A former Lebanese Christian member of parliament and a website affiliated with a Christian party in Lebanon are Hezbollah's latest targets in the legal arena. The Shi'ite terrorist organization said it intends to sue the parties for slander, after they claimed Hezbollah was responsible for the devastating blast at Beiru's port On August 4.
Hezbollah's legal representative, a Lebanese journalist named Ibrahim Mousawi, said that the accusations made against Hezbollah by former MP Fares Souaid and a right-wing Lebanese Forces website were "misleading."
Mousawi claimed that the accusations are especially problematic because they threaten the social peace in Lebanon at a time when the US is exerting great pressure on Hezbollah and its allies.
"When the American administration is focused on oppressing Hezbollah and on pressuring other governments to designate it as a terrorist organization, you learn that there are internal and external entities assisting them in doing so," Mousawi noted when announcing that Hezbollah will be suing those who blamed the organization for the Beirut blast.
After the dust from the devastating blast settled, it was discovered that ammonium nitrate, a white chemical substance that is used as fertilizer as well as for bomb making, was inappropriately stored in a warehouse in Beirut's port. And while many of Hezbollah's political and civil opponents blamed Hezbollah for storing the dangerous chemicals, Hezbollah has rejected the accusations time and time again. No evidence was found so far that could clearly connect the organization to the blast that levelled large areas of Beirut's capital city.
The Lebanese official investigation has yet to provide any explanations, and many mourning Lebanese families are demanding that an international investigation be launched.
Official documents have indicated that the Lebanese Ports Authority, security agencies and political leadership were all aware of the dangerous chemicals being stored at the port, but failed to take action for their removal. Different reports have indicated in the past that the Beirut port is often used as a storehouse for dangerous materials and is an epicenter of public corruption.
Souaid was one of the first Lebanese officials to publicly blame Hezbollah for the Beirut blast, claiming in September that ammunition stored by Hezbollah caused the explosion.
Former MP Souaid is known for his anti-Hezbollah rhetoric and has publicly criticized the organization in the past. Following Germany's decision in April to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization, Souaid told Arab News that "Hezbollah burdens Lebanon politically, economically and financially in a way that the country cannot handle ... There are no compromises with Hezbollah. Either Lebanon becomes Hezbollah-free or we let it govern and we leave. We cannot coexist with an imposed policy."
Souaid hasn't commented on the pending lawsuit against him and only said that his lawyers would examine the case on Monday. The Lebanese Forces party has yet to release a comment.