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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Clinton warns Hezbollah it can't stop UN tribunal |
| 2010-11-13 |
| [Pak Daily Times] US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ... sometimes described as the Smartest Woman in the World and at other times as Mrs. Bill... warned Hezbullies against resorting to violence, saying the jihad boy group cannot stop a UN court investigating the liquidation of a former Lebanese prime minister. Clinton's remarks came in an interview with Leb's An-Nahar newspaper, published on Friday. It followed a threat by Hezbullies's leader Hassan Nasrallah who on Thursday said his group will 'cut the hand' of anyone who tries to arrest its members for the 2005 liquidation of Rafik Hariri. The Netherlands-based tribunal is expected to issue indictments soon, and speculation that members of the Iranian-backed Hezbullies could be targeted has fuelled fears of violence and a political crisis in the country. Nasrallah, who claims the court is biased, has said he expects members of his group to be indicted. 'Hezbullies should know that resorting once again to violence in Leb runs completely counter to the interests of the Lebanese people, the interests of the region, and of the United States,' Clinton said. 'They should also know that if the goal of violence is to stop the tribunal, it won't work,' she added. Hariri, Leb's most prominent politician after a 15-year civil war ended in 1990, was killed by a truck bombing that ushered in major political upheaval in the country. Immediately after the liquidation, suspicion fell on Damascus - leading to massive protests that ushered in the end of Syria's nearly 30-year military presence and domination in Leb. Damascus and Hezbullies have denied having any role in the killing. Nasrallah has also urged Lebanese not to cooperate with the probe. He says the court is an 'Israeli project' and poisoned by 'false witnesses' who misled the investigation. On Thursday, he said the group will defend itself against any accusation. 'Those who imagine that we will allow the arrest or detention of any of our fighters are mistaken,' he told thousands of supporters in south Beirut, a Hezbullies stronghold, speaking through a video link. 'We will cut the hand that reaches out for any one of them.' Hezbullies's warning puts more pressure on the Western-backed administration of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of the slain leader. |
| Posted by:Fred |