REPORT--Sayyed Nasrallah Tackles STL, Indictment with Evidences, Video Footage

By Nour Rida


Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah appeared on al-Manar TV station to deliver a speech which he described as a "Conference" complementary to the previous press conferences that were held to provide evidences and facts on the false accusations against Resistance members.
"The nature of the latest events compelled us to hold a press conference; however, my (speech) will replace the press conference. We will be displaying videos throughout the address," Sayyed Nasrallah said.

Sayyed Nasrallah tackled three titles the first is the international investigation committee and the investigation, the second title is the entire tribunal which fires false accusations against innocent people, and third and last title is the indictment and the current situation Lebanon is living. "The first thing we will talk about is the international commission investigating of the 2005 murder of Rafik Hariri. The second talking point will be the tribunal, which is headed by (Judge Antonio) Cassessee, and which we are being told to deal with, while the third issue I will be talking about is our position vis a vis the indictment of the court," Hizbullah leader said.

International Commission, Investigation Corrupt, Politicized

Sayyed Nasrallah said that his speech comes in context of what has been said about an indictment issued against Resistance fighters who have a bright history in resisting the "Israeli" enemy. He noted that this indictment is the product of a long path of which its features became clear following the "Israeli" defeat in the 2006 July war, reminding when the French newspaper "Le Figaro" leaked in an article that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's investigation related to former PM Rafik Hariri's assassination pointed fingers against Hizbullah.

"I will not be repeating what I have already stated, yet we need to talk about new issues. Of course, the reason for the address is the occasion of what it is said to be the release of the indictment (of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) that has named brothers in the Resistance. This is the result of a process, which is becoming clearer and clearer after "Israel's" defeat in the 2006 July War and also after the French newspaper "Le Figaro" reported in August, 2006 that the STL is moving toward indicting Hizbullah members," His Eminence reiterated.

Sayyed Nasrallah said "We were clear in the past that we cannot disregard the STL because it is the result of a UN Security Council Resolution and it has a purpose that it wants to accomplish. The timing of the STL indictment release has also a goal of its own that we will tackle throughout the address."

Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the most serious goal (of the STL and the investigation) is to cause strife or civil war between the Sunnis and Shiites, noting that the timing of the indictment has a goal of its own.

Concerning the investigation which is supposedly entitled to find the truth, Sayyed Nasrallah said that at first the investigation intended to target Syria and it officials, then moved on to accuse the four generals and then involving Hizbullah in the assassination. He added "During the past year, we said there is a possibility of having "Israel" involved in the murder and the fact that "Israeli" agents were presents at the murder scene one day before the murder," asking "Did (STL Prosecutor Daniel) Bellemare take into account this alleged evidence we had spoken about?"

Sayyed Nasrallah wondered why no one in the STL asked the "Israelis" anything, explaining the reason behind that as he added "This is normal, why? Because the tribunal, since its formation, had a precise goal and no one was allowed to talk to the "Israelis"." Hizbullah SG stressed that the STL and its investigation are politicized, explaining that instead of investigating the "Israelis", the STL gathered information from them.

Providing evidence on the politicization of the STL and its cooperation with "Israel" Sayyed Nasrallah declared that as Danielle Bellemare was appointed as the tribunal's prosecutor and after the cancelling of the internal commission investigating the probe, employees were transported and taken out of Beirut. At the time, 97 computers belonging to the internal commission investigating the probe were transported through the Naqoura border crossing and taken through occupied Palestine. Showing footage on "Israeli" documents that prove the transportation of the computers from Lebanon to "Israel", Sayyed Nasrallah asked "why does Bellemare want to take these computers from Lebanon to "Israel"? Why didn't they ship them out of the Beirut port? Can Mr. Bellemare answer this question?"

Furthermore, Sayyed Nasrallah questioned if this was a just probe, and if the investigators and experts are not against the Resistance then why would they have ties with US Intelligence." Hizbullah leader further explained that the experts and investigators should be neutral, noting "One of Bellemare's assistants is a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative. All of Bellemare's officers are not neutral and are not seeking the truth."

