Sources at the Israeli Ministry of Justice reported that state
prosecutors indicted three Hezbollah fighters who were captured during
the recent war between Israeli and Hezbollah.
The accusations filed by the prosecutors against the three fighters are “membership in a terrorist organization, attempted murder and kidnapping”.
The prosecution claims that one of the captured fighters is involved in the attack carried by Hezbollah gunmen at a military post on the Israel-Lebanon borders on July 12 when two Israeli soldiers were abducted and eight were killed.
The three were identified as Mahmoud Ali Suleiman, Mohammad Sarsour, and Maher Qorani. Israel claims that the three undergone military training in Iran.
Also, the prosecution said that Suleiman and Qorani became Hezbollah members in 1998, while Sarsour joined the party in 2004.
The most sever indictment was against Suleiman who allegedly participated in the July 12 attack, Israeli online daily Haaretz reported.
He is also accused of participating in deploying several Hezbollah cells to ambush Israeli soldiers who invaded Lebanon while chasing Hezbollah fighters after the two Israeli soldiers were abducted.
Haaretz added that the three fighters are charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a crime. They are also suspected of participating in several similar attacks, including an attack in Al Ghagar village in 2005.
The three are also charged with providing services “to an unlawful organization”, undergoing illegal military training and “unlawful use of weapons”.
The three detainees were represented by attorney Smadar Ben-Nathan and Attorney Itay Hermlin, Haaretz said. Ben-Natan stated that the three are civilians who fought against Israeli soldiers in an armed conflict.
Attorney Hermlin said that the court does not have legitimacy to prosecute the three detainees, and added that “Hezbollah should be defeated on the battle-field not in courts.
He also said that treating the three detainees as criminals and not as fighters demeans the soldiers who fought against them.
Hermlin also said that the anti-tank missiles found with Sarsour were held to defend the village as Israel was invading it.
Haaretz added that the director of the Israeli criminal department in the Northern District prosecutors' office, Mirit Stern, said that this case is not legally a case of prisoners of war since the three detainees “did not act in accordance to the traditions of war”.
