August 12, 2010 - Naharnet - Ball Now In Hizbullah Court after Mirza Conveyed Bellemare's Request for Data

A request by Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare demanding Lebanese authorities to provide all the information in possession of Hizbullah has reportedly made its way to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat said Thursday it learned that Bellemare's office on Wednesday sent a written request to State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza in line with an agreement signed between the Justice Ministry and the STL Prosecutor.
It cited well-informed sources as saying that Mirza, in turn, passed on the request to Nasrallah via Wafiq Safa, Head of Hizbullah's Coordination and Liaison Committee.

The sources said Hizbullah promised to give Bellemare an answer "later."

A senior Hizbullah source, meanwhile, told Al-Liwaa newspaper that Bellemare's request for data "will not change our perspective and lack of confidence in the performance of the International Tribunal and the investigating committee."

"This request includes the video material that was shown on television during the press conference, as well any other material that would be of assistance to the Office of the Prosecutor in unveiling the truth," Bellemare's press release said.

The Office of the Prosecutor also invited Nasrallah "to use his authority to facilitate its investigation."

"Away from the spotlight, the Office of the Prosecutor is pursuing its investigation according to the highest standards of international justice, in a neutral and objective way. The Office of the Prosecutor is led by the evidence and nothing else," said the press release.

The Office of the Prosecutor said it has "the sole responsibility for the investigation and acts independently," stressing that "nobody can influence its direction."

"As such, it must pursue all possible leads," added Bellemare's request.