Hizbullah Rules Out Arrests in 'Void' U.N. Hariri Case

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Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday ruled out the arrest of four members of his party indicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the 2005 assassination of Lebanese former premier Rafik Hariri.

In his first reaction to the charges by the STL, Nasrallah also rejected "each and every void accusation" made by the Netherlands-based court, which he said was heading for a trial in absentia.

"We reject the Special Tribunal for Lebanon along with each and every void accusation it issues, which to us is equivalent to an attack on Hizbullah," Nasrallah said in an hour-long televised speech.

"No Lebanese government will be able to carry out any arrests whether in 30 days, 30 years or even 300 years," said the Shiite leader whose group dominates the current government.

"What will happen is a trial in absentia, a trial in which the verdict has already been reached,” he declared.

The STL on Thursday handed Lebanon's Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza arrest warrants for four members of the Iranian- and Syrian-backed group in connection with the February 14, 2005 bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others in Beirut.

The whereabouts of the four remain unknown.

Nasrallah went on to accuse top investigators at the tribunal, including the first U.N. chief investigator, Detlev Mehlis, and his deputy, Gerhard Lehmann, of corruption.

The tribunal is full of "financial and moral corruption," Nasrallah said.

In elaborately edited segments, al-Manar television aired footage which Nasrallah said showed former Lehmann receiving a wad of cash in exchange for documents in the Hariri case.

Al-Manar also aired a document which Nasrallah said proved investigators had transferred IT equipment across Lebanon's southern border into Israel when it moved its staff to the Netherlands in 2009.

"Do you expect this tribunal to be fair with resistance fighters who fought against Israel?" he said. "This tribunal, since the beginning, was formed for a clear political target."

But Nasrallah sought to allay concerns of civil strife and said "there will be no civil war in Lebanon."

"This is because there is a responsible government in Lebanon that will not act with revenge," he added.

Comments 57
Default-user-icon Li'l Red (Guest) over 13 years

Hey, why is Sam the Sham on Naharnet and where are his Pharaohs?

Default-user-icon iNcorruptible (Guest) over 13 years

No mention of all the evidence he provided against the STL's investigation? So much for impartial reporting.

Thank you for reminding us how biased this news outlet is and how much it has fallen in disgrace.

Default-user-icon John (Guest) over 13 years

Well this investigation has been a lousy one from the start conducted by western Racist pro-Isareli Apartheid figures. No one can say they were "independent" or "fair". again, the killing of Hariri is an "internal" issue and trying to make it pilitically internationalized is a mistake.

The lebanese government have not found or arrested a single person after the Halba massacre in 2008. The SSNP were told by their M8 allies not to seek revenge (JUSTICE) because it would have lead to an all out war in the North. What I am hearing in Koura (indirecrtly because we leftists do not communicate with SSNP) If this government is able to find and arrest any of the 4 alleged STL defendants without arresting the Halba massacre killers the SSNP will attack M14 suspects responsible for the Halba massacre. The SSNP have names and addresses of persons involved. I also heard that Marada will defend Koura from any attacks. This is Lebanon for those who have forgotten!

Default-user-icon John (Guest) over 13 years

Continued..Actually what I said was not sectarian. I attacked the Israeli puppet Sunni leaders, not people. Unlike Mustapha, most Sunnis consider Israel not Iran as the biggest threat and you can check ANY POLL.

Default-user-icon Bashir (Guest) over 13 years

Hizbashaytan shows it's true colors.

Thumb erasmus16@gmail.com over 13 years

This was a very weak speech by Nasrallah. He tried to label Cassese as an partial towards Israel, but there is plenty of evidence to the contrary. Just run some web searches and you'll see that Cassese has been hostile to the actions of Israel against the Palestinians and has published a number of legal opinions stating so.

For more details on what I thought of the speech visit: http://lebanon-untold.blogspot.com/

Default-user-icon reader (Guest) over 13 years

naharnet where is the evidence presented???

Big fail.

