April 1, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Jisr says STL does not target Hezbollah

In an exclusive interview with NOW Lebanon on Thursday, Lebanon First bloc MP Samir al-Jisr said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) does not target Hezbollah or its weapons. The STL was created to find the perpetrators behind the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Jisr also said that if an individual was summoned by the STL for interrogation does not necessarily mean s/he is a suspect.

He touched on the 2007 US- Internal Security Forces (ISF) cooperation agreement, asking, “Are those who criticized the agreement against former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora or ISF General Director Ashraf Rifi?”

Jisr also commented on Lebanese-Syrian relations, saying any meeting held between officials representing the two governments would only strengthen bilateral ties, in a possible reference to Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s Damascus visit on Wednesday during which he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Hayat newspaper published another interview with Jisr on Thursday in which he said the Defense, Interior and Municipalities Commission, which he heads, would continue its meetings to discuss the draft municipal electoral law unless Speaker Nabih Berri withdraws it.

He added that the upcoming municipal elections to take place in May would be held according to the current municipal law if the draft is not agreed upon, “because postponing the elections would violate the constitution,” he said.

-NOW Lebanon