist funding and financial embezzlement. In 2013, the SIC said it had received 301 cases, 189 of which came from local sources and 112 from foreign sources. Out of the 301 cases, 255 were investigated, 17 saw banking secrecy lifted and 46 remain pending! (Daily Star,2015)

Finally in 2014, it was regrettable to be informed by spread news that more than 1000 federal agents raided in Los Angeles’ district and seized $90 million, most of it in bulk cash from the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities claim it was the biggest money seizure in U.S. history.

Rather than weird, it is really funny to be first suspected, than accused by a side which is the money laundering’s stadium number one in the world. The part of the joke is to see a great country drowning in its huge problems of money laundering, and appearing always as the guide of the world!

I would never mistake in comparing Lebanon with the U.S. which is the first superpower in the world, but I am fully confident that my country is blessed by having its brilliant and successful Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, the father of the Lebanese pound, and our national protector in front of malicious interferences in our financial markets.

Abdallah Fadel:Terrorism

Terrorism

In recent years, the world has witnessed a threat against global terrorism after the attack of 9/11. This threat surged a research to explain the definition and causes for terrorism in the field of homeland security and counterterrorism. In order to spot the causes of terrorism, one should first explain what terrorism is. The main definition of terrorism is an outrageous attack carried out by an individual, group or state against the human beings (religion, freedom, life, intellect, property and honor). Terrorism includes all forms of intimidation, harm and threat without a just cause so as to terrify and horrify people by hurting them or exposing their lives to danger.

This fact sheds light on two schools of thought to explain the phenomenon of modern terrorism which might be defined by the psychological-sociological school of thought and the political-rational school of thought. Both schools maintain that terrorism seeks to achieve political goals by installing fear and anxiety among the target populations.

The psychological-sociological school addresses the desired effect of terrorism, and its root causes rely primarily on social group dynamics and the psychological profile of the individual terrorist actors. In contrast, the political-rational school of thought views terrorism as a rational method of operation intended to promote various interests  and to attain concrete political goals.

Issam Hobballah:Modern Terrorism

Issam Hobballah                                                                     Monday May 4, 2015

Modern Terrorism

       The whole Middle East  has been living under chaos, massacres and ethnical conflicts for decades. What is going on? Why is our area the most unstable region in the world? Is it because the researchers have spotted the oilfields richness of the Saudi Arabian- Iranian- Iraqi triangle? Can we imagine the uprooting of the people of Palestine without resounding the repercussions of the Justice that shall be served ? Is it fair or reasonable to intermingle Resistance fighters with mercenary terrorists?

Nations over the world are actually tormented by many questions and still terrified by the disgusting and immoral conduct of terrorism against values, life and civilization.

Zionists invented Modern Terrorism

The European Jewish Zionist settlers invented what we have come to know as modern terrorism in the Middle East. “We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land occupation and the cutting of all social services to free the Galilee of its Arab population.” (Israel Koenig in “the Koenig Memorandum”)

Even a quick glance reveals a range of terrorist acts used by the Zionist militia groups in the first half of the 20^th century. Of course, in the scope of History, there are similar stories of atrocities and sufferings in other places and other times, and colonial situations seem to always have a level of what we call now, terrorist acts.

In 1946, one of the most criminal Jewish organizations, IRGUN, blew up the famous King David Hotel in Jerusalem killing hundreds of innocent people. The Zionists wanted to capture the world’s attention. Menahim Beguin, an eminent leader of IRGUN, who became later prime minister of Israel, described this tactic as turning Palestine into a glasshouse!!

Between 1946 and 1948, HAGANA, a fundamentalist organization of Jewish terrorists, destroyed completely over 500 Palestinian villages and demolished 350 churches and mosques. 80% of the Arab Palestinian population had been ethnically cleansed by HAGANA, which is the foundation stone of TSAHAL, the regular armed forces of Israel.

The UN had denounced the notorious massacre of Deir Yassine in 1948, as the massacre of Kafer Kassem in 1956, and the abominable attack of the Hebron mosque with automatic machine guns, mowing down 300 Muslims while they were worshiping God during their prayer time.

It is an undeniable fact that the state of Israel was founded by and is living off Terrorism.

The other side of the coin

Apparently, terrorism would seem complicated and top secret. The facts prove clearly that Islamic djihadists have nothing to do neither with fighters for freedom  nor with militants against colonialism or dictatorships. Who can tell the public opinion what the ideology of Boko Haram is ? Is Kidnapping 200 young girls and abusing them in the rainforests of Nigeria a commandment of God? Of Islam?

DAESH emerged from Iraqi underground and devastated Mesopotamia, the original cradle of civilization in human history. It killed Christians, Shia, Sunni, and rare minorities in the name of which faith?

Who cannot be shocked by this odious barbarity?

From the beginning of the Islamic power, from the birth of the Islamic empire, Muslims have always respected their religious imperative commitments towards Christians and Jewish populations. This is the reason of the fruitful and brilliant contribution of Christians and Jews in the Islamic civilization and in its radiance over many centuries. Definitely, Muslims have no right, absolutely no right, to demolish churches or crosses or synagogues. This is a basic principle in the Islamic faith.

Daesh, Boko Haram, Annousra, Al-Qaeda, are aggressing people, sects, cultures, states in the name of Islam, in order to draw a hateful and barbarian image of this monotheist religion. These savage and ruthless organizations are the last version of the international terrorism and mercenary. From Chechnya to Turkey, to Somalia, to Tora Bora, to Libya and Yemen, those armed mercenaries are an insult to the Islamic faith, and they are the secret weapon of the powerful CIA associated to the Israeli Mossad who intends to destabilize the Arab countries in order to reinforce the supremacy of Israel.

French, American, European writers have unveiled the plot of 9/11. They have detailed many sources proving the evidences that 9/11 was a Mossad operation.

Obviously, it was a pretext to invade Iraq and drown this glorious country in blood and horror.

The state of Israel has revealed and is still announcing that wounded fighters of Annousra are undergone in Israel hospitals (as allied to TSAHAL!)

It is now into the bright daylight: it is not anymore a rumor or a secret.

This is Annousra’s way to defend Islam, or maybe to liberate Palestine. It is truly beyond comprehension.

I have come to the conclusion that Terrorism is a deadly danger. As a Lebanese nation, we should take all kinds of measurements in order to protect our country against fanatism and radical ideologies. John Paul II had said: Lebanon is not only a country, it is a message to the whole world!! We haven’t got the spirit of this global vision because we are far, really far from the political maturity. It is time to move on and to act, instead of waiting to be dislocated by ferocious invaders.