Tensions rise at announcement that Hezbollah members could be charged over Hariri murder
Beirut (AsiaNews) – Dark clouds are gathering in the Lebanese sky after Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah announced he has been informed that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon - established by the UN to investigate the assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri and other political leaders - is about to indict some members of the Party of God
The same Nasrallah, during an unusual news conference, argued that the Court's decision will throw the country a "very delicate situation". A senior UN official, quoted today by An Nahar, said he feared that Lebanon could be hit by "a period of tension and turmoil" when, between September and the end of the year, the prosecutor of the Court, Daniel Bellemare , will reveal the accused. Prime Minister Saad Hariri - Rafik's son - was probably driven by the same conviction as well as by the need for his national unity government to survive, to inform the Hezbollah leader of the charges that will be raised by the Court, stressing that the accused is not the party, but only some of its “unfaithful” members.
The distinction is not enough for Nasrallah, who instead is speaking of "a dangerous plot that targets the Resistance", ruling out the responsibility of his men and attacking the Court and Saad Hariri’s majority movement "March 14".
The leader of Hezbollah began by recalling he never said that they would accept that Special Court’s conclusions. He also accused it of singling out the Party before any of its members were interrogated and of being under the influence of American and Israelis. He added: "As long as it does not consider the possibility that Israel is involved, I will continue to believe that is influenced”. And he reiterated; "The possibility that Israel had the means and the reason” to assassinate Rafik Hariri.
As for the "leaders of the March 14," they should "admit their mistakes" when they said they held Syria responsible and should make a real "change" in policy.
The climate created by the Nasrallah’s statements has made more tense rumours that Michel Aoun, (which he denied) asked Hezbollah to invade the Christian areas to stop extremist groups. Or from fears advanced by UN officials of attacks on peacekeepers deployed in the south, an area where Hezbollah has a strong control over the population.(PD)
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