Transcript of the speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah via Al Manar TV in which he commented on the indictment released by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Saturday July2, 2011.
I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. Praise be to Allah the Lord of the world. Peace be on our Master and Prophet Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste Household, chosen companions and on all prophets and messengers.
Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The nature of the event necessitates that we hold a press conference tonight. However, the lack of time and the need for definite procedures and technical measures kept from holding such a press conference.
So my address to you tonight is the alternative for the press conference. In the process of my speech as well and due to the importance of the issue some footages will be broadcasted as evidences or as personal identifications as what took place in the previous press conference several months ago. Then we said that was the first section of the press conference. We consider that this is the complementary sequel to that press conference.
In what I will present and tackle pertaining to the issue Inshallah, I will not repeat what we mentioned in the previous press conference, and should I do, that'll be briefly and only for recalling. That's because there are several new issues which we must present today to the public opinion concerning what we are facing today pertaining to this issue. So I will only make recollections and whoever wants to go into more details may refer to the previous press conferences or the conferences which were held later on such as the judicial conference or the conference which had to do with communication that was held by the official and civil sides.
In fact, the reason for this speech and addressing you today is the so called issuance of the indictment against resisting men with an honorable history in resisting the Israeli occupation of Lebanon. This indictment which was issued during these days is in fact a step in a long track. Its features started appear clearly concerning Hezbollah following the defeat of Israel and the victory of the Resistance in July War which ended on August 14th. Few days after this victory, Le Figaro newspaper on August 19th, 2006 – so after 5 days – wrote a report in which it said that the international investigation is moving in the direction of accusing Hezbollah or members, cadres and leaderships in Hezbollah in the crime of assassinating martyr PM Rafiq Hariri. Indeed, we have preciously commented on this issue. We said that this material was ready and they were only waiting for the outcome of the war. So as the result was contrary to what they want, this material was revealed and this sword or weapon was unsheathed in face of the victorious Resistance. Indeed we previously explained that this track has several goals which they want to achieve. After getting through – we can't say totally getting through – with the accusation of Syria and the four generals, they came to Hezbollah. We have mentioned a group of goals. We also said we are cooperating along with some political forces, personalities, centers and media outlets in Lebanon and in the Arab and Islamic world to frustrate these goals. We were clear in all what took place so far. We can't annul the tribunal because it was an outcome of a resolution issued by the Security Council which is dominated by the US administration and because the tribunal has a definite track and definite goals which it seeks to achieve no matter what takes place and for whatever repercussions or losses or gains. Thus we went to another stage and said that this track has definite goals; let's cripple these goals. You remember we talked about distorting the reputation and image of the Resistance and its leaders and cadres and fighters. We talked about the goal of harming the determination and will of the Resistance, the leaders and fighters of the Resistance in carrying on in their track. What is more important and serious is the goal of causing an ordeal in Lebanon or a civil war in Lebanon in particular sowing sedition between Sunnites and Shiites and between Shiites and Sunnites in Lebanon. These are the primary goals which we have previously talked about. Indeed the timing of the issuance of the indictment has a special goal. I might refer to it later in my speech.
Accordingly, I will tackle three topics. As usual I will make an outline. The first topic has to do with the investigation, the investigators and the investigation committee on both its stages. We all remember that the investigation or the investigation committee had two stages.
The first stage is the stage of the international investigation committee.
The second stage is after forming the tribunal and naming Bellemare a General Prosecutor and canceling the international investigation committee and the investigation became among the competence of the General Prosecutor Mr. Bellemare.
So the first topic is the investigation and the investigators.
The second topic is the tribunal which is headed by Mr. Cassesse and who some call on us now to appeal to, or they call on those unjustly accused to accept seeking his decision to prove their innocence.
The third topic is the position from the indictment and dealing with the current stage. There is also an address first to the people, second to March 14 Bloc and their masses and thirdly to the audience of the Resistance.
