GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION   Jihad al-Bina's Reconstruction Terrorism   Interview			No. 3 - 2008
So here I am in the presence of a senior executive sitting behind his desk, in quite the modern office. He is armed with an HP i-PAQ handheld device for e-mails, a desktop computer and a laser printer. Flowers and vase in the corner, large windows with a view, comfortable leather chairs. The desk is tidy and neat, a reflection of the man behind it. His secretary had just stepped out, whispering “one hour and 15 minutes, please,” before closing the door behind. Outside three assistants hover over their computers in offices next door, a conference room and a kitchenette. Are you a terrorist, sir? Kassem Alleik draws an awkward smile, taken aback by the imperious question. One of his eyes contracts a little as if to squeeze a few thoughts behind it. In the narrative of the U.S. administration and the annals of American foreign policy, yes, I am a terrorist. This is no ordinary terrorist. The setting has all the corporate functionality of a New York venue, but the executive office is not in a Manhattan high rise overlooking Central Park. I glance through the window: within a short distance are Sabra and Shatila, the living remnants of occupied Palestine, with decrepit dwellings crammed inside the refugee camps. Across the street stands Beirut’s southern suburb. The U.S. administration designated Jihad al-Bina (JaB) as a terrorist organization in 2007, and right now I am sitting with a person who is at the helm of JaB’s operations. That’s true, and you may be violating your country’s laws by sitting with me. Perhaps I am a terrorist because I am the executive director of a humanitarian and development organization. Maybe because JaB is concerned with social empowerment and the struggle for conditions of peace, security, and a dignified social and economic life in Lebanon. JaB provides engineering services and social support to hundreds of towns. As a result, JaB is resisting Israel’s insatiable and illegal appetite for our water resources and lands. Israel has had long-term plans to weaken, impoverish and ultimately expel our people from our lands. By protecting people’s identity and livelihood, JaB is diametrically opposed to such Israeli designs. Unfortunately, the U.S. administration is in compliance with Israel’s project. We do realize the American posture in this context is controlled by the Israeli perspective.			(click here to open a new window showing email correspondence with the U.S. Treasury Department in D.C. and the U.S. embassy in Beirut)
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