BEIRUT: A former chief investigator for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has hit back at Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah for accusing him of being a stooge for Israel and the CIA – he pointing the finger at Hezbollah for the killing of former statesman Rafik Hariri.
“They’re very, very hurtful, damaging allegations. No evidence whatsoever has been put up by him,” said Nick Kaldas, who headed the investigation for a year starting March 2009, in an interview to be aired Sunday night on SBS ONE dateline with Yaara Bou Melhem.
Nasrallah has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the tribunal, which has accused four members of his group of involvement in the assassination of Hariri in 2005.
The Hezbollah chief has also voiced suspicions regarding STL judges and investigators including Kaldas, who Nasrallah accused of being an Israeli-CIA stooge.
Hezbollah says the U.N.-backed court is a U.S.-Israeli tool aimed at targeting the resistance group and of seeking to sow sectarian strife in the country. It denies any involvement in the assassination.
“Firstly, there is not a skerrick [shred] of evidence to suggest any involvement from Israel or anybody else who’s been accused by Hezbollah. Secondly, if you look at pure motive, political causes and so on, I’m not sure that Israel or anybody who’s aligned with them has actually gained by the assassination of Mr. Hariri. In fact, the opposite,” Kaldas told Dateline.
During the interview, Kaldas, who is now the deputy commissioner of the NSW Police, pointed the finger of blame at Hezbollah for the former Lebanese statesman’s assassination.
“You do get to a point in an investigation where you’re satisfied that a person, or group or individuals are responsible for the murder. You do need to eliminate all the other possibilities and I think that happened in this case, but then you have to focus and become committed to the direction in which you are heading,” Kaldas told Dateline, adding that this direction was ultimately Hezbollah.
Kaldas also rejected Hezbollah’s attack on key telecommunications evidence put forward by the STL, which the party claims was open to manipulation by Israel.
“It’s easy to stand up on a podium and make really spurious, unproven allegations when you’re not being cross examined on them. I think it’s cowardly in many ways.” Kaldas said.
Nasrallah has defended the four men accused in the case, describing them as honorable men who fought gallantly in the resistance against the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.
The Hezbollah chief has said that the four would never be apprehended but tried in absentia instead.
Kaldas also said that the case would move to a trial in absentia for the accused and that evidence presented would include witness testimony.
Despite numerous leaks to the media of confidential files relating to the investigation, Kaldas said the case had not been compromised.
“It’s unfortunate that some previous staff member or someone with a grievance has sought to leak some aspect of the information and that’s disappointing, that happens but I don’t think it’s had an impact on the investigation. The evidence is what it is,” Kaldas said.
“There is protection for witnesses and I’m sure the office of the prosecutor will do all they can to protect witnesses,” Kaldas added.
Hezbollah reportedly declined several requests for a Dateline interview.
The interview is part of a dateline report on the investigation into the assassination of Hariri.
“They’re very, very hurtful, damaging allegations. No evidence whatsoever has been put up by him,” said Nick Kaldas, who headed the investigation for a year starting March 2009, in an interview to be aired Sunday night on SBS ONE dateline with Yaara Bou Melhem.
Nasrallah has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the tribunal, which has accused four members of his group of involvement in the assassination of Hariri in 2005.
The Hezbollah chief has also voiced suspicions regarding STL judges and investigators including Kaldas, who Nasrallah accused of being an Israeli-CIA stooge.
Hezbollah says the U.N.-backed court is a U.S.-Israeli tool aimed at targeting the resistance group and of seeking to sow sectarian strife in the country. It denies any involvement in the assassination.
“Firstly, there is not a skerrick [shred] of evidence to suggest any involvement from Israel or anybody else who’s been accused by Hezbollah. Secondly, if you look at pure motive, political causes and so on, I’m not sure that Israel or anybody who’s aligned with them has actually gained by the assassination of Mr. Hariri. In fact, the opposite,” Kaldas told Dateline.
During the interview, Kaldas, who is now the deputy commissioner of the NSW Police, pointed the finger of blame at Hezbollah for the former Lebanese statesman’s assassination.
“You do get to a point in an investigation where you’re satisfied that a person, or group or individuals are responsible for the murder. You do need to eliminate all the other possibilities and I think that happened in this case, but then you have to focus and become committed to the direction in which you are heading,” Kaldas told Dateline, adding that this direction was ultimately Hezbollah.
Kaldas also rejected Hezbollah’s attack on key telecommunications evidence put forward by the STL, which the party claims was open to manipulation by Israel.
“It’s easy to stand up on a podium and make really spurious, unproven allegations when you’re not being cross examined on them. I think it’s cowardly in many ways.” Kaldas said.
Nasrallah has defended the four men accused in the case, describing them as honorable men who fought gallantly in the resistance against the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.
The Hezbollah chief has said that the four would never be apprehended but tried in absentia instead.
Kaldas also said that the case would move to a trial in absentia for the accused and that evidence presented would include witness testimony.
Despite numerous leaks to the media of confidential files relating to the investigation, Kaldas said the case had not been compromised.
“It’s unfortunate that some previous staff member or someone with a grievance has sought to leak some aspect of the information and that’s disappointing, that happens but I don’t think it’s had an impact on the investigation. The evidence is what it is,” Kaldas said.
“There is protection for witnesses and I’m sure the office of the prosecutor will do all they can to protect witnesses,” Kaldas added.
Hezbollah reportedly declined several requests for a Dateline interview.
The interview is part of a dateline report on the investigation into the assassination of Hariri.
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