Game Not Funny

Your mission in "The battle of the Sarai" is to assassinate every minister in the government, including Fouad Siniora, the Prime Minister of Lebanon.

The game was released in December 2006, however it did not catch the media's attention until Lebanese newspaper as-Safir carried a report on the game Wednesday, noting that it was designed in France by a Lebanese citizen who was identified by the code name of "Ziad al-Hajj".

Congratulations - you liquidated the PM and his ministers

In order to win in "The battle of the Serai", players must complete three chapters in the game - first kill the "militias", the term used by Hajj to describe Lebanon's national security forces, guarding the government building. Once inside the Grand Serail, players discover underground tunnels that lead to the U.S. Embassy in Awkar, 17 kilometers north of Beirut.

Having underground tunnels leading from the Lebanese government building to the U.S. Embassy echoes the accusations of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who as repeatedly called the Siniora government "the Feltman Cabinet," in reference to the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman, whom he accuses of controlling the March 14 Majority that backs the government.

According to Hajj's blog, the second chapter of the game involves gunning down "the gang of 14, after they escape from the Sarai using the secret tunnels."

Attackers also fight a battle with what Hajj terms "militiamen" in the lobby, in reference to the fighters belonging to Walid Jumblat, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, as well as Siniora himself.

The third and final chapter of the game involves storming the main hall, where Siniora is presiding over a meeting of his cabinet. The player is then required to murder what Hajj refers to as "all the traitors and thieves," in reference to the premiere and his ministers.

The game ends with the phrase: "Game over, congratulations" when the player succeeds in
"liquidating" all those in the government compound.

"I gave them what they want"

Hajj was quoted as saying he designed the game to "express the wishes of many Lebanese" in storming the government compound. "I gave them what they want."

The big question is, who made the opposition supporters want to murder and kill fellow Lebanese? The brainwashing of Hajj and other misguided people, to want to storm the government building and murder the politicians he is at odds with did not require much imagination on his part. What started with “Death to Israel" and “Death to America”, turned into “Death to Siniora”. While the heads of the pro-Syrian opposition, Nasrallah, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and "presidency at any cost" Michel Aoun, have not once attempted to preach to their followers otherwise.

The Hizbullah-led opposition have been practically occupying downtown Beirut since December 1, 2006 - with the declared objective of toppling the Lebanese government. Immediately after the start of the sit in, Hezbollah supporters threatened to storm the government compound, fenced in bared wire and protected by tanks and three army and police battalions, and remove Siniora by force.

During the live coverage of Walid Eido's assassination, Nabih Berri's news channel anchor Sawsan Darwish (pictured right) accidentally slipped on the air, and proceeded to laugh at the murder of Eido just minutes after the horrendous event, and even implied there was more coming.

"Why were they late in killing him?," referring to Eido.

She then said "they're driving us crazy," apparently referring to other anti-Syrian politicians. "Ahmed Fatfat is left. I'm counting them," she added.

Berri responded with silence and acceptance of Darwish's criminal hate speech, refusing to discipline or fire the delusional news anchor.

Hunting down Hajj

Hajj's blog site where he proudly announced the final release of his video game on December 15, 2006, lists his email address as This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . The blog site has now been shut down, the video game itself has been removed from all the sites it was available for download, the screen shots have been deleted, and the YouTube video demonstrating the game, was "removed by the user".

More than 9 months after the game was released, Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza on Thursday ordered police to launch an investigation. The state-run National News Agency, which distributed the terse report, did not disclose further details.

"The Battle of the Sarai" is another chapter of a Lebanese choosing to invest in hatred and death, instead of a peaceful future.

Sources: By Omar Raad, Volunteer with Ya Libnan, 14march.org, Naharnet, As-Safir

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Investigation Launched in Video Game about liquidating Saniora and his Ministers

Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza on Thursday ordered police to launch an investigation into a video game about the storming of Premier Fouad Saniora's government compound and the killing of all the ministers.