This is the general outline for tonight's speech. I'll start with the first topic. Under every topic there are also several subtitles so as to facilitate things. As for the investigation, first it is known that the investigation must approach or reach the truth. One of our problems with the investigation so far is that it took one track. First it accused Syria and then the four general and the Lebanese-Syrian security apparatuses. When it ended up with this track, it moved to the track of Hezbollah or leaderships, cadres and members in Hezbollah. In the past year, we said well there is another track. Why don't you work on it? There is another supposition; why don't you take it into consideration? Namely it is the Israeli supposition. I held a lengthy press conference. I tackled a group of indications which has to do with the reconnaissance planes, the way Israel stages assassination operations, the arrested collaborators and spies who are currently arrested by the Lebanese court and their confessions on logistic missions and facilitating the entrance of Israeli commandos groups to Lebanese territories and collaborators who were on the scene in St. George a day before the execution of the assassination operation. We provided a group of indications and we told you that this might set a lead in. The question is: Did Mr. Bellemare or the bureau of the general prosecutor or anyone in the STL or anyone in the world who claim seeking justice and the truth take this into consideration? Never! They did not take any step. They were content with demanding a copy of these indications which were broadcasted from the state prosecutor. Later they said that was insufficient. However, with the amendment or before or after the amendment, Mr. Cassesse and Mr. Bellemare are trying to refer to something called conditional evidences in the procedures and evidences rules. Men of law know this and in the press conference held by brethren Hajj Mohammad Raad and Judge Salim Jraisati they explained what is meant with conditional evidences. I will not interpret what is meant by conditional evidences and direct evidences and the like because they said it is impossible to reach direct evidences. So they accepted conditional evidences which do not lead to certitude. Well if we only applied these conditional evidences which Cassesse talks about and which Bellemare talks about on what we presented as concerning the Israeli issue, they would have been enough to accuse Israel. Still they did not do that. That would have been sufficient not only according to my opinion. We have referred to judges on the national and international levels. They said yes if this tribunal depends conditional evidences, these indications are enough to make an accusation. However, these indications were not enough for Bellemare to take into consideration or for Francine or anyone in the STL to take into consideration. They did not question Israel to the effect of why you were flying reconnaissance planes over Beirut and its environment or over Sidon? Why were your collaborators there? Nothing of this sort took place. This is very natural and normal. Why? That's because this tribunal was formed with a clear cut aim. It is not allowed that anyone carry an investigation with Israel or the Israelis. There is a resolution issued by the International Investigation Committee which has not so far been put into force. It's the resolution concerning Jenin and the massacre which was perpetrated in jenin. The Israelis did not allow anyone to carry an investigation or address them with any question. Well, this is first. The question to the seekers of the truth is: These are indications. If you are depending conditional evidences, take them into consideration. Moreover, it is not my competence to carry a comprehensive investigation and provide Mr. Bellemare with it. In fact, he depended in some cases on rumors or given or analyses from here and there and he built on it a track whereas we presented at least indications which are sufficient as a lead in to a track. However that was not taken into consideration because the investigation is politicized and the STL is politicized.
Second, instead of investigating with the Israelis, they rather cooperated with the Israelis on the informative level. They were provided with information by Israel instead of investigating with the Israelis and interrogating with them. Millis personally acknowledged this in an answer to a question addressed to him by Le Figaro in 2005. He said yes there is informative cooperation with Israel. We are provided with information by Israel. Imagine that Israel which must be under one supposition an accused is a side that supplies the international investigation with supposed information. Moreover in November 2010, Liebermann in a joint press conference with the Italian Foreign Minister Fratini said the following: Israel's cooperation with the international community concerning Hariri's cause was really an open cooperation, and it took place with absolute transparency and faithfulness. So instead of interrogating the Israelis and investigating with them, there was rather cooperation with the Israelis. Third, I have a question also concerning the track of the investigation. People know that when the tribunal was formed and Bellemare was appointed a general Prosecutor, there came to be a new topic. Beirut was the seat of the international investigation committee headed by Bellemare. That means the investigators were here, the computers were here, the files were here... Everything was here and they indeed had a center. When the international investigation committee was cancelled and became a part of the bodies and the structure of the STL, the office of General Prosecutor Bellemare moved a considerable number of employees, investigators, equipments and files from Lebanon and only a branch remained here in Lebanon. Well the employers left via Beirut Airport. Some equipments were transported via Beirut Airport or Seaport. Usually if international institutions in Lebanon want to move members or equipment, that takes place via Beirut airport or Beirut seaport or through Al Masnaa Crossing point. Well everything was moved as such except the computers belonging to the international investigation committee. Ninety Seven computers which I suppose is all the equipment the international investigation committee in Monte Verde had were moved via Al Naqura Crossing Point towards Occupied Palestine (Israel). Isn't that strange? We have an Israeli document we which will broadcast later on that asserts that via a manifesto of the transported items which passed through the Israeli customs at the border.
I have a question to Mr. Bellemare: Why did you have to transfer 97 computers which include the data, indications and analyses and names, documents, confessions and audio recordings via Israel? Why did not you transfer them via Beirut Airport or Beirut Seaport? Why did that take place via Israel? Where did these computers go to in Israel? What did they do with them? We all know that Israel is one of the very developed countries on the technological level especially in the field of electronics. May Mr. Bellemare answer us? Why were the computers belonging to the international investigation committee transferred from Beirut to The Hague had to pass through Israel? Now the document will be broadcasted.
(Report)
Transferring the computers of the international investigation committee via Occupied Palestine.
In July 2009, 97 computers belonging to the international investigation committee were transferred along with their accessories via Occupied Palestine in the framework of finalizing the operation of moving from the international investigation committee to the STL.
Despite the fact that all international bodies in Lebanon move all of their equipment and even its vehicles via Beirut airport and seaport, these equipments were moved as such for reasons known to all.
Here we display a document issued by the Customs Department in the enemy's entity which shows the number of the container 29148 which belongs to the independent international investigation committee. Then we will tackle the contents of the container. This document was issued by the Zionist Customs Department.
Here the date is shown. This is the signature of the Head of the Customs Department. This is the number of the container. The contents of the container show the number of computer sets which is 97 computers.
So they are 77 plus 20 so that you know where the number 97 came from.
