BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Hezbollah may try to assert its claims to power if it runs into political trouble in the aftermath of an assassination probe, a Lebanese lawmaker said.
Hezbollah is bracing for expected indictments from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Sami Gemayel, a Lebanese lawmaker whose brother -- Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel -- was assassinated in November 2006, said he thought Hezbollah would likely choose political power rather than military force in response to the STL investigations.
"Hezbollah wants to assume power either peacefully or by force, the goal is one (in the same)," he told Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star.
He added a powerful Hezbollah could prompt Beirut to end its cooperation with the tribunal.
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem was quoted as saying by Hezbollah's al-Manar news service that the pending indictment wasn't helpful.
"Our position is that we reject it because it puts Lebanon in the cross hairs," he said.
The Shiite movement said it has evidence that suggests Israel tampered with mobile telephone records that allegedly tie Hezbollah to the Hariri assassination. UPI
