Glimpse Into Hizbullah Secretive World

"If I am martyred, I am victorious and if we are victorious then we are victorious." (a file photo)

"We don't love killing," Haj Rabia Abu Hussein — known to his soldiers simply as "103" — told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an interview wired on Tuesday, August 1.

"We look at all people as brothers. We deal with people as people, regardless of religion, but we will defend our land, our honor and our dignity."

As he talks, Hussein fingers his Motorola radio, his means of communication with his soldiers farther afield.

"This is the battle we have long expected and long prepared for," he said, wearing trainers, a blue denim butt-on-down shirt and a baseball cap.

The 40-year-old field commander, who oversees military activities in one sector, generally comprising three villages, joined the resistance group back in 1982.

It took Hizbullah fighters 18 years of uphill struggle and sporadic attacks to force the Israelis to finally withdraw from almost all of Lebanon save the tiny Shebaa farms in the south.

Camouflage

Hussein sat beside Abu Mohammad, 44, a longtime friend in Reeboks, a loose fitting T-shirt and cargo pants.

They explained how they continue to dodge Israel's wrath and live to fight another day.

"We use local knowledge," said Hussein. "On the radio, we talk about a certain tree or a certain cliff. How will the Israelis understand that?"

In their current struggle, this shared history of fellow soldiers is a powerful weapon that helps them evade Israeli intelligence, they say.

"For example Haj used to love someone about 20 years ago," said Abu Mohammad.

"So I'll tell him, 'Haj, go and meet me at the house of the girl you used to love, who melted your heart'."

Hussein pulls a laminated card from his pocket. On it are the names of his fighters and their positions, along with corresponding code numbers and code names.

"Don't think that we use only primitive means of communication," he said.

"Guarantee of Victory"

The Israeli withdrawal from the two strategic towns of Bent Jbeil and Maroon Al-Ras left Hussein and Abu Mohammad brimming with confidence.

"Israelis said their priority is to destroy Hizbullah and then they changed and said it is to destroy Hizbullah's weapons," Hussein said.

"Then they said they would occupy Lebanon up to the Littani River. Then they said just six kilometers, and now they're saying two kilometers.

"Israel has admitted that they have failed and can't achieve their objectives."

Hizbullah has inflicted heavy losses on the powerful Israeli army and proved in no way an easy meat.

The resistance group has downed at least two Apache helicopters and damaged two warships.

Abu Mohammad has no doubt they would emerge victorious.

"It's like we have a holy guarantee of victory," he said.

"If I am martyred, I am victorious and if we are victorious then we are victorious."

Lay People

Hussein and Abu Mohammad also spoke about the more routine aspects of their struggle as well: their daily diet.

"We eat mostly canned food, tuna, and some chocolate," said Hussein. "But yesterday we had fried potatoes and sometimes we make eggs."

The pair are lay people: middle school history teachers who have taken up arms to resist the occupiers.

In their fashion choices, mild manners, and neatly trimmed beards, Abu Mohammad and Hussein shift seamlessly from civilian garb to soldiers' wear just like other fighters.

"Our people are outfitted as soldiers, but when we are among civilians then we dress normally. When we are in the field, we dress as soldiers," says Hussein.

"It's not reasonable to walk around in military uniforms and carry rifles when, for example, the Red Cross comes into town."

Commenting, the AFP correspondent said: "These fighters don't speak like fanatics who behead foreigners in the name of Al-Qaeda."

Hussein tried to reinforce the understanding.

"Just as we love martyrdom we also have love for life; we don't want to die just to die."