We carry on with the fourth point under the investigation topic. An unbiased, fair and just investigation must depend on officers, experts and counselors who are at least neutral. They must be neutral. They must not be hostile or have a position set in advance or a negative background towards the supposedly accused side which they are investigating. However, this international investigation – especially in the last years – used to resort to investigators, experts and counselors who had negative backgrounds towards the resistance movements and the Islamist movements and are connected to the US and British intelligence bodies. Moreover, one of the most important experts and counselors to Mr. Bellemare as you will see in a while is a senior CIA officer. He used to work for over 10 years or 15 years in Lebanon on Hezbollah and on Martyr leader Imad Moghniyeh and he is an accomplice to the CIA in Bir Al Abed Massacre which took place in 1985 and which targeted late Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah (May Allah reward him in Heaven). That led to the martyrdom of tens or around a 100 martyrs including women, children and civilians in Bir Al Abed. So we wrap up this subtopic saying officers, experts and counselors under Bellemare are classified as having backgrounds set in advance and are not by any means neutral persons who are searching for the truth in an unbiased way.
We may as well have an idea on these officers. I call on the audience to pay special attention to the last section which has to do with the US officer. There is a section extracted from an Arab satellite outlet episode. This section is a bit long. I hope you will give it special attention.
(Report)
Name: Najib Kildas
Nationality: Australian, of an Egyptian origin.
Position: Former head of the investigation 3/2009 to 3/2010.
Role: Following up and orienting the investigation.
Previous Position: Officer in the Australian Police.
US ties: He has relations with the CIA. He had worked in Iraq in 2004 to form an intelligence body for the Iraqi police under the US occupation.
Name: Michel Tailor
Nationality: British
Position: Current head of the investigation in the STL since 3/2010 onwards.
Role: Setting the investigation strategies through his previous post in the technical investigation team and conducting the current investigation.
Previous head of the anti-terrorist team belonging to the British New Scotland Yard Police. He is specialized in "anti-Islamist terrorism".
Name: Darrell Mandese
Nationality: American
Position: Prosecution officer in the General Prosecutor office.
Role: Transferring the outcome of the investigation to legal material for prosecution. He has close relations with the various US security institutions including CIA and FBI. He still has close ties with them. He is a previous general lawyer in the US Navy.
Name: Doraid Bishrawi
Nationality: Lebanese. He holds the French nationality.
Position: Legal Counselor for the General Prosecutor.
Role: He provides the General Prosecutor with legal consultation in all cases whether little or great. He was the first to put theories with no proofs and in advance for the accusation of Syria and the joint Lebanese security bodies in the assassination of PM Hariri.
He has well known negative political stances towards the resistance movements and Hezbollah in particular.
He played a negative role in many of the legal opinions which oriented the prosecution office among which is the false witnesses.
Name: Robert Baer
Nationality: American
Position: Counselor in the General Prosecutor office.
Role: Expert in the Islamist movements and Hezbollah in particular.
He is a previous CIA officer. He still keeps his relations with it. He worked for years in prosecuting martyr leader Hajj Imad Moghniyeh. He partook in Lebanon in a number of executive operations against Hezbollah. A short period after kidnapping William Bacley – the head of the CIA – Lebanon Branch in 1984, the head of the operations department in the CIA named Robert Baer reached Lebanon.
His announced mission was specifying the identity of Bacley's kidnappers.
In 1985, the CIA under William Casey decided to avenge through assassination of Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah (May Allah reward him in Heaven). On March 8, 1985, an enormous explosion exploded in Bir Al Abed. It was caused by detonating a booby trapped car parked near the house of Sayyed Fadlallah in Bir Al Abed in Beirut Southern Suburbs. It led to the martyrdom of around 85 persons. More than 200 were wounded. His Eminence Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah was unharmed. Robert Baer intelligence mission carried on in Lebanon and the neighboring area. He worked on several targets for Hezbollah in several Lebanese regions. Among these targets was persecuting martyr leader Imad Moghniyeh. However he failed to get hold of him.
(Report from Abu Dhabi Satellite)
Anchor in Abu Dhabi Channel in a dialogue with Robert Baer: Welcome again in tonight's episode of "Muthir Liljadal" in which we welcome our guest – previous CIA officer Robert Baer.
In this framework, I would like to talk about the stage which you spent in Lebanon. You were charged of prosecuting Imad Moghniyeh who was assassinated 2 years ago in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Baer: He was a terrorist.
Anchor: You were charged of prosecuting him for 15 years. However, you say that the closer you come to him, the more mysteries come to surround this man.
Baer: He was a man who had many lives. I mean he was truly a man that was powerful. I mean he would never come out from the same entrance he went in. He was cautious and careful. He did not even use the mobile. When I was in Beirut, I exerted great efforts to kidnap him. They all failed.
Anchor: Why did they all fail?
Baer: We couldn't get close to him. He moved too much. He had much protection.
Anchor: Can we say that was a kind of failure in the US intelligence in reaching Moghniyeh?
Baer: It was an awful failure. It was a complete failure.
In 1997 Robert Baer resigned from the CIA but kept his strong ties and open lines with the agency making use of his previous intelligence experience to undertake consultation activities. In 2010 Robert Baer appeared again but this time in the bureau of the STL General Prosecutor office as a consultant and an expert. As for the target, it was again Hezbollah.
