August 19, 2010 - Daily Star - Hariri praises handover of STL 'evidence'

By Nafez Qawas

BEIRUT: Prime Minister Saad Hariri emphasized on Wednesday his commitment to the UN probe into his father former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s assassination and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) as the appropriate authority to seek justice.


“I decided to approach issues calmly and slowly and I made of silence a language that expresses itself and I am making simple [straightforward] statements so that they are not interpreted or explained,” Hariri said during an Iftar at his residence in Qoreitem.


Hariri praised Hizbullah’s decision to hand over proof the party said implicates Israel in his father’s murder to the Lebanese General Prosecution.


Hizbullah handed over on Monday documents to General Prosecutor Said Mirza, who in turn submitted the dossier to STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare but Hizbullah officials continue to stress that the party does not recognize the tribunal and refuses to cooperate with it.



Hariri also lashed out at media reports quoting sources close to him as outlets fabricating information.


“What you hear from me is true, I speak for myself and no one speaks on my behalf. I have a parliamentary bloc and a movement but some media outlets speak for me or quote sources close to me but I ask you not to take into account these claims since they are not true,” Hariri said.


Last week, As-Safir reported that sources close to Hariri quoted the premier as saying that if Israel refuses to cooperate with the STL, it would turn from a suspect to a convict. – Nafez Qawas