*(A video footage shows information about STL investigators: Najib Nick Keldass, of Australian descent, is shown as having ties to the CIA. Also, Michael Taylor, Darell Mandeze, a former US Marines officer is also presented as having tight relations with the CIA and FBI. Also, Dored Bcherawi, a French citizen of Lebanese descent, is the first one who accused Syria of murdering Hariri without possessing any piece of evidence. Robert Bear, American, former CIA officer who still has ties to the CIA and who worked in Lebanon for years to track down Hizbullah martyred Leader Imad Moghnieh.)

Hizbullah Secretary General added that alongside the incredible probe, the investigators were corrupt, noting that justice cannot be served. Giving an example on the corrupt investigators and STL personals, Sayyed Nasrallah mentioned Commissioner Gerhard Lehmann (Former Commissioner of the United Nations International Independent Investigation Commission into the assassination of Former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri) who was also Detlev Mehlis's assistant and sold information related to the investigation and was corrupt. Sayyed Nasrallah had disclosed some information in an earlier conference on Lehmann exposing how he was corrupt.

*(A video footage shows Lehmann having ties to the "Israelis" and got paid in return for selling reports related to the assassination probe.)

Sayyed Nasrallah then said that not only was the investigation committee corrupt, but it was also linked to false witnesses who gave false testimonies to the panel.
"Bellemare personally worked and followed up on the task to lift the international (INTERPOL) warrant against Mohammad Zuheir al-Siddiq, (the Syrian agent who misled the UN probe into the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri because the investigators were involved in it," Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding that Hizbullah has obtained information and evidence on the matter but wishes not disclose at the moment.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah pointed out that the investigation was not secret, as everything was leaked in the newspapers and all the people got to know information related to the probe, wondering "Is there any credibility left?" His Eminence reiterated that the leaks were released through corruption, security breach (as there are those related to intelligence and others of the March 14 who have obtained some information on the probe) as well as intentional leakage of information. Hizbullah leader added that the leaks made by the investigation committee aimed at distorting the image of the Resistance, repeating the question "Where is the secrecy of the investigation?"

"The worst form of leaks took place a few days ago, when the STL delegation of investigators met with (State Attorney General) Saeed Mirza to deliver the indictment and at the same time, the names of the indicted people were being broadcast through media outlets," Sayyed Nasrallah underlined.

The last point concerning the investigation and investigators Sayyed Nasrallah tackled was that the indictment was politically employed. He also reminded that the names leaked through media outlets were identical to the names that were leaked earlier in Der Speigel and CBC in 2009, at the time Lebanese parliamentary elections were taking place, when certain parties spent up to 3 Billion Dollars for this aim. Sayyed Nasrallah noted that today, again, the indictment was released at this point particularly in an attempt to obstruct the parliament in granting its vote of confidence, in such a way to pressure the newly formed government. He reiterated that the goal is to bring down the new government as the March 14 parties want to use the indictment as a weapon in their campaign against it.

STL to No Avail, No Strife Between Sunnis, Shiites

Concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said that some say the (Hizbullah) brothers should give in themselves to the tribunal to prove their innocence, but he noted there are a lot of rules and procedure used in the STL investigation that are very suspicious. His Eminence stressed that there is no justice in the prosecutor's office, recalling the evidence where the four Lebanese generals were detained for four years on suspicion of involvement with the Hariri assassination, while receiving no compensation at least in return for what they went through.

Sayyed Nasrallah then moved on to talk about the STL president judge, Antonio Cassesse. "Let us now see who Antonio Cassese really is. He is a friend of the "Israelis", according to the testimony of one of his friends," Sayyed Nasrallah explained right before the footage rolled showing Cassesse's friend talking in a conference.
Hizbullah Secretary General sarcastically wondered "Are we supposed to stand before a judge who is a great friend to "Israel" who is supposed to realize justice? A great friend to "Israel" who considers the Resistance as "terrorist" and that resistance movements are "terrorist"...imagine that he beforehand considers the resistance fighters as terrorists, and we want him to achieve justice??"