So what is this section saying? This section is saying that those who were charged of discovering the truth are people of this sort. Some are antagonistic. Some have a negative position. Some are killers, conspirers and spies. Most of them or all of them have relations with the US intelligence. Is this staff along with Mr. Bellemare the team that might lead to reaching the truth? Is this team competent of working on the supposition of Israel as assassinating martyr PM Rafiq Hariri even if it was provided with indications more than what we had already provided during the previous year? Second, we add to the incompetence of the investigation, the hostility of the team and their security background and the corruption of the investigators. The investigator or the investigation committee must comprise neutral people. However, they were corrupt. Thus we can’t reach the truth and achieve justice. Isn’t that true? We are before such an investigation committee. Today we will present one sample. He is Gerhard Lehmann whom I talked about previously. He was deputy of President Millis. So he was the deputy president of the international investigation committee before the STL was formed. Indeed Millis is well known. Nobody needs to talk about him. I believe that the era which Millis and Lehmann spent in Lebanon was a golden era in their lives in all criteria especially the norms of corruption. Well a deputy president of an international investigation committee sells documents, confessions, testimonies and affidavits. He sold a complete file in exchange for money. You will Inshallah watch the scene in a while. Well if for exchange of money he betrays the trust of witnesses some of whom are senior politicians. If Bellemare or the international tribunal wished to carry an investigation, we have no problem. We will broadcast the video but we have no problem in providing a copy of the documents which Mr. Lehmann - the deputy president of the international investigation committee Millis sold. Well if he sells documents and betrays the trust, if he was given money what would he do with the trust, given and information? Where does he take it? What does he do with it? Where does he falsify? If in exchange for some ten thousand dollars – so it is not a big amount as you will see – he gave this file. If he is given a million or two or ten million dollars – some people were paying 500 million dollars to distort the image of the Resistance or the officers or Syria. They are willing to pay 10 million dollars to Lehmann and Millis and their like – what would they do with the investigation? So the fifth subtopic is the fiscal and moral corruption. As for moral corruption, there is much to say but it does not suit me as a cleric to open this file regarding what Mr. Millis and Lehmann made in Lebanon. However the fiscal issue which we will watch together is enough. As the footage needs some attention, please pay attention to the middle. There is a hand handing in money. So he is not taking them off the table. He is rather receiving them hand to hand.
Report
Name: Gerhard Lehmann
Nationality: German
Previous Post: Officer in the German intelligence
Relation with the International Investigation: Vice President of Detlev Millis the first head of the Independent International Investigation Committee.
During his post in the German intelligence, he worked on parties and organizations opposite to the Zionist enemy. During the international investigation he tried to get in a number of bargains. He offered General Jamil Sayyed the well known bargain.
Second he received fiscal bribe in exchange for information and documents pertaining to the international investigation. We view now footage for Lehmann who in January 2006 was receiving an installment of a fiscal bribe in exchange for selling a number of reports and information pertaining to the international investigation.
As you have seen, he is also happy with the money. Indeed after a while he took the initiative to contact some sides saying he needed money and he took the initiative to present information and documents in exchange for money. Well we have announced that later. Did anyone take the initiative to investigate in this corruption case and its influence of the investigation, the data, the information and files which were with Lehmann – the senior investigator next to Millis?
Sixth: The involvement of the international investigation committee with the false witnesses. They are involved with the false witnesses. This is a separate file. If possible let’s recall together what we have seen on NTV concerning Haqiqaleeks. That is enough to see how the international investigation committee used to sit with the false witnesses and their fabricators so as to take the investigation in a definite direction. I even want to say more. Mr. Bellemare personally – we have information and we have the proof but let’s keep this point until another time. We will not say everything tonight – worked and followed himself and through a number of officials the the task of lifting the international (INTERPOL) warrant against Mohammad Zuheir al-Siddiq, and ceasing his prosecution. That’s because the international investigation staff are involved with the issue of Zuheir Assedeeq. Thus they want to provide him with security. I will refer to this point again.
The seventh point is the confidentiality of the investigation. One of the conditions of reaching the truth is confidentiality. All the Lebanese and all people in the Arab and Islamic world and all around the world know that that this investigation was not confidential by any means. Everything was in newspapers, magazines and TV outlets and for years. What remains of the authenticity of this investigation on which indictments are based? Even when the investigation committee called on some of our brethrens to go to the investigation and we accepted and they went – indeed everything was in form and nothing took place; that’s because they were through in the track they were moving to achieve their goal -, we told them to restore confidence in the investigation stop the leakage. Still it did not stop. Indeed leakage has several reasons: One, corruption like Mr. Lehmann. You have money, you may receive as many documents as you want on the investigation and the STL. Second, security violation. This has to do with the Canadian intelligence body; that with the Australian or French or Italian… Even March 14 Bloc has men of weight in the STL. They give them detailed information on all what is taking place or else what is the source of all of this saloon talk?
