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alp227

(32,067 posts)
Wed May 22, 2013, 07:31 PM May 2013

Germany and Britain Push to List Hezbollah as a Terror Group

Source: New York Times

Two of Europe’s most powerful countries, Britain and Germany, have thrown their weight behind a push for the European Union to designate the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for the group’s fund-raising activities on the Continent.

On Wednesday, Germany signaled an about-face in its policy toward the group, with a statement saying that Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle supported listing “at least the military wing” of the organization as a terrorist group. The announcement came just a day after Britain’s Foreign Office said it would pursue doing the same, promising to “work closely with our European partners on this issue to reach a robust, collective E.U. position.”

If approved, such a move could choke off sources of funds from Hezbollah’s members and sympathizers throughout Europe, at a time when the group’s image as a liberation movement has already suffered because Hezbollah fighters are battling in Syria on behalf of the government there.

The United States and Israel have long urged their European allies to list the organization either in whole or in part as a terrorist group. But pressure has grown substantially since a bombing last July in Bulgaria killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver. Bulgarian officials have said Hezbollah was behind the attack, which the group denies.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/world/middleeast/germany-and-britain-push-to-list-hezbollah-as-a-terror-group.html

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marshall

(6,665 posts)
3. Remember how long it took Germany to figure out the Nazis were bad
Thu May 23, 2013, 12:34 AM
May 2013

They don't have a good track record for making time effective judgments on these things.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
5. interesting point. Is that 'social welfare' for both groups-equalopen to all Dems and Jewish persons
Thu May 23, 2013, 09:30 AM
May 2013

Thats the IRS tax free question for crossroads types of 'charities' ...supposed to be social welfare for ALL, not just their political party or personal religion

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