July 25, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Fatfat fears Hezbollah military coup if STL indicts group members

In an interview with Al-Liwaa newspaper to be published on Monday, Lebanon First bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat expressed his fear that Hezbollah might stage a military coup in Lebanon if the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indicts Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

This comes after Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah claimed on Thursday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri informed him in May that the STL, which is probing Rafik Hariri’s murder, will indict Hezbollah members. Nasrallah’s speech has since caused tension and drawn harsh criticisms, mainly from the March 14 alliance politicians.

“Hezbollah accuses anyone at odds with it of treason. This leads to strife,” Fatfat said. He questioned whether the tension caused by Hezbollah was linked to last month’s UN Security Council resolution that imposed new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

Fatfat said he does not fear street military clashes “because only [Hezbollah] possesses arms” when the STL issues its indictment. He added that no-one except STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare knows the contents of the tribunal’s pending indictment and when it will be issued.