LEBANON: Hezbollah TV draws U.S. ire

Hezbollah TV has started broadcasting to millions of Muslims in Southeast Asia amid strong U.S. objection. The Shiite militant group's station, Al-Manar, has been using since April the Indonesian satellite, Indosat, to broadcast its programs in the Asia-Pacific region.

This concerns the Americans, who complained to authorities in the Indonesian capital. Tristram Perry, a public diplomacy officer at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, accused the station on Thursday of inciting violence and hatred: "Al-Manar and its partners and affiliates form a recognized arm of Hezbollah."

The U.S. State Department listed the station as a terrorist organization in 2004, when Al-Manar was accused of anti-Semitism for a controversial series about the Jewish Diaspora.

But Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, took a more pragmatic approach. Communication and Information Minister Muhammad Nuh, simply called Al-Manar's airing "a pure business to business deal." He criticized the U.S. government:

We can't stop anyone here as long as they aren't violating our regulations… We don't want any intervention or request from any country, which isn't in line with our basic principles.

The Indonesian government holds about 14% of the shares of the satellite hosting Al-Manar and has a veto right over strategic decisions.

Through Indosat, Al-Manar can now be viewed in China, Southeast Asia and Australia. The channel's programs include news bulletins and political talk-shows but also drama series, programs on health, family and religious matters.

In January, Al-Manar tried to broadcast in East Asia through a Thai satellite company. But airing broadcasts of the channel stopped within a few days when the company learned Al-Manar was tied to Hezbollah.

-- Raed Rafei in Beirut

Photo: Screenshot from Al-Manar's website