[R-G] Israelis Sue Lebanese Banks Claiming They Helped Hezbollah

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/08/africa/ME-Lebanon-Israel-Lawsuit.php>
Lebanon's Central Bank governor criticizes New York lawsuit claiming
banks helped Hezbollah

The Associated Press
Tuesday, July 8, 2008

BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanon's Central Bank governor on Tuesday criticized
a lawsuit filed in New York in which several Israeli victims of
Hezbollah rocket attacks blame some Lebanese banks for helping fund
the militant group.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan Thursday seeks
at least $100 million in damages on behalf of 57 victims. It notes
that the Lebanese banks maintained relationships with various U.S.
banks through which, the lawsuit says, the Lebanese banks were able to
provide Hezbollah with "regular, systemic and unfettered access to
U.S. currency," enabling it to buy missiles and other weapons.

The banks were identified as Fransabank Sal, Banque Libanese Pour Le
Commerce, Bank of Beirut Sal, Banque Libano-Francaise Sal and the
Middle East Africa Bank.

The banks did not immediately reply to the lawsuit in court, and it
was not clear who might represent them there. An e-mail sent to Banque
Libano-Francaise Sal on Monday was not immediately returned.

But Governor Riyad Salemeh said in a terse statement commenting on the
lawsuit Tuesday that the Lebanese banking sector "is committed to
international standards" and operates within international laws. He
did not elaborate.

The lawsuit says the plaintiffs were all victims of missile attacks
launched by Hezbollah against civilian targets in Israel during the
2006 summer war between Israel and Hezbollah.

More than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, were killed in that war.
Israel lost about 160 people in the 34-day conflict, most of them
soldiers.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit based its conclusions on an analysis of publicly available
U.S., Israeli and United Nations reports, news articles, academic
journals, public policy center publications and police and medical
reports.

The lawsuit said the banks violated international law by providing
financial services to Hezbollah, including its military fundraising
arm, the Islamic Resistance Support Organization. The lawsuit said a
fundraising form of the organization asks donors whether they wish to
fund specific items such as missiles or small arms.