Third, there is intentional leakage by the international investigation committee and the STL because distorting the image of the Resistance is demanded and consequently the issue does not end that after years we issue an indictment. No, it is supposed that since 2006 we start distorting, challenging, evoking bad view, hostilities and antagonism to this Resistance through this indictment. Part of the leakage is intentional because it realizes one of the desired goals. So where is the confidentiality of the investigation? There isn’t any confidentiality. The worst image of leakage is what took place days ago. Where from did all the people know of the indictment? They knew through media outlets. Well, when the STL delegation of investigators met with the State Attorney General to deliver the indictment – we don’t know if he had informed him yet or not – names were broadcasted in TV outlets and media outlets. Who made the leakage? Still a day later clever Mr. Bellemare says the names are confidential. Well please carry out an investigation to see how these names were leaked before or after the Attorney General was informed of them. I don’t know but he was still with him? Some TV outlets knew and others didn’t. They made a scoop. They knew the names. Moreover, courtesies go that when arrest warrantees are issued against persons in Lebanon for criminal reasons such as in the issue of collaborators, initials are announced such as B. J. or M. A. as the like. Why names were announced clearly and openly leading to that media campaign? All of that have their goals which we are talking about. Well, where is the confidentiality of the investigation? Where is the confidentiality of names? This title leads to challenging the investigation and the outcome of this investigation. Did he open an investigation on how the names were leaked from his office or the office of the Lebanese Attorney General or how were they leaked? No, nothing of this case took place. Well, the last point under the title the investigation, the investigators and the indictment is the political investment of the indictment for the service of a group and not for the service of the truth. There is something which I forgot to say. The names which were leaked pertaining to the indictment agree fully with what was mentioned in Dir Spiegel, the Canadian TV and the other outlets. Indeed there were names which were mentioned in Dir Spiegel without being mentioned in the indictment but Mr. Bellemare says that new indictments will be issued later. That’s because some clever people in Lebanon said see not all the names were mentioned in the indictment. That means there is no leakage. So Bellemare refuted them the following day saying new names will be issued later. So this point pertains to investing the indictment politically. When did Dir Spiegel mention the investigation and the names? You remember that took place during the elections of 2009. Parliamentary elections were taking place in Lebanon. More than a billion and 200 million dollars were spent during the parliamentary elections. Some say they are 3 billion dollars. A part of the election battle was what was published in Dir Spiegel and the indictment and saying that within two weeks or three the indictment against so and so will be issued. This took place during the parliamentary elections in 2009. Well, a period of time ago when the previous government was toppled and we headed to parliamentary consultations to name a new Prime Minister, they stirred the issue of the indictment, Bellemare and Fransen again to pressure on all the people in Lebanon and the Parliament. Thirdly on the eve of the expected massive gathering on March 13, the indictment was stirred to and accusations were made against definite members, and finally a couple of days ago it was evoked when they noticed at night that the ministerial statement was completed. Here I do not say that the indictment was issued to cripple the ministerial statement but rather to cripple the vote of confidence. It came between the ministerial statement and the confidence. Why did they wait all this period of time? That’s because they were bargaining on the inability of the new majority to form a government. They were surprised when it was able to as many were surprised. Well, it appeared that there was some argument over the ministerial statement but it was something which might be resolved. So let’s make haste to topple the government of PM Mikati for whatever price. The ministerial statement and the Tribunal’s clause are but a pretext. They announced their goal to topple the government since PM Mikati was charged and before the government was even formed. They said they want to topple this government. The indictment came to arm the deputies of the other bloc to topple the government. This indictment is a way to reach authority and not to reach the truth or justice. Why did all of that take place? Why did they invest the indictment politically for the interest of one party against the other? This is the first topic which has to do with the investigation and the indictment.
The second topic is not long. It has to do with the tribunal. Some might tell you let these men hand in themselves to the tribunal, and there is a defense office in the tribunal and there are judges who may defend them. Let them prove their innocence. What’s the problem in that? First, we do not need to repeat the argument on the legitimacy of this tribunal and its constitutionalism. The previous press conferences addressed this point. This is first. How this tribunal was formed? Pursuant to whose decision it was issued? What are its targets?
Second, there are many remarks which evoke doubt and suspicion over the rules in effect by in the tribunal especially those which have to do with the rules of the measures, evidences and the amendments which took place. In fact there is a law which was made to simplify sentencing the party which they want to accuse. I will not repeat either because this point has been interpreted with details. The third is the lack of fairness whether by the General Prosecutor or the tribunal. The evidence is what happened to the four generals. Was the tribunal or the General Prosecutor fair to them? Since General Jamil Sayyed left the jail, he is following up legally and through legal offices and filing suits. His simplest right is that he be allowed to have access to some documents. These are the simplest rights of an innocent person who was oppressively accused and jailed for four years. Do you expect this tribunal to be fair to resistant fighters who fought against Israel? Fourth, let’s see to whom are we supposed to appeal? The head of this tribunal is Mr. Cassese. Isn’t it? Well, who is Mr. Cassese? Well when we say the head of the tribunal that means that he is responsible of its activities and the conduct of justice and he will head the tribunal which will issue the sentence. Who is Mr. Cassese? We will watch two reports i.e. two sections. The first section – I will only give a brief idea so that you get acquainted with what you will see – will show that Antonio Cassese is a great friend to Israel according to the testimony of one of his senior friends who gave it in Herzliya Conference. His friend was talking in Herzliya Conference. Cassese was invited to this conference but he did not show up. After his friend finished his speech, he returned to the stage and apologized on behalf of Antonio Cassese. We will listen to the testimony of the friend of Antonio Cassese on the latter.
