Berri Stays Mum on Verdict against Samaha

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Speaker Nabih Berri refused to comment on the Military Tribunal's sentence against former Minister Michel Samaha, stressing that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah didn't inform him yet about his presidential initiative.

“I don't comment on the verdicts issued by the judiciary... I abide by this principle since I was a justice minister... to preserve the work of the judiciary and respect it,” Berri said in remarks published in local newspapers on Monday.

The tribunal's verdict against Samaha drew the ire of the March 14 alliance, in particular the Mustaqbal Movement that described the sentence as a “joke.”

Samaha was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail over terrorism charges, including the time he served since August 2012. The judicial year amounts to nine months.

The speaker stressed that Nasrallah hasn't informed him yet about the presidential initiative that he is mulling.

“I don't know it's context,” Berri said.

Nasrallah said on Saturday in a televised speech that his ally Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun is trying to propose solutions for the crisis, calling on political parties to discuss them and study them.

“No one has an interest in having a vacuum,” he said.

Lebanon has been without a president since May last year when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the election.

Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance and Aoun's Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting the electoral sessions over the sharp differences.

H.K.

G.K.

Comments 9
Missing humble 18 May 2015, 09:05

Monsieur du Barry: why don't you dare to say that Ebola has confiscated the juridical system in Lebanon???

Missing humble 18 May 2015, 10:47

I am ready and happy to live with the Shi3a, but NOT with the Iranians.

Thumb -phoenix1 18 May 2015, 14:21

Personally I don't hate Berri, I just despise him for his appetite for cash and his propensity to lie when it comes to extricate himself out of trouble. But Berri also has a reputation and definitely lives by the acronyms given him by the public, like Desert Fox, or desert weasel. I also happen to know the signals that come from him when he takes such a position as he has taken today with the Samaha case. It is no secret, that the Amal leader is not so comfortable having to live under the shadow of Hezbollah. Where this rather hard to explain position leads is not yet known? Does it mean less cooperation with HA or does Berri see the future differently? We shall see.

Thumb _mowaten_ 18 May 2015, 19:21

At least he didnt make his cash by bankrupting the country, like your "benevolent" friends.

Missing peace 18 May 2015, 19:44

really? never stole the lebanesse state? you live in which country? pityful you are...

Thumb _mowaten_ 19 May 2015, 10:35

jiddo: if his community supports him it's their problem. but when hariri and his gang plunder the state resources and then take on tens of billions of dollars of debt to further grow their pockets, it's every lebanese's problem.

Thumb thepatriot 19 May 2015, 11:28

you're very very wrong momo...

Thumb thepatriot 19 May 2015, 11:32

I could tell you about tenders where he would invite for dinner at his place the winning bid company, and excuse himself after diner... after what Randa would ask them to take the coffee in the little salon, and ask them 10% of the deal for her... "charities"...
Don't be soooo naive momo...

Thumb shab 18 May 2015, 19:12

The good old days when Amal was fighting the filthy murdering militia