July 28, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Geagea: STL false witnesses are Syrian intelligence agents

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Wednesday that all of the false witnesses used in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) are Syrians and most of them belong to the Syrian intelligence agency, according to a statement from his press office.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah earlier this month said he doubts the STL’s credibility and on Sunday called for forming a Lebanese commission to investigate alleged false witnesses used in the tribunal’s investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

In a possible reference to Syria, Geagea said false witnesses were brought in by “another party” to undermine the investigation.

“How can a witness hold a press conference admitting he is a false witness after testifying in the investigation?” he asked, adding that this is a charade that only the STL can clarify.

“How do they know that these false witnesses misled the [Hariri] probe when it is supposed to be classified?” Geagea also questioned.

He pointed out that the four generals who were detained for their alleged involvement in Hariri’s murder were later released because of lack of evidence, not because they were innocent.

The STL indictment will be rejected if it is not based on evidence and facts, he said, adding that Hezbollah should further discuss with March 14 its warning about the outbreak of sectarian conflict when the tribunal issues its pending indictment.

Geagea also criticized Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun for saying that if he were a prosecutor in the case, he would question Geagea in the investigation.

Aoun only criticizes people not allied with Syria, the LF leader added.