Report:
Name: Antonio Cassese
Nationality: Italian
Previous Post: Former Head of Yugoslavia Court.
Current Post: Head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Who is Antonio Cassese?
Herzliya Conference
Date: February 2010.
Occasion: It is one of the important summits in which the influential Zionist enemy leaders convene in addition to international leaders. It is attended by ministers in the Zionist entity, Knesset members and representatives of Israeli organizations abroad.
The lecturer: Professor George Filcher. He is a significant expert in criminal law in the USA. He has several works and publications. He moved among several international universities and worked as a guest professor in the Hebrew University in Al Qods in 1972, 1973 and 1993. In 2010, he took a holiday from the American University of Colombia to attend in Shalom Hartmann Institution in Al Qods. He also has a role in forming national policies for the Zionist entity.
We will broadcast now footage for Filcher in which he and after ending his speech and leaving the stage returns only to introduce Antonio Cassese.
Cassese: There is another point. One of the great heroes in our domain will not be here today. His name is Antonio Cassese. Antonio Cassese is a professor in international law in the University of Milan. He was the first president of the Tribunal of Yugoslavia. He is the author of many books on international criminal law. He is a great friend of Israel. He is a great friend of ours and the people here in the panel.
So we called to appeal before a great friend of Israel. This is the head of the tribunal who is asked to discover the truth and supposed to work on all the suppositions or orient the general prosecutor to work on all suppositions. He is also demanded to achieve justice. Well we will add to that that he is a great friend of Israel. Not only that but even more, he considers the resistance and the resistance activities as terrorist acts and the resistance organizations as terrorist organizations. Imagine that the one to whom we are to appeal considers the resistance fighters in advance terrorists. We want from him to achieve justice. I hear from some brethrens, lawyers and judges saying that there is something called legitimate suspicion. That means that if someone is referred to a definite judge and there is a personal problem or antagonism between the two, the former has the right to call for his withdrawal. However here a tribunal is formed to reveal the truth and achieve justice headed by a great friend for Israel who considers the Resistance a terrorist organization.
Following is a statement which holds his signature that he sent to the Israelis and in which he is trying to advise them concerning some points related to Gaza events or following Gaza events. We watch together a part of the statement:
Report
Cassese’s letter
On April 21st 2006, Antonio Cassese issued a statement which holds his signature and in which he addresses the Zionist entity following a suit filed in a US court against Abrams Dekhter – the head of Israeli Intelligence and former Security Minister. In his letter, he interprets several sides of the war and the way of dealing with the civilians and the armed men in what goes with human rights laws. Despite criticizing some violations, he does that as someone cautiously giving advice. For example, he says: I wrote this statement because I strongly believe that a democratic state such as Israel was established on the principles of the sovereignty of the law and respecting human rights.
Second, what distinguishes Israel is that it is the only democratic state in the region whereas the other states are autocratic that always trample on human rights. Israel however precisely and strongly cares for human rights and justice.
In another place in Cassese’s statement, he tackles Israel’s occupation of Gaza Strip. He uses the word “occupation”. So he acknowledges that Israel occupies the land of others. However he considers that this occupation led the refugees to undertake terrorist activities. That means that he categorizes the Palestinian response to the occupation as terrorist activities and not resistance.
Imagine that Israel according to Cassese is the only state in the region which is ruled by the law and in which human rights are observed. What became of the Palestinians for more than 60 years, the latest massacres in Gaza Strip years ago, having more than 11 thousand Palestinian detainees including women, children, elderly and sick people… all of that mounts to human rights. The massacre which Israel perpetrated in Lebanon and other places, the aggressions, shelling and demolition… all of that in the eyes of Cassese pose no problem. That's because the ruler in Israel is human rights and because Israel is in fact waging a war on terrorism. Though Cassese acknowledges that land of the people of Gaza occupied, he considers their resistance a terrorist resistance. This is the tribunal, and this is its head. Is it possible that a court with such history, laws, biography and head (I do not want to talk about the other judges) to reach the truth and achieve justice?
I move to the last topic – the current situation. Well there is an indictment which was issued against some Resistance fighters. As I said some among them have a long great history in resisting the occupation. In response to this situation, I have something to tell the people, to March 14 Bloc and to the masses of the Resistance before I make a wrap up.
