BEIRUT: Reactions began pouring in from Lebanon's various political factions Thursday, after a Special Tribunal for Lebanon delegation handed over an indictment over the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, reportedly accusing Hezbollah members.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged lawmakers to look at the suspects in the STL indictment as individuals accused of a crime, rather than affiliating them with their party, religion or country. 

“We need to look at the accused as a person rather than link them with their party, sect, or country that he belongs to,” Geagea said, shortly after a Special Tribunal for Lebanon delegation delivered its indictment, said to implicate two Hezbollah members, to the country’s state prosecutor Thursday.

The Lebanese Forces leader also asked March 14 coalition members to act wisely regarding the tribunal,. 

“I ask leaders within March 14 who are directly involved with [assassinated] politicians … to act wisely, calmly and quietly away from any tensions and overreactions and merely follow the developments of the tribunal,” Geagea said. 

The indictment, delivered to Mirza before midday, included the names of four individuals. Two were identified as Hezbollah military commander Mustafa Badreddine and Salim Ayyash, a party official.

A third suspect was identified as Sami Issa and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, according to local TV stations.

The Cabinet should carry out the arrest warrants and deal with the indictment according to the protocol between Lebanon and international resolutions, Geagea said, adding that the international court is of high standard. 

“[Any other stance regarding the STL] will be a blow to the tribunal,” Geagea said, adding that if the government does not specify its commitment to the tribunal, it would have disavowed the court.

Meanwhile, Future Movement official Mustafa Alloush told The Daily Star that “it would have been strange if an indictment was issued without containing Hezbollah names.”

Future Movement MP Atef Majdalani welcomed the indictment and said that previous media reports regarding the content of the accusation did not undermine the credibility of the STL.

“The media leaks do not damage the credibility of the investigation,” Majdalani told LBC Thursday, adding that the March 14 coalition would examine the content of the indictment and whether it was based on definite evidence.

He also criticized the wording of the new Cabinet's policy statement for offering only respect for international resolutions, rather than offering “commitment” to them as did the previous Cabinet headed by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.  

"The word commitment has a clear meaning while the word 'respect' which will be in the new ministerial statement has a mysterious meaning,” he said.

State Minister for Administrative Affairs and Hezbollah member Mohammad Fneish, speaking to a local radio station during a break from talks at Baabda Palace, said: “When we see the [STL] indictment, we will comment on it.” 

Earlier Thursday, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said “nothing will happen after the indictment is issued.”

“Why the big deal? It’s just an indictment and not a final verdict. So why all this hubbub?” he asked.