The state-run National News Agency, which distributed the terse report, did not disclose further details.

The pro-opposition newspaper as-Safir carried an exclusive report on the game Wednesday noting that it was designed in France by a Lebanese citizen who was identified by the code name of Ziad al-Hajj.

The Hizbullah-led opposition has erected scores of tents in Beirut's Riyadh al-Solh square, a few meters off the government compound since Dec. 1 with the declared objective of toppling the Saniora government.

There has been a chain of rumors about alleged plans by the opposition to storm the government compound, fenced in bared wire and protected by tanks and three army and police battalions.

The game, according to as-Safir is made up of three chapters, the first centers on killing all the "militias" that guard the compound, in reference to the regular forces.

The second phase of the video battle starts in the lobby where attackers discover tunnels leading to the U.S. embassy in suburban awkar, 17 kilometers north of Beirut.

Hizbullah leader Sayed Hassan Nasralla has termed the Saniora government "The Feltman Cabinet" in reference to the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman, whom he accuses of controlling the March 14 Majority that backs the government.

Attackers also fight a battle with "militiamen" in the lobby who are allegedly supervised by Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and al-Moustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri, as well as Saniora himself.

The last and third chapter of the "game" involves the storming of the main hall where Saniora is presiding over a meeting of his cabinet and the killing of "all the traitors and thieves," in reference to the premiere and his ministers.

The game ends with the phrase: "Game over, congratulations" when the player succeeds in
"liquidating" all those in the government compound, the report noted.

Hajj was quoted as saying he designed the game to "express the wishes of many Lebanese" in storming the government compound. "I gave them what they want."  
 

from Naharnet, Beirut, 30 Aug 07, 17:53

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/newsdesk.nsf/0/77224BDF2F5700D8C22573470051B9DB?OpenDocument

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Aridi frets game simulating assault on Grand Serail
Daily Star staff
Friday, August 31, 2007

BEIRUT: A new online game whose theme revolves around the attack on the Lebanese Grand Serail and the killing of Cabinet ministers is being released, Al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported Thursday. Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said Thursday the game "is very dangerous and goes beyond the limits of pastime or entertainment. This is manipulative and targets the security and stability of the country."

On Thursday, State Prosecutor Said Mirza requested an investigation and follow-up from the Central Bureau of Investigation into the game.

Al-Mustaqbal said "the Web site is easily accessible, and offers a range of games that incites players to kill "military militia" that protect the Grand Serail and venture to invade it and demolish its officials by killing them one by one."

The player's goal in the game is to kill Premier Fouad Siniora and ministers at the Grand Serail, the newspaper explained.

It said the game also offends March 14 Forces members and accuses them of being allied with Israel.

Aridi said this kind of game leads to nothing but further hatred, disputes and division, and that this is something to be "rejected" and fought. He said: "I understand the need to inform our children on the victory against the Israelis and how we defeated the legendary Israeli fleet," in reference to "Special force 2," a game created by Hizbullah based on last year's 34-day conflict with Israel. "However to brainwash our children and train them on methods to invade the [Serail] and take revenge from this or that person, is a very dangerous phenomenon in approaching our youth and the upcoming generation," Aridi added. "This must be stopped."

March 14 officials say they consider the game proof of "political terrorism" which aims to derail the presidential election in September.

The coalition also said its MPs viewed the matter as a crime, and requested action from the state prosecutor.

Sports and Youth Minster Ahmad Fatfat said "this Web site game is a clear threat and a persistent message" and that "the ending of the game with the death of all residents of the Serail gives a clear impression on the thoughts of violence being cast among people."

"This action is like political terrorism that plays a major role in assaulting the government," he added. "This hatred goes beyond natural forms of political disputes we are generally familiar with in Lebanon." - The Daily Star

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=84944

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/printable.asp?art_ID=84944&cat_ID=2