"Imagine that "Israel" in Cassesse's eyes is the only state in the region that abides by law and human rights, and that what has been happening in Palestine for the past 60 years with more than 11 thousand detainees, as well as the "Israeli" massacres in Lebanon are no problem to him, as Cassesse believes "Israel" wages war against terrorism," Sayyed Nasrallah explained.
Before showing the footage, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that Cassesse also provided "Israel" with some advice related to the onslaught on the Gaza Strip, of which the footage showed a document he had signed.

*(VIDEO FOOTAGE showing Cassesse's friend talking during the 2010 Herzliya Conference -"Israel's" primary global policy annual gathering- where he described Cassese as a friend of "Israel" who was not able to attend the meeting.")

Again, Sayyed Nasrallah questioned how can such a tribunal achieve justice.
 

Hizbullah SG tackled the current situation, where the STL indictment was issued against Resistance members. Addressing the March 14 and the Resistance people, Sayyed Nasrallah said that there are those (particularly the "Israelis") who hope to see a civil war, but God willing, there will be no strife among the Lebanese especially between the Sunnis and Shiites. "I said this a year earlier, one of the investigation's goals is to sow strife among the Lebanese but there will be no strife. I tell you, after the issuance of the so-called indictment, there will be no strife or civil war in Lebanon," Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated adding "Rest assured, nothing has happened or will happen, unless a third party will interfere seeking to spark a conflict."

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that we are supposed to preserve peace in the country and prevent the STL and its indictment from reaching its goals.

Two Pieces of Advice to March 14 Camp

As for the March 14 camp, Sayyed Nasrallah addressed them saying "you consider yourself as the opposition and this is your right. But I have two pieces of advice for you: First is that you should not hold the cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Mikati responsible for not being able to carry out the arrest warrants (of the STL's prosecutor's office), which the Hariri cabinet would not have had been responsible for either at the time. Even if the cabinet was backed by March 14, it will not be able to carry out the warrants and arrest the indicted people. I don't think that they will be able to arrest them not in one, two or even in 600 years.' As for the second piece of advice to the March 14 parties, Sayyed Nasrallah said "Do not ask PM Mikati or his cabinet to give up his goals in order to remain in power, just like former PM Saad Hariri did."

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that if we act wisely, we can save Lebanon from this event that the "Israelis" have been waiting for since years, as it is an entity that lives on the blood of others. He reiterated that the Resistance, whether before the indictment, after it, during the investigations, the tribunal, before and after all the investigators and experts is and will always remain steadfast.


To Supporters: Resistance To Remain Steadfast, No Worries

Addressing the Hizbullah supporters, Sayyed Nasrallah stated that for the Resistance, this war is not surprising and it does not affect the resistance. "I also want to tell our supporters that there are some, including certain Lebanese figures, who want to provoke you. Some March 14 Christians are dreaming of it. They might be provoked, but do not give course to these provocations, we must be patient and disregard incitements," Sayyed Nasrallah warned.

Ending the speech, Sayyed Nasrallah said "this investigation and this tribunal were established to serve a political goal, the STL. Its rules and its president were selected to serve the same goal. This tribunal is American-"Israeli", we reject it and everything issued by it. We consider it an act of aggression against us and we will not let it get to us and we will not allow it to incite strife or civil war in Lebanon. That suffering injustice with us is (assassinated former PM) Rafik Hariri."

Sayyed Nasrallah assured that the Resistance is determined to continue the path through which to protect the country saying "I want to tell the supporters of the Resistance not to be worried; this is part of a war we are fighting since the establishment of the Zionist entity and its aggression on the land of Palestine." Sayyed Nasrallah added that this war is also part of the psychological, credibility and trust war which is added up to that of destructing homes and killing the children and women, of which Lebanon has been experiencing since 1982.