Lebanese Court Indicts 13 in Hezbollah Explosives Case
The 13 accused were charged after a truck carrying 780 kilograms of detonators was stopped at a checkpoint linking Beirut to the Bekaa Valley.
By Amanda Delgado ·
A Lebanese military court issued charges against 13 individuals on Friday, identifying them as members of Hezbollah involved in the trafficking of explosives.
State media reported that the defendants face accusations of possessing weapons, undermining state security, and forming illegal associations.
The legal action follows the seizure of a truck at the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint earlier this month. The checkpoint connects the capital, Beirut, with the eastern Bekaa Valley.
Judicial officials stated that the vehicle contained 780 kilograms of explosives. This load included 250 kilograms of TNT and 250 kilograms of C-4 plastic explosives.
Two individuals were arrested during the seizure. The remaining 11 accused are currently at large. Five of these individuals are identified only by nicknames because their real names are unknown to investigators.
Hezbollah acknowledged ownership of the seized materials. The group stated the explosives were intended for use against Israel, which occupies large parts of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah requested that Lebanese authorities return the shipment and release the two detainees, describing the charges as unjust.
Hussein Hajj Hassan, a Hezbollah member of parliament, said the charged individuals confronted the Israeli enemy rather than undermining the state's security or integrity.
Political opponents of Hezbollah fear the smuggled explosives could be used against the group's detractors. Investigators have not yet established if this specific shipment was meant for such an attack.
The case occurs as pressure builds on Hezbollah to disarm its military wing. Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement in June that links Israel's gradual withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south.
Hezbollah has rejected calls to disarm. Group chief Naim Qassem has dismissed the Lebanon-Israel agreement as null and void.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam promised that state authorities will deal with weapons outside the legal framework with firmness. Israel continues attacks in southern Lebanon and demolishes homes and infrastructure in occupied villages despite the recent agreement.
Source: Al Jazeera
