Washington claim draws rebuke ... Hezbollah link accusations rejected

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The United States Treasury Department claimed a Venezuelan diplomat of Arabic origin was linked to the radical Shiite Islamic group Hezbollah and drew a stinging rebuke from the head of the Bolivarian Civic Military Front, Hector Herrera.

Washington had ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to Ghazi Nasr al Din, who is said to have been commercial counselor at the Venezuelan embassy in Damascus, and is now reportedly charge of political affairs in Beirut.

Another account which is said to belong to another Venezuelan named in reports as Faozi Mustapha Kanaan, is said to have been similarly frozen at the behest of the Treasury Department. It claims both had been supporting and providing refuge for Hezbollah agents.

Herrera said the allegation was "a new unfounded accusation" and he drew a parallel between attempts to link President Hugo Chavez with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), after its deputy commander, Raul Reyes, was killed in a Colombian attack inside Ecuador on March 1.