Al-Qa`idah in Lebanon (and the Sunni-Shi`ite conflict). I, of course, would never circulate or promote any link coming from an Israeli propaganda outlet, like MEMRI or the Washington Institute, even if I may read them in my private time (knowing thy enemy). But the other day, MEMRI promoted an appearance by a Shi`ite Iraqi person, who holds no political title to speak of, perhaps because they liked his political message. Don't get me wrong. The person in question (Iyad Jamal Ad-Din) is one of the very best and most effective polemicists on Arab TV, although his appearances are not frequent. But he also is the most anti-Sunni sectarian polemicist, just as Abu Qatadah and Zarqawi are sectarian anti-Shi`ites. There is a group of demagogues in the Arab media who are inciting Sunni-Shi`ite conflicts and tensions. This Jamal Ad-Din for example made references to his enemies as "the sons of Umayyah", as if he is holding present-day Sunnis responsible for the murder of Husayn--and yet he claims that he is secular, while donning the turban. Mish`an Al-Jabburi (a former Saddam's man turned advocate of democracy) is the guy on the other hand who blames developments in Iraq on a Shi`ite (Safavid, he calls it, perhaps not knowing that the Safavid dynasty is long gone) conspiracy and he has become a favorite of the Arab media that cater to the larger Arab nationalist public opinion (like Al-Jazeera), and he never misses an opportunity to promote his sectarian Sunni agenda. All those sectarian flames are of course fanned by the likes of Zarqawi and Qa`idah kooks. But yesterday, I was astonished to hear the Lebanese Sunni cleric, Mahir Hammud, claim on Al-Mustaqbal TV that Zarqawi and Qa`idah do not target Shi`ites qua Shi`ites but that they merely target Shi`ites who cooperate with the occupation. What about the car bombs used by those groups? Do car bombs distinguish among crowds on the basis of political affiliation? What about car bombs outside of Shi`ite mosques? But this Mahir Hammud seems to not have heard of it. This is surprising because Mahir Hammud has very good ties with Shi`ite clergy in Lebanon, or did in the past at least. On another matter, I was interviewed by Reuters the other day on the matter of Al-Qa`idah in Lebanon. It will never be a mass movement anywhere, of course, but the organization will be making inroads and basis in the new Lebanon. They will exploit the acute sectarian tensions, and the chaos in that country. I already heard of their presence when I was in Lebanon in June-July. Some of them even penetrate some religious and social organizations that receive money from Sa`d Hariri and Najib Miqati. I was told that in the houses of the Diniyyah group, there are pictures of Bin Ladin AND Miqati.