Hizbullah Denounces "Attack" on Future TV Journalist

28-11-2008

Hizbullah media relations issued on Friday a statement in which it denounced an attack that targeted one day earlier Omar Harqous, a Lebanese reporter working at Future News Television.
However, and while the March 14 forces immediately sought to politically exploit the incident and achieve through it political gains, the Lebanese Resistance party called for maintaining calm as the judiciary handles the issue.

On Thursday, Harqous suffered various wounds to the head, neck and chest in an incident in Beirut's Hamra Street. He was admitted to the emergency ward of the American University Hospital for treatment as an army patrol moved in to the area and arrested at least five suspects involved in the assault.

The March 14 forces rushed to make use of the incident, and issued a statement in which it accuses what it called "the pro-Syria mercenary squad of March 8" of carrying out the "attack." It urged Interior Minister Ziad Baroud to "act immediately to clear the area from gunmen who are using Hamra Street as a launching pad to resist freedoms of Beirut citizens."

However, the SSNP media office issued a statement in which it denied the claims and expressed regret for the attack that targeted Harqous. It pointed out that the incident was "personal" and declared it turned over to security forces the SSNP members involved in the incident.