July 27, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Zahraman says STL’s indictment should be accepted

Lebanon First bloc MP Khaled Zahraman told the Voice of Lebanon (VOL) radio station on Tuesday that since all political factions have agreed on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) at the national dialogue conference and in the cabinet’s ministerial statement, they should accept its decisions.

“If there should be an accusation that is not based on evidence, then we shall oppose it before others do,” Zahraman said.

He added that the situation in Lebanon was tense and that assistance from Arab countries might be needed to defuse tension.

Zahraman also said the talks about a mini-Arab summit to be held in Beirut this week to calm the situation are speculative. “No information is confirmed,” he stated.

The MP’s remarks come amid fears of sectarian strife over the STL’s indictment.

On July 16, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah accused the STL of being an “Israeli project” designed to target the Resistance by stirring up sectarian strife in Lebanon. Nasrallah’s speech has since caused strain and drawn harsh criticisms, mainly from March 14 alliance politicians.

Nasrallah later said that some Hezbollah members would be named in the STL’s indictment, which media reports said is expected to be issued before the end of the year.