July 26, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Hajj Hassan slams Harb over STL indictment remarks

Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan lashed out on Monday at Labor Minister Boutros Harb for saying that it is not a catastrophe if the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indicts some Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, according to a statement issued by Hezbollah’s media office.

“The catastrophe is that some do not see a catastrophe in falsification, misleading [the STL’s probe] and assassinating [former] PM Hariri twice: once through the assassination crime, and another by covering up [the identities of] the real killers,” Hajj Hassan said.

The war of words comes amid fears of sectarian conflict over the STL’s indictment.

On July 16, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused the STL of being an “Israeli project” designed to target the Resistance by stirring up sectarian strife in Lebanon.

Nasrallah’s speech has since caused tension and drawn harsh criticisms, mainly from March 14 alliance politicians.

Nasrallah later said that some Hezbollah members would be named in the STL’s indictment, which media reports said is expected to be issued before the end of the year.