Fatah al-Islam”s Abssi to Lebanese Army: “You Will Not Live Safely”

Fatah al-Islam”s fugitive leader lashed out in an audio tape at the head of Lebanon”s army, vowing his fighters would hunt down the followers of Gen. Michel Suleiman whom he accused of destroying the Palestinian refugee

camp of Nahr al-Bared as part of a deal to become president.

 

The 57-minute tape that was posted on a militant website Monday was the first purported message from Shaker Youssef al-Abssi after fighting broke out between the militants and the Lebanese military at Nahr al-Bared in northern Lebanon in May. The battle ended in early September, and he remains at large.

 

The al-Qaida-inspired group”s leader accused Suleiman of only waging the battle at the camp for political purposes, including appeasing the United States.

 

“America”s intervention forced a deal. They told the commander, “If you want the presidency, then you must present the head of Nahr al-Bared,”” he said, meaning Suleiman was pressured to destroy the camp.

 

The more than three-month siege at the camp destroyed large parts of the shantytown. The government has said about 220 militants and 168 Lebanese soldiers were killed, while Palestinian officials have said 47 Palestinian civilians died.

 

“This was only the beginning … By God you will not live safely,” Abssi said. “The mill of war has started to grind … between the infidels and the believers.”

 

The tape, which appeared on a website commonly used by Islamic militants, could not be independently verified, but if authenticated it would be the first evidence that Abssi survived the Nahr al-Bared battles.

 

At the time, it was thought that Abssi was killed along with 31 fellow terrorists in a major showdown with the army that ended the fighting on September 2.

 

Abssi”s wife also identified his corpse but DNA tests proved that Fatah al-Islam”s terrorist mastermind was not among the fighters killed by Lebanese troops.