Hezbollah: We will avenge Mughniyah's death

Beirut- Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah said Friday that it would avenge the 2008 assassination of its former military commander Imad Mughniyah at the "appropriate" time. The Deputy Secretary General of the group, Sheikh Naim Kassem told the affiliated al-Intiqad website that "We won't define the time and place, but we consider that our responsibility is to fulfill the pledge by the appropriate means and at the appropriate timing."

Hezbollah accuses Israel of being behind the car bombing that killed Mughniyah in Damascus on February 12, 2008.

Mughniyeh had been on the US' most-wanted list since the 1980s. He was blamed for the kidnapping of western hostages in Beirut in the 1980s and the 1983 bombing that killed 240 US Marines.

"It is a matter of circumstances and timing, and God willing, they will take place at the right moment," Kassem said.

Referring to the recent war of words between Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, Kassem ruled out an imminent war with Israel, but reiterated his movement's readiness "even if the war starts tomorrow."

"Hezbollah will be in a defensive position and will not be the one to wage an attack or start a war, and the same thing applies to others: Iran, Syria, and Hamas."

Kassem added that "Israel alone decides whether there will be a war in the region or not."

Lebanon's Prime Minister said on February 10th that his government would Hezbollah if a conflict flared with Israel.

In 2006, Israel and Hezbollah fought a 33-day war.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/308963,hezbollah-we-will-avenge-mughniyahs-death.html.