May 6, 2009 - Naharnet - March 14 Warns of Attempts to Sabotage Polls and Destroy STL

The March 14 coalition said Wednesday the minority's decision to support the four generals and its previous opposition to any decision by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon are attempts to "kill" the court.
"The decision of the March 8 forces to support the generals and its (the coalition's) previous rejection to any decision by it (the court) are attempts to kill this tribunal," the March 14 general secretariat said after its weekly meeting.

The alliance reiterated its acceptance of the STL's decision last month to release the four generals who were held for almost four years in connection with ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination.

On the June 7 polls, the statement said that Lebanon is "witnessing an escalating political and security tension, which could be the beginning of a planned coup" to sabotage the elections.

The March 14 forces also condemned attacks on the judiciary and demanded the respect of the judicial institutions' independence.

The statement accused the March 8 forces of facilitating the escape to Syria of several individuals accused of attacking an army patrol in the Bekaa valley on April 13.

Syria -- purportedly responding to intervention of some Lebanese political parties -- has retracted its decision to hand over the suspects to Lebanon.

The daily An Nahar said Syrian authorities arrested overnight Saturday Hasan Abbas Jaafar, Mohammed Ali Jaafar and Fayyad Ismail after they crossed the border from Turkey