Missing peace over 13 years

he provided evidence? what evidence? who has seen any evidence?

just a simple fact: why would israel kill wissam eid as he discovered evidence against hezbollah? they would have protected him on the contrary, no?

just this murder destroys all what he said... or explain me if i m wrong

Default-user-icon John (Guest) over 13 years

Erasmus...criticizing while supporting the racist ethnic cleansing Apartheid Isareli state is not the same when you call the Hamas resistance terrorist and totally isolate it. These are the same white colonialist "liberals" who called Mandela a terrorist for decades until the 1990's.

Default-user-icon Louxembourg Bob (Guest) over 13 years

You mean Wissam Eid found telecom data against israel that they were not able to cover up, which is why he was killed.

Need I remind you that in October 2010 in Mexico when there was an international conference of telecoms ministers, the delegates unanimously resolved to condemn israel's infiltration of Lebanon's telecommunications system and the integrity of its data.

Missing startrip over 13 years

The last refuge for the terrorist is the same old excuse: blame the West, Israel, saudi arabia, blah blah blah... They are futily trying to ground out international justice with ridiculous smoke screens. Keep dreaming of your seventy virgins as you sweat the summer in your dark bunker.

Until the cancer of Iran/Hezbollah/Assad is removed, Lebanon will not prosper.

Default-user-icon John (Guest) over 13 years

The Zionist regime needs to be removed because without Israel HA would not have existed. Also, ALL the American Arab puppets need to be removed. Then th Baath Syrian regime.

Default-user-icon Qawmi Wallaroo (Guest) over 13 years

Qamarade Qawmi john yes all his evidence of bullshit bullshit and bullshit as long as Palestine is OK and the road to Jerusalem goes through Jounieh or is it Hrajel now to hell with Lebanon the cause is above all right. And as long as the rhetoric is correct we'll be fine. Any new on when the Somali mercenaries are arriving to help us and the eternal [IN THIS SPACE PLACE NAME OF RESISTANCE] resistance with defeating those Israeli Zionists in Hrajel and Chnen3eer before we get to Hayfa was ma ba3da ba3da Hayfa, I really miss those guys they were great at basketball and smelled like jockstraps.

Default-user-icon Adel (Guest) over 13 years

Very weak speech...

Default-user-icon John (Guest) over 13 years

BigDig does nbot have a March14 logo. What a dumb imposter!

Default-user-icon Mehdi (Guest) over 13 years

Shiite bro Big Dickhead bravo back to our old tricks I see. Coward.

Default-user-icon Bubba (Guest) over 13 years

bigdig, you dig it

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/937/lihassan.jpg

Default-user-icon Hajj Radwan Jr (Guest) over 13 years

Yeah how about all his evidence, you know the false witnesses most of whom are in Syria protected by the regime and the news leaks mostly by BFOH (best friends of hassan) like Jamil Sayyed and Michel Samaha, and how about the cleanup ordered by Pretty Mr (jamil sayyed) that destroyed the evidence ..... umm wait that does help at all ... I'll start over this time with all the damning evidence against the STL....

I got nothing.

Default-user-icon Sarah Cumming (Guest) over 13 years

What a waste of air time and blue screen! Not one mention of how the weather gonna be tomorrow not even a graphic of the cool sun in RayBans.

Default-user-icon majd (Guest) over 13 years

Have you see Al-Manure dragging his employees one by one to worship his worship and to read the same exact script "ooh he was so great, I laughed, I cried, and he's so hot", embarrassing.

Default-user-icon anonym (Guest) over 13 years

A - extremely Biased reporting, and i was once reassured by naharnet editors or management here that they are entirely independent news entity.

B- "startrip": until the cancer of the world is removed lebanon will not prosper, so please for the love of life stop pretending its a one sided problem, what you say about iran/syria/hezb one could easily say about filthy saudi arabia/manipulative west and dirty zionists. the game being played in the current world is larger than you can imagine, as long as lebanese are devided no dictatorship or democracy will save this land, and by the looks of it it will not be saved by the next 100 years.