I tell the people: All what you hear, all what was said, all what the Israelis are saying in particular (That's because the Israelis in the past couple of days put Lebanon in the middle of the storm, Lebanon is sitting on a volcano which will soon erupt, civil war will start off in Lebanon. These are their expectations and hopes. These are their greedy dreams. They plotted for that. Thus Inshallah and thanks to the awareness of all of the Lebanese, there will not be an ordeal among the Lebanese and especially between the Sunnites and the Shiites or between the Shiites and the Sunnites. I have said that a year or two and even before. I said that among the targets of this international investigation and tribunal is evoking sedition among the Lebanese and especially between the Shiites and the Sunnites. No sedition will take place. Now I tell you and after the issuance of the so called indictment, no sedition will take place. No ordeal will be evoked between the Sunnites and the Shiites. No civil war will be flared in Lebanon. Thus I call on all our people in all regions and from all sides to be reassured. I believe that one of the important elements to prevent any ordeal is the existence of a responsible and authentic government which is ready to act with a national spirit with an event of such a value and not with a spirit or grudge and revenge. It’s a government that never for one day was a part in all this war that has been taking place for all of these six years against the Resistance in Lebanon. This is what I have to highlight and that is why I call one people to be reassured. As you have seen, nothing took place and nothing will take place unless if someone intervened and conspired. However all the faithful concerned sides who care to keep the situation calm in Lebanon care for dealing with this event by other means whether political, judicial or legal according to our different backgrounds from the event. However it is supposed that we preserve the country and prevent the achievement of one of the goals of the assassination of martyr PM Rafiq Hariri, one of the goals of the fake investigation in the assassination of martyr PM Rafiq Hariri, one of the goals of the indictment and one of the goals of the tribunal which is formal as its sentence is already ready. Thus I tell people things are normal. There is nothing that calls on us to be worried.
Second, I tell March 14 forces: You consider yourselves an opposition to the government of PM Mikati. It’s your natural right to oppose. There is no problem in that. I also know that you will make use of the indictment to fight this government in the Parliament. This is also your natural right. The international game has always been to your side. The resistance movements were always starting off from the true popular will in face of an entity which enjoys international support. So it is natural that the international game support you in some moments, conditions and some joint points in choosing the way. Here I have two recommendations or two ideas because some people do not accept when you tell them I am advising you because they are more superior to being advised by you. The first advice: Do not let the government of PM Najeeb Mikati be responsible as far as this file is concerned of what it must not be held responsible for and what the government of PM Saad Hariri was not responsible for. That means that some people have already started saying the government must arrest, must break through and the like. Well, I want to ask you a question: If there was not a government now headed by PM Mikati but rather a government headed by PM Saadeddine Al Hariri or PM Fouad Saniora and it was not a national unity government. So let’s go to the most extreme case. So it was a government from among you. It was a one-color-government. Its interior minister or its defense minister is one of the most extremists among March 14 forces. Let’s suppose that. Would that government have been able to arrest these persons? Was it able to arrest them? Was it able to execute the arrest warrants which were reported by Mr. Bellemare? It would not have been able to do that. We all know that it won’t be able to do that or even anything less than that. Thus do not let the government of PM Mikati or the country assume the repercussions of something which your government or a government formed from among your extremists is not able to do. Consequently, let things move in their natural track. Indeed, we are working in a way not to embarrass the government or anyone else, and I believe that not in 30 days or 60 days or one year or two years or 30 years or 300 years, they would find, detain or arrest them. The whole play with its minute details is very clear. Consequently, after 30 days, Mr. Cassese or Bellemare or whoever might come, and then they will move to trying them in absentia. So things will move towards trying them in absentia and the sentence is ready and it is issued already. What remains is that they want to play with us as Lebanese for 6 months, one year, two years, 10 years…. This has to do with politics, money, posts and psychological war. Perhaps the tribunal will end in 3 months, six months or 30 years. Only God knows. So the ball is in their yard. As for Lebanon, do not let Lebanon or the Lebanese government assume what you know that the government is unable to assume and what you know that you are unable to assume were you in power.
The second suggestion or recommendation for those who accept advice: Do not demand from PM Mikati or from the government of PM Mikati in the confidence sessions and what follows what PM Saad Hariri accepted to give up in exchange for remaining in power. I do not have any problem in saying what I have to say but did not say through the media as an act of courtesy or respect. But later when there would be a political battle and public opinion and oppression and a way to justice, we might broadcast it. If our brethrens in March 14 Bloc like I might provide them with a copy of a printed notice which I was given by Qatari Foreign Minister and Turkish Foreign Minister. They were together when they handed it to me saying that this document saying that PM Saad Hariri accepts everything in it. We were at his place. We stayed for 4 or 5 hours. We wrote the draft and made a final copy. This is the final draft. March 14 deputies might like to see the draft and what PM Saad Hariri accepted. Accept from PM Mikati what PM Saad Hariri accepted. Consequently do not let the man and his government assume what others accepted to give up while he is more entitled not to give up. Then if we accepted PM Saad Hariri as head of the government, this document would have been endorsed as below there is a signature space for the presidents. They then informed me that if we accepted the three presidents would have signed it. That’s how they thought. PM Saad Hariri was one of those to sign along with the Turkish, Qatari, Saudi, French, Syrian presidents. They have informed us of that. They have even said Mrs. Clinton will bless this document with its signature. However we did not accept it for national considerations. I said that I do not care for the tribunal; I care for the country. I believe that as a result of the performance, conduct, viewpoint and evaluation, a government headed by PM Saad Hariri is unable to lead the country to the secure shore. Thus we had our stance and we took the other choice. However, had we accepted then, this would have been signed and all what is mentioned in it concerning the tribunal would have been official and the government would have voted for it. Countries also had to adopt it. So with this point I end my suggestion to March 14 forces.
