Bolton: Syrian, Hezbolah officials will be inicted by STL

In an article published in the Al-Hayat newspaper on Monday in which he criticized president Barack Obama Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton speculated that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Prosecutor (Daniel Bellemare) will soon release the indictments in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and said “It is almost certain that high ranking Syrian and Hezbollah officials will be accused of the crime.”

Bolton also predicted that the indictment could lead to another war between Hezbollah and Israel and that Syria may join the war this time .

He also said that while all this is going on Obama seems to be absent over this matter without being on vacation.

Tensions in Lebanon have been simmering for months as it has become increasingly apparent the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon is leaning toward charging Hezbollah , the Shiite Muslim group with killing Mr. Hariri on Valentine’s Day 2005.

The massive, 1,000 kilogram, car bomb that killed Mr. Hariri as he traveled along Beirut’s fashionable seaside Corniche, left a crater 10 meters deep, knocked down several buildings and killed 21 other people, in addition to killing the billionaire tycoon who had rebuilt war-shattered Beirut.

Lebanese politicians fear any indictment of Hezbollah members for the killing could lead to a situation where the group might militarily seize large parts of Lebanon, just it they did in May 2008, when it briefly grabbed control of the western part of Beirut and tried, but failed, to occupy the Druze stronghold of Mt. Lebanon.

For months now, rumors have hinted UN investigators have uncovered evidence a Hezbollah hit-squad carried out the killing.

Hezbollah’s leaders have denied the charge.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also warned all Lebanese last November not to assist UN investigators, saying to do so would be tantamount to an attack on his movement.

Mr. Nasrallah vowed to “cut off the hand” of anyone who tried to arrest a Hezbollah fighter.