Toufic
Hindi has retracted his confessions to army intelligence
interrogators about alleged contacts with Israel, saying
they were made under duress.
Media reports said on Friday the political advisor to
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea made retraction
as judicial authorities took charge of his case from
the military.
Hindi
denied any contacts or meetings with Israel's Lebanon
coordinator Uri Lubrani or his media advisor Oded
Zarai in Paris or Cyprus, contrary to reports leaked
to the local media by he army intelligence bureau.
Nonetheless
Hindi was formally charged by magistrate Abdullah
Haj with contacting and collaborating with the Israeli
enemy, a charge that carries the death penalty in
case of a court conviction.
Another
star defendant in the case, journalist Habib Younis
of AL HAYAT newspaper, also made a similar retraction
when he appeared before magistrate Haj Thursday after
a weeklong interrogation by army officers at the defense
ministry, his newspaper reported.
Haj
nevertheless formally charged as well as journalist
Antoine Bassil with collaboration, too. Three other
Lebanese defectors to Israel were also charged, including
Cesar Saqr, who died in 1998.
