BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Comments attributed to Beirut regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon were inaccurate, the Lebanese prime minister's office said Wednesday.
Al-Diyar, a pro-Syrian newspaper published in Lebanon, reported that Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri wanted to end the investigation into the 2005 assassination of his father for "the interests of the country."
Beirut is bracing for indictments from the STL possibly before the end of the year. Hezbollah is widely expected to be named by the tribunal. The Shiite organization said the probe is biased, however, adding it has evidence that suggests Israel was tied to the slaying.
A statement attributed to the prime minister's office and published by Lebanese news outlet Naharnet said Hariri "did not say in front of visitors or in private meetings any of the statements attributed to him by al-Diyar."
Hezbollah has called on the prime minister to stop supporting the tribunal, warning Lebanon could face tough political and security questions in the aftermath.
Hezbollah officials warned Hariri in a statement against being a "tool" for the United States and Israel regarding the tribunal.