Default-user-icon robocop (Guest) over 13 years

"We are being framed" that always the answer, that's what they said when they murdered Samer Hanna. They're like a bad telemarketer "when they say this, I read this line".

Default-user-icon Lebanese (Guest) over 13 years

I have nothing with the STL, except that now before it proceeds, it need to give answers to Lehman's red handed accepting bribes + why the 97 Computers where sent to Israel.

Nasrallah provided video footage and an Official paper from the Israeli border. The STL till now provided NOTHING, and the people are eager to see what the STL has been doing for the past 6 years while the people have been paying for that Tribunal through the government.

This is very, very shocking. The U.N. should be ashamed, and should provide counter arguments for it to proceed. I would not accept any international body to claim "Justice" by blaming any Lebanese so easily.

Do not insult our intelligence.

Default-user-icon Malghouz (Guest) over 13 years

What really is void is sitting between the shoulders of Hariri Mafia & Co. SARL and his Christian Sunnis. What will no longer remain void are the prison cells that will host these corruptors, thieves, traitors and thugs, pending their hanging for robbing the Lebanese of billions of USDs and collaborated with Israel against wled bledon, just like they did with the Syrians when they were best and inseparable friends during the hey days of Mafioso Supremo Rafik Hariri.

Thumb tabasco over 13 years

bigdig & the silly spam !

Default-user-icon Le phenicien (Guest) over 13 years

To Lebanese

Nasralah's evidence was from 1997 - how is this evidence? Another question, he says he is Lebanese but his youth members all carry a photo of kohmeini, how does that work? Whilst the Iranian people suffer the hizbalah elite get richer!!

Default-user-icon lebanese too (Guest) over 13 years

yeah lebanese, and what about aoun's documented picture of the hezballah guy dressed up as an LFer shooting at the army and Wahhab's documents showing the egyt bank bribe to MP jarrah and hassan is full of evidence, excuse me now I need to go to the bathroom and produce some evidence of my own.

Missing peace over 13 years

lebanese, just ask yourself why they didn t take those computers, if of course this is a true information through the airport or the port?

who controls these 2 points?

those footages provided of "bribery", you can make them say whatever you want according to the point of view.

he gave nothg convincing as you can make any document say what you want out of context!

furthermore, the tribunal like any tribunal in the world discloses its pieces of evidence only in court! never before....that s why we still have nothing!
and thes people are not accused, because they are innocent until proven guilty!
doesn t he have any evidence that they did nothing?
he claims he has evidence against israel, why doesn t he bring them to the stl?

you are not shocked by the fact that he said that hezb will not obey to ANY government? which clearly means his party is not concerned by the laws of lebanon!!!

so how can you accept a party that clearly states he will never obey to any gvt?

Default-user-icon Lebanese Rambo (Guest) over 13 years

Who does this guys think he is...If you are not worried about arrests and your life, come out of your closet, and stop hiding you weak man....When we are threatened we still walk the streets, risk our lives, and be killed by your terrorist group...whereas cowards like you hide behind reinforced concrete and their arms....You have no credibility Nasrouh....You are your followers are corrupt backed corrupt regimes of Syria and Iran....You are not here for the interests of Lebanon but for your own bitter interests....Why don't you go back to where people might like you, somewhere in Tahran and leave us the hell alone...And by the way a group called Hiz al ALLAH is Takfeer, as God does not need a Group....Hopefully you will be assasinated one day, and I promise you, we will launch an International tribunal into your assasination, and provide false evidence like you have...COWARD!

