Lebanon's Central Bank governor slam suit claiming banks helped Hizbullah

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Lebanon's Central Bank governor has criticized a lawsuit filed in New York in which several Israeli victims of Hizbullah rocket attacks blame certain Lebanese banks for funding the group. The lawsuit filed in US District Court in Manhattan Thursday says the Lebanese banks maintained banking relationships with various US banks. Through its relationships, the lawsuit says, the Lebanese banks were able to provide Hizbullah with "regular, systemic and unfettered access to US currency," enabling it to buy missiles and other weapons. But Governor Riyad Salemeh says in a statement that the Lebanese banking sector "is committed to international standards" and operates under international laws. The lawsuit says the plaintiffs were all victims of missile attacks launched by Hezbollah against civilian targets in Israel in 2006.