MUGHNIYEH HIT: AN INSIDE/INTERNECINE JOB?

IHT/AP:

The nation's intelligence chief said Sunday that internal Hezbollah groups or Syria may be to blame for the killing of a Hezbollah commander that has led the FBI to put domestic terror squads on alert in the United States.

Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said the United States is still reviewing the case following the death last Tuesday of commander Imad Mughniyeh. Hezbollah blamed Israel and has pledged to attack Jewish targets worldwide in retaliation. That led the FBI last week to be vigilant for possible threats in the U.S. against synagogues and other potential Jewish targets.

McConnell said he considers the threat to be primarily against Israel. But he said U.S. intelligence officials are keeping close watch and taking any necessary action to protect the United States because Mughniyeh has been "responsible for more deaths of Americans and Israelis than any other terrorist with the exception of Osama bin Laden."

"It is a serious threat," McConnell said. "There's some evidence it may have been internal Hezbollah, it may have been Syria. We don't know yet."

HIS ASSESSMENT WOULD JIBE WITH ER UM.... SYRIA'S:

Syria detains Arab suspects in Hezbollah assassination

Syrian authorities arrest ‘suspects of various Arab nationalities’ during investigation of Mughnieh killing.

DAMASCUS - The Syrian authorities have detained Arab suspects for questioning in connection with the murder in Damascus of a top Hezbollah commander, the pro-government Al-Watan newspaper reported on Sunday.

"Suspects of various Arab nationalities have been arrested," the newspaper said quoting what it described as a well-informed source.

"Syria will announce the results of the investigations when the probe is over," it added.

• I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF MUGHNIYEH'S ASSASSINATION WAS INTERNECINE: JUST AS IRAQIS HAVE KILLED MORE IRAQIS THAN USA HAS KILLED IRAQIS SINCE 2003, MUSLIMS HAVE KILLED MORE MUSLIMS THAN NON-MUSLIMS HAVE KILLED MUSLIMS.

• PEOPLE WHO MURDER THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS TO RESTORE FAMILY HONOR ARE CAPABLE OF VIRTUALLY ANY OTHER ATROCITY - INCLUDING INTERNECINE WAR, AND INCLUDING NUKING... WELL, ANY CITY IN THE WORLD THEY CAN.

• PEOPLE WHO DO THESE THINGS ARE BRAINWASHED BY ISLAM - AND THEY ARE A THREAT TO TH ENTIRE WORLD.

OTHER VIEWS HERE AT MEMEORANDUM.

UPDATE: Analysis at lawhawk.