Thumb loveandpeace over 13 years

Call me paranoid but I would like to question the jugement of a middle-aged person who thinks that peoples' life expectancy is over 350 years?
Can you imagine the Minister Charbel trying today to arrest someone born in 1639?
Maybe Hassan Sayyed Nasrallah was watching a late piece of Americano-Sionist propaganda like Walt Disney's Pirates of the Carabeans "The Foutain of Life" or Back to the Future III when he wrote his speech, in which case he needs to be explained that this is FICTION.
ONE Opposite of FICTION can be FACTS, and the STL will be expected to present FACTS or Evidence to prove their case.
A good policy would be to wait for the FACTS to be presented at the Tribunal and let the accused explain why the presented evidence is not coclusive and let them claim their innocence before threatening of cutting everybody else's hands.
I would find this more convincing. Also Aoun and Frangieh-who obviously were watching the same movies-should be also explained those facts of life.

Default-user-icon Beiruti (Guest) over 13 years

This statement constitutes a declaration of war by the Shiites against the Sunni. This is inciting insurrection not just in Lebanon but in Syria and across the Middle East.

Why all of the discussion over the policy statement and its delicate nuances if at the end of the day the de facto head of the Lebanese government says what the position of the government is toward the STL. What must Mikati be thinking now? The Ministerial Policy Statement is a dead letter already and it has not even been voted on in Parliament.

And so much for Jumblatt's efforts to appease this guy in order to gain "civil peace". Civil peace is never won by appeasing those who threaten and who actually see breaching civil peace as a means of political advancement.

Thumb loveandpeace over 13 years

Funny also Arafat had the same sense of time and distance disproportion when he spoke of places being "a few millions of km" away and of waiting for millions years. DId they share the same Science or Maths teacher?

Default-user-icon Martina (Guest) over 13 years

Thanks bigdig
Very interesting summary of the speech, Naharnet. I feel sorry for any reader who is uniquely relying on Naharnet to get their information. Partial, selective reporting is not reporting. You choose segments of the speech and you present them in a way that suits your political agenda. This would have been fine if you were the official website of M14, the Lebanese forces, the U.S. embassy. It would have been your right. But please don't present yourself to us as an objective news source, because your are not more than a cheap (and dumb) propaganda tabloid

Default-user-icon Ali (Guest) over 13 years

"No Lebanese government will be able to carry out any arrests whether in 30 days, 30 years or even 300 years," said the Shiite leader whose group dominates the current government."

Self-explanatory.........!!!!!! What more can a person say!

Default-user-icon Joe (Guest) over 13 years

This fat pig thinks he can challenge the world. Of course he does that from his hiding places and usually under the rocks where originally he came from. Its a known fact that those who were indicted are, or will be, in Iran. It will be worthwhile for the Lebanese to start rounding the Iranian pigs in Lebanon to force the Iranian government to hand them to the Lebanese authorities or STL.

Default-user-icon Altimo (Guest) over 13 years

The seekers of the truth find nothing wrong with a fierce investigator and second in command (i.e. Gerhard Lehman) taking a bribe to sell official and top secret investigative documents. Corruption is also their name of the game. They see nothing wrong with the timing of the event. Timing only by chance played to their benefit many, many times since 2005. They believe in chance. They see nothing wrong with leaks leaking at least 5 years in advance and turning out to be almost 100% of what finally appeared. Again, they believe in chance. They do not see any significance in the fact that Saad PRE-APPROVED THE SALE CONTRACT OF THE STL. To them, that was a SMART move by the self-entrapping Imbecile Saad. They continue to hope that the truth will (or perhaps already has) come out and think everybody is also dumb as well as blind! I have about 2 characters remaining. But you get an idea of how dumb they are and living in La La Land. La ya ekhwen. Hariri's Party and the party are both over.

Default-user-icon Nabil (Guest) over 13 years

"road to Jerusalem goes through Jounieh" Hey "Qawmi Wallaroo"...we are no longer in the 70's. take some pills. Man, the qawmis did a job on your brain.

Missing mansour over 13 years

lol looks like nasrallah is abit off color, seems to be low to vitamin D someone get him in the SUN :)
And as for STL talk all the crap you and your followers want there's no escaping justice.

