Sheikh Bilal Shaaban unveiled that a plot is underway seeking sectarian mini-states adding that the STL wants everything except

Sheikh Bilal Shaaban to Al-Manar Website:
Rahi’s Concerns Legitimate… But Incomplete!

Spiritual Summit Confirms Positive Diversity
US Evil Administration Seeks Sedition, Chaos
Tribunal Seeks Everything except Truth
Int’l Institutions Should Have Tried Mr. Bush
Future Party Must Be Modest, Reconsider Path
Muslims Do Not Threaten Christians At All
Deleting the Other Policy Does Not Exist
Plot Seeking to Create Sectarian Mini-States

Secretary General of the Islamic Unification Movement Sheikh Bilal Shaaban declared that the spiritual Islamic-Christian summit, which was held in Dar al-Fatwa, was positive, given that any meeting between the nation’s constituents is positive. He noted that the summit affirmed the solidity of the diversity among the society’s various constituents, something that only changed when the British, French and American occupation entered the region.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar Website, Sheikh Shaaban said that all Lebanese want the truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri’s case as well as other assassinations. However, he stressed that this truth cannot be addressed by the international institutions. He expressed belief that the so-called Special Tribunal for Lebanon seeks to know everything, except the identity of Hariri’s killers.

While noting that the religious leaders are wise enough to have their own views without following any political project, Sheikh Shaaban wondered whether the Future party considers itself as the only constant whereas everything else is apt to change. He urged the mentioned party’s officials to be modest and reconsider their political choices, in light of the region’s developments.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Shaaban highlighted that the concerns recently expressed by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi were legitimate but incomplete. He explained that fears should not be limited to Christians, given that Muslims are targeted as well. He stressed that Muslims do not threaten Christians at all, and affirmed that the policy of deleting the other does not exist in the Muslims’ background.

HISTORIC AND EXCEPTIONAL SUMMIT
Secretary General of the Islamic Unification Movement Sheikh Bilal Shaaban started his interview with Al-Manar Website by hailing the spiritual Islamic-Christian summit, which was held in Dar al-Fatwa, united representatives of all Lebanese sects and was described as exceptional and historic. He said that any kind of meeting between the nation’s constituents was positive in general in the face of the plot of the Western occupation forces which are seeking to change our mode of life. He noted that there was never in the region a debate over minorities, majorities or conflicts between sects, as all sects were used to coexistence.

Sheikh Shaaban remarked that this coexistence was harmed once the British and French occupiers entered the region at the beginning of the previous century, followed by the US occupation which is working day and night to divide the region. He said the spiritual summit focused on the necessity to strengthen this positive diversity, which constitutes a necessity in such a critical stage in the history of the nation.

BETWEEN US EVIL ADMINISTRATION AND SEDITION
Answering a question about the reasons that prevented the spiritual leaders of discussing sensitive topics such as the international tribunal which used to be a red line for Dar al-Fatwa, Sheikh Shaaban said that the circumstances needed to enter such discussions were not available at the current time, as the region was threatened of sectarian conflicts planned by the US evil administration.

While noting that all Lebanese want the truth in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri’s case as well as other assassinations, he pointed out that such truth cannot be addressed by the international institutions which only caused disasters and catastrophes for the region. He pointed to the role played by these institutions in dividing Sudan into two parts, and legitimizing the war against Iraq which caused the murder of two million people until today.

Thus, Sheikh Shaaban highlighted that the international tribunal was seeking to know everything except the identity of Hariri’s killers. He said that this tribunal was seeking to create sedition and chaos among the brothers in religion and citizenship. He noted that in case the international institutions were eligible to find the truth, they should have tried US former President George Bush as well as current US President Barack Obama and European leaders for the crimes they’ve committed against the region.

FUTURE PARTY… SOME MODESTY!
Commenting on reports of a new stage in the policy of religious sanctities with the general situation, as Dar al-Fatwa and Bkirki were accused of launching a coup against their own principles, Sheikh Shaaban said that religious leaders are wise enough to have their own views without following any political project. Yet, he wondered whether the Future movement considers itself as the only remaining constant whereas everything else is apt to change. He noted that the government, for instance, has shifted from one position to completely another, and stressed that this does not mean it changed its principles. He also remarked that the Future movement is currently at one side, whereas the presidency, premiership, parliament at the other side. “Does this mean that all these references are mistaken and that the Future party is absolutely right?” he asked.

Sheikh Shaaban called the Future party for some modesty and to reconsider its positions. He recalled the misery witnessed by Lebanese throughout the previous five years. He noted that the government’s performance was satisfactory, adding that the citizens were awaiting the cabinet to fulfill its promises, especially at the economic level, after witnessing “unbalanced development” under the previous governments.

BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS
The Secretary General of the Islamic Unification Movement tackled the concerns recently expressed by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in which he showed worries over the Christian presence in the region from the extremists who would possibly reach power. He said that the patriarch’s concerns were legitimate, but incomplete. He explained that fears should not be limited to Christians, as Muslims were targeted as well.

Sheikh Shaaban said that he does not share with the patriarch the worries from the Muslims, given that, like Christians, Muslims are the victim of the occupation and the so-called New Middle East. He stressed that Muslims do not threaten Christians at all, and that partnership unites them. He noted that what happened in Iraq, for instance, was an American production, whereas what happened in occupied Palestine cannot be the cause of the Islamic movements. He assured that there was nothing called deleting the other in Islam, saying that whoever claims the opposite does not deeply understand Islam.

BETWEEN WEST AND PEOPLE’S WILL
To conclude, Sheikh Bilal Shaaban renewed that the variety witnessed in the region was a grace. He said that facing the schemes targeting the region need awareness, and highlighted that the majority of Lebanese, except the Future movement and the Lebanese Forces were aware of the necessity to confront the unjust plots. He warned that the Future movement and the Lebanese Forces were seeking to incite sedition among Lebanese.

Sheikh Shaaban also cautioned that the region was targeted by a Western plot seeking to create sectarian mini-states. He noted that these mini-states represent a Western will. However, he said that the people’s will is partnership. “This is the will which will triumph at the end,” he asserted.