The last thing I will say is an address to the masses of the Resistance. However, before I want to highlight that a year ago they said that even if arrest warrants or the indictment was issued, we have mind. We will see the evidences. If the evidence were valid and right we will adopt the indictment. These are the courtesies they said they’ll follow. They said they have mind. If the evidences were incorrect and invalid and suspicious, we will not accept the indictment. But that did not take place. They haven’t published the evidences yet. The evidence is with the Attorney General and it is closed. He is saying that it is closed. So why do we find you now considering that is the truth and that it is final, that this is a historic day and that we are very close to the truth though you are not informed of the evidences yet, as is apparent?
I tell the people and the masses of the Resistance and its lovers and all those who link their hopes to it: Do not be worried. This is part of the war which we are jointly leading since the establishment of this usurping entity on the land of Occupied Palestine. The aggression against Lebanon started since the establishment of this entity as some believe that is not true. Nothing took place in 1948. They do not know and they do not read history. Massacres were perpetrated in the border villages. Many Lebanese held the banner of this Resistance and fought since the establishment of this entity and embraced the Palestinian Resistance when it was displaced to Lebanon and carried on after 1982. Then the Lebanese Resistance gained its great and historic and popular dimension. This is part of a war. It is a media war, a psychological war, a war of authenticity, a war of confidence – self confidence, confidence in the brethrens in others, in the choice, in the path, in the track, in the goals, in the expectations. This is part of the war which goes on with shelling houses, killing women and children, perpetrating massacres, demolishing infrastructure, leading bloody confrontation, the fall of martyrs and wounded and arresting thousands of detainees. This is part of a war. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, this is not surprising or influential because we are accustomed and prepared for this war since 1982 when we took this choice. We knew that conducting the path of resistance to liberate Lebanon and supporting the resistance movements to liberate Palestine means that you are entering in confrontation with the project of the Zionist state and you have to bear the repercussions of this confrontation: killing your leaderships and cadres, women and children, displacement, distortion, demolition, aggression, groundless accusations, groundless tribunals, groundless resolutions. All of this is part of the confrontation. This is natural. Thus we must act as if it is a natural expected thing. Thus I tell you they will not harm us or you. They will not harm our image or our and your will. We are determined to carry on the way through which we could liberate our land, the way through which we could protect our country – namely the path of the Resistance. It’s the path through which we could change - as I explained a week ago - the Israeli security theory which was valid since the establishment of this entity. Since the era of Bin Groin, there has been a definite security theory. The Resistance in Lebanon could change the pillars of this Israeli security theory along with the resistance in Palestine and the opposing countries with its support and position. Consequently there won’t be any problem. We will face this issue with utmost clarity, bravery, firmness and confidence. So they would not be able to harm us. This is what I wanted to address our masses with and I also I have a word to tell them. Some might try to provoke you in the coming days and weeks. Even in Lebanon, some political forces are after sedition. Sedition especially between Shiites and Sunnites is their project. I was hesitant whether to say this phrase or not. At least some of the Christians in March 14 bloc dream of something of this sort. They have dreamed of something of this sort in the past. Thus some provocations might be issued from here or there. You might hear meaningless words from here and there. Do not listen to all of that. They want to drag us to sedition, to street conflict and internal confrontations. To preserve our country, people, security, stability and civil peace, we must tolerate all kinds of provocation though the greatest provocation took place through this great oppression which afflicted a number of those honorable Resistance fighters. In brief, I say to wrap up my word. Since they were formed, this investigation and this tribunal were formed to serve a clear and definite political goal. The track of investigation was not for one day professional. It rather moved to serve this goal which was set in advance. The tribunal and its rules and head at least were chosen to serve this very goal. The indictment which was issued days ago is but a step in this track. This investigation, tribunal, resolutions and what is issued by it are to us clearly American and Israeli. Accordingly, we refuse it and we refuse all what it issues whether groundless accusations or groundless sentences. We rather consider that an aggression against us and against our Resistance fighters and an oppression against the noble in this nation. We will not allow it to harm our will and dignity. We will not allow it to drag Lebanon towards sedition or a civil war. This is how we – the one who are concerned primarily with this oppression and this war – will act. The greater sides oppressed with us are the truth, justice, martyr PM Rafiq Hariri and those who were martyred with him.
We will act as such. We will be responsible. The other forces in Lebanon, the government in Lebanon, those responsible in Lebanon and everyone might act according to the view they believe. However, if we resorted to our mind and acted with wisdom, I believe we may cross along with Lebanon from this event which was waited by the Israelis since years. They have been waiting for the volcano which will erupt and blaze because they are a state which does not live but on the blood and disjointed parts of others. Their expectations and bargains will fail. This has always been the Resistance before the indictment and after, before the tribunal and after, before Cassese, Bellemare, Lehmann, Millis and all their like in this world. This resistance is firm, strong and faithful. When it stepped to the field, no one was with it in this world. Today it is stronger than any time in the past. So do worry about it and from it. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing.