Thumb erasmus16@gmail.com over 13 years

The good news is that the Hezbollah is becoming so arrogant that they're bound to screw up. We hope that this won't be on the back of the rest of the Lebanese.

http://lebanon-untold.blogspot.com/

Thumb erasmus16@gmail.com over 13 years

For those who know how to really read, take a look at this legal opinion prepared by Cassese.

Let me know, after you read it, whether you still believe Cassese would implement Israel's agenda.

Also remember that Cassese has prosecuted Serbians for the massacre of Moslem Bosnians. Maybe that makes him a Sunni agent ;-)

Nasrallah didn't do his homework on this one.

Default-user-icon amirmansour (Guest) over 13 years

Lebanese politics is becoming BORING in general and in particular.
Very boring. very funny and very sad.
Enjoy life and the hell with the rest.
Arrogance, Ignorance, hypothetical, poetic speeches of all sides will take no where and is no longer fun,
My suggestion:
Give Lebanese a break and all politicians should take a month off

Default-user-icon TruthHurt (Guest) over 13 years

Who are you kidding hassouna? Israel killed every anti-Syrian regime leader correct? NO you did it and sooner or later Syria will trade you in for 10 pieces of diamond.
Israel killed Mughnieh inside Syria?
Ghazzi Kanaan committed suicide few months after Harriri was killed?
Jibran Tueni, Pierre Jemayel, Mufti al jumhuriya, Rene Mouawad and more... all those were killed by Israel?
If I were you, I would hide and shut-up because the more you speak on TV the more the Mossad will find your location and get to you faster.
See you in Tora Bora Hassoun.

Thumb ado.australia over 13 years

For a more informed article on nasrallah's speech and arguments against the STL read the dailystar article.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Jul-02/Hezbollah-chief-to-address-Hariri-probe-indictment.ashx#axzz1QpHSaP00
Robert Baer is an admitted CIA agent. The leaks to the media. The timing of the indictments. All smells of impartiality or at the very least, incompetence...which is the same thing because incompetence can easily lead to infiltrate and manipulation. I myself would have liked to see him cooperate with the searches of the accused, but when they believe that it's a conspiracy and attack against them, you can't be surprised by their reaction.

Default-user-icon Qawmi Jim (Guest) over 13 years

Qamarade Qawmi John I, like you ,agree with everything Sayyed Hassan says. I doesn't matter haw many lies and fabricated documents he and his servants present to us on Al Manar we believe him because he looks so legitimate and wise with that turban on. I did not expect less from him, anyone who dares to disagree with the divine Sayyed is a Zionist/CIA agent even though most Zionist/CIA agents are found withing Hezballah and friends., Aoun and his followers were Zionist/CIA agents for 15 years then they weren't. Actually the one we couldn't buy off were still Zionists of course. Every time Sayyed Hassan says anything we are supposed to take his word for it no question asked. It's lucky we don't have an intelligence for him to insult. Keep brushing up on the rhetoric my friend that's all we have to carry us onward.

Default-user-icon sacre (Guest) over 13 years

All the comments I have read so far miss the point. The only question is : we should find a place (country) where Bashar will be expelled to. Now this place should be big enough to accomodate Hassounah too. He is fed up living in hiding under the ground.

Missing 7osrom over 13 years

Gentlemen, in that speech is an implied confession that these accused may have been already ELIMINATED, MURDERED... ( cannot find in 300 years) . I think STL should subpena Mr. Nasrallah to elucidate his statement.

Default-user-icon ziad (Guest) over 13 years

The video clearly shows Lehmann taking a pile of money from someone else's hand, then he puts it in the inside of jacket (not to forget the hush sign he does with his finger). I don't think that's how they hand out salaries at the STL.
The video is here, you judge for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeYjEiN99yc

Default-user-icon JP (Guest) over 13 years

Sorry Mr. Nasrallah! There is already too much evidence out there for you to fool the Lebanese. So much for being a national resistance and if anything you lost from this indictment is your claim of being a national resistance. Resistance to what! Sheba farm that the UN ruled as part of Syrian Golan Height. This indictment proves to any Lebanese with average IQ's that Hizballah is serving its own political agenda and that of Iran.

