July 15, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Qassem says Hezbollah not accused in Hariri murder

In an interview with Kuwaiti newspaper Ad-Dar published on Thursday, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that no Hezbollah officials or members are accused of involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

“We have decided to deal with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) very carefully and according to its developments, and not to respond to media reports,” Qassem said.

His remarks come as an anonymous diplomatic source from the UN told As-Safir newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday that STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare expects to issue an indictment before the end of the year.

The daily also reported that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi told the Knesset last week that the STL’s indictment would be handed down in September and could lead to the deterioration of the situation in Lebanon.

Qassem said Hezbollah will deal with the STL according to its performance.

“If its performance is politicized, we will take a stance,” he said. “If its performance is judicial and based on conclusive evidence, we will take another position.”