NY Post & CNS news: "Iran has Hezbolla sleeper cells in NYC."

[iconoclastic cat]

Ah, like clockwork. Why does propaganda always come in threes? First, "Iran's going nuclear!" Next, "They're the fourth reich!"

Now, from the NY Post:

N.Y. HEZBOLLAH HUNT; FEDS FEAR STRIKE AMID NUKE SHOWDOWN

The Hezbollah terror group - one of the most dangerous in the world - may be planning to activate sleeper cells in New York and other big cities to stage an attack as the nuclear showdown with Iran heats up, sources told The Post.
The FBI and Justice Department have launched urgent new probes in New York and other cities targeting members of the Lebanese terror group.

Law-enforcement and intelligence officials told The Post that about a dozen hard-core supporters of Hezbollah have been identified in recent weeks as operating in the New York area.

Sources said the activities of these New York-based operatives are being monitored by FBI counterterrorism agents as part of a nationwide effort to prevent a possible terror strike if the confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program spins out of control.

And the only other place I've found this story: Cybercast News Service! Yes, that's right, the fundie mouthpiece.

(Ring, ring)
Hello? Oh, I'm sorry, can't reveal any information about the secret, illegal campaign to start a war with Iran.
(Click.)
Oh, crap--I shouldn't have said we were starting a war.

Oh, crap! I shouldn't have said it was a secret!

Oh, CRAP! I certainly shouldn't have said it was illegal!

Ah, it's too hot today. (Fans self)

[npincus]

1. I don't think it's propaganda... I think B*sh is going to unleash Hell

when he starts his next war with Iran.

[Crayson]

2. This reminds me of something... hmm...

I like the Simpsons too
^_^

[yourout]

3. Then go arrest them.

And how do they know this? Did they find this out with the "Terrorist Surveillance Program"?

[BlooInBloo]

10. Bam.

[dipsydoodle]

4. The problem here

is that Iran's name is constantly being lobbed into news articles to keep their name in the front of the public's mind by association - no different really from mentioning Irag and 9/11 in the same sentence when the connection was SFA.

It makes the media guilty of creating news rather than reporting it.

[wisteria]

5. Considering the sources, I don't believe it for a minute. n/t

[Astrad]

6. Given that the US has threatened to attack them...

...why wouldn't they?

[madrchsod]

7. "On November 6th our freedom is history"

"An enemy they can't see. A nation under siege. A crisis they can't control"

-------"The Siege"-------- remember that crappy bruce willis movie from 1988?

[phoebe]

8. "Mr." Latham appears to be a friend of Oliver North no less

http://www.cjr.org/archives.asp?url=/92/2/books-north.asp - CJR - that's Columbia Journal Review

March/April 1992 | Contents
Short Takes

TAB TAPS PREZ FOR HEAD
Although we were bitterly disappointed about Abul Abbas, the American people were jubilant when the intercept was reported. WE BAG THE BUMS wrote the New York Daily News in a banner headline. In an amusing footnote to the whole event, I was in Pat Buchanan's office, working with him on the president's announcement that the terrorists had been captured, when a call came in from Niles Latham, an editor at the New York Post. "We need a great headline," Niles said. "We'd like to use YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE. If you can get the President to use it, we'll put the whole line in quotes."

It was a little unusual for a journalist to suggest language for the president, but Pat and I had to acknowledge that this was a much better conclusion for the president's remarks than the ending we had written. The president used the new line, and the reaction was terrific.

FROM UNDER FIRE: AN AMERICAN STORY BY OLIVER L. NORTH WITH WILLIAM NOVAK. HARPERCOLLINS. 446 PP. $ 25


He is a well-known propagandist for the * neo-cons.

[phoebe]

9. Walid Phares (mentioned in article) is a nasty piece of work

according to Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walid_Phares

Phares authored a number of books and many articles and was the publisher of weekly and monthly publications. His Op Ed appears in many US and international periodicals and newspapers. He has been an academic advisor to human rights, ethnic and diaspora groups. Phares is often characterized in U.S. media as giving an "Arab" point of view. His beliefs are actually more in tune with the Israeli right wing than the Palestinians. Phares frequently attends events paid for and hosted by AIPAC (American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee) and other Zionist supporters. He is a darling of the neoconservative movement and a staunch supporter of the 2003 Iraq War.

During the Lebanese Civil War, Phares was the deputy commander of the Lebanese Forces right-wing sectarian Christian militia which allied itself with Israel and was responsible, along with Ariel Sharon, for the Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Benador Associates uses him (well-known neo-con propaganda mill)

http://www.benadorassociates.com/phares.php

and as you can see, he gets around in the MSM

http://www.futurejihad.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=28
snip

Walid Phares is currently MSNBC/NBC terrorism and Mideast expert and a senior fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington. He has been a Professor of Middle East Studies and Ethnic and Religious Conflict at Florida Atlantic University and lectures worldwide. He regularly appears on NBC, Fox News, CNN, BBC, C-Span, Voice of America, al Jazeera, al Hurra, NPR International, and Abu Dhabi TV, among others and is a frequent contributor to US and international radio programs.

Phares conducts briefings to the State, Justice, Defense and Homeland Security Departments, the US Congress, the European Union, the United Nations Security Council, and other international bodies on the Middle East, Jihadism, counterterrorism, democratization, al Qaeda and other issues. His columns and articles, in such venues as The Washington Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Denver Post, Indianapolis Star, San Diego Tribune, etc, have received much attention. He is a media communicator, and has the academic, professional, and insider credentials to offer an unprecedented analysis and prescription for the future of Jihad.



BTW - Foundation for the Defense of Democracies is registered at a Washington DC P O Box and there is no information as to who runs it, who is on the Board of Directors, etc.

According to this site, http://www.antiwar.com/orig/royer1.html - it was co-founded by none other than Richard Perle with Wolfowitz on the team also.

Look up Guardians of the Cedar, to which Phares belonged..