Default-user-icon Bashir (Guest) over 13 years

Lebanon can be a nation under the rule of law or a nation under Nasrallah.

Your choice.

Default-user-icon Expatriate (Guest) over 13 years

What a waste in brain power....by ALL of YOU guys!!! Lebanese are all extremely talented with no exception and we have tons of successfully stories...but on an individual level only....we've always done super well individually but we've always failed as a community...this is what led most of us to be abroad....when will you learn to leave all this political nonsense in the garbage....when will you learn to THINK LEBANESE FIRST and not think Western or Iranian first....when will you learn to make justice on your own without resorting to CIA agents to do justice for you? We all want justice to prevail and we all want stability...but do you think you will ever be able to achieve this without working hand in hand?

Default-user-icon TITUS (Guest) over 13 years

More BS from the criminal Iranian/Syrian corrupt to the bone terrorist (and in time sacrificial lamb). It's almost a known fact by now that Hezb Ebola has always operated mostly by Iranian blood money (in addition to its operative engaged in narcotics smuggling and car theft rings among other criminal activities worldwide- Cashflow from these sources are trickling and will be cut completely shortly as these operatives are being picked up one by one. The Iranian criminal street gang uses the money its master the Iranian criminal regime provides it with (with condition of seeking to turn Lebanon into part of the imaginery terrorist Wilayat Al Faqih which provides criminals with a safe haven as Iran and Syria is doing) and uses it to bribe or attempt to bribe people close to the STL among others. Desperate attempts by the criminals and their masters in Tehran and Damascus who are ultimately headed to the Gallows. JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL AND CRIMINALS WILL BE PUNISHED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!!

Default-user-icon TITUS (Guest) over 13 years

More BS from the criminal Iranian street gang diaper headed baboon Nasrallah. By the looks of that so called "evidence" of Hezb Ebola's, it seems that they are doing what they do best spending the Iranian blood money and money from the criminal from Drug smuggling cartels through to Car thieves and finally vigilanties dumb obvious digital propaganda warriors, and rings located worldwide (members of which are now being pick up one by one, watch out Le Phenicien the RCMP may be knocking at your door soon), the HA are trying to bribe people close to the STL to try to get the information which later they would claim has been "leaked". Of course this so called YouTube "footage" along with others will only serve to implicate them further under obstruction of justice. One thing is for sure, Hezb Ebola along with its masters and handlers in Tehran and Damascus have a confirmed encounter with the gallows. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED COME WHAT MAY!!!

Thumb shab over 13 years

This is the first time I noticed wow scared he is. What a fiakso. STL really have them worried. Let Interpol do the job.

Missing 7osrom over 13 years

Interpol, Europol, Ya habibi they sleep with the fishes & abu3adas. Ensa

Default-user-icon just saying (Guest) over 13 years

ziad a hush sign is made by putting a finger to the mouth not by kissing the wrist.

Default-user-icon Beiruti (Guest) over 13 years

Well, I watched the video tape that erasmus16@gmail.com posted up. I am a judge and preside over cases, and I must admit, I've never seen evidence accompanied by crashing cimbals and timpany drums. This tape would not be admitted into a court of law. It is not dated, it appears to have been edited and it shows this person Lehman taking some currency fanning it and then putting it into his pocket.
It is supposed to be video evidence that he received money in eschange for documents, but the documents part of the exchange is not apparent.

If this is daming evidence of corruption on the part of the STL, it would seem to me that HEzbollah would welcome the chance to come to court and to prove that those who have accused it have committed some sort of bribery act or have corrupted the evidence. The best revenge for those falsely accused is to win acquittal.

Yet, Nasrallah continues to run from the law. Liars run. The innocent stand and defend.

Missing MyNigga over 13 years

"30 days, 30 years or even 300 years,"

Its cute how he thinks he is lasting that long! This fool won't last another 30 minutes!