[An Nahar] Al-Akhbar newspaper snapped back Friday at the Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces over the latter's communiqué the same day in which it denied that any of its officers had made any interview with the daily."Given that the communiqué of the ISF Directorate General avoided to deny the occurrence of a meeting between the article's writer and one of the directorate's most prominent officers, and given that the same communiqué avoided to deny the information mentioned in the article, Al-Akhbar is concerned with stressing that publishing the content of the interview between the article's writer and one of ISF's most prominent officers had occurred according to the traditional work mechanism," the daily said, adding that "it understands the embarrassment of the officer concerned."
Al-Akhbar stressed that "what was published is a part of the information revealed by the officer to the article's writer," adding that the journalist's supposed visit to the officer's office was both "professional" and "personal."
"We are convinced Hizbullah killed (ex-PM) Rafik Hariri and the international investigation (commission) has evidence to prove that," Al-Akhbar on Friday quoted an "authoritative security source" close to Premier Saad Hariri as saying.
The source added, explaining in chronological order, that in 2006 and before the Israel-Hizbullah July war, ISF's Intelligence Bureau had reached data and evidence of the involvement of Hizbullah members in the execution of the murder.
He said that head of the Intelligence Bureau, Col. Wissan al-Hasan, informed Hariri of the data. The prime minister, in turn, dispatched al-Hasan to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
But Nasrallah did not agree with Hasan, neither did he deny, the source added.
He said three other meetings were held between Hizbullah and security officials to discuss the evidence, the source said.
The security source went on to explain the series of meetings and contacts between Hariri's team and Hizbullah and between ISF and Hizbullah which he said could be summarized in simple words:
We offered the party an exit that calls on Hizbullah to announce its readiness to prosecute members for evidence implicating them in Hariri's murder, just like the road map presented by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, who has stated several times that Syria would try any of its nationals proved involved in the assassination process.
"We suggested that Hizbullah hide these persons or liquidate them or convict them morally," the source said.
By doing so, the source explained, the investigation will not be able to get to the side that ordered the killing.
"But we were surprised when Nasrallah closed the door on us, saying he is responsible for any act done by any Hizbullah member as if the party is not penetrated, and we know that it is and we gave him evidence for that," the security source told Al-Akhbar.
He said the three Hizbullah officials found to have ties with Israel have been "liquidated" after police informed Hizbullah of them.
Argument over the so-called false witnesses in the Hariri case, the source added, "in addition to those trying to suggest that this is a big issue, is a distortion of the facts."
He said police has information that Hizbullah and its allies intend to take street action following the visit to Leb by Iran's diminutive President Mahmoud
Short RoundAhmadinejad planned for mid-October.
The source believes that Hizbullah will try to control most of the country, "and I can assure you that no one will confront Hizbullah."
"Security forces will protect the areas they can protect. Citizens will not face up to Hizbullah in the streets, but they may block alleyways in several areas ... men will protect themselves with individual weapons the same way Al-Ahbash prevented Hizbullah from entering its base for nearly six hours."
Certain regions, like north Leb where there is a Sunni weight, will be closed, adding that the Lebanese Forces, which has the ability to mobilize, will not resort to weapons because its leader Samir Geagea has chosen to stand by State institutions.