Lebanese Journalist May Chidiac: I Blame Hizbullah For Lokman Slim's Assassination; Similar Methods Were Used In The Attempt On My Life

Lebanese journalist May Chidiac said that she blamed Hizbullah for the assassination of anti-Hizbullah activist Lokman Slim, earlier in February. Chidiac, a former Lebanese Minister of State for Administrative Development, made her remarks in an interview with Al-Jadeed TV (Lebanon) that aired on February 10, 2021. She said that the only party that stood to gain from the assassination of Slim is Hizbullah, and added that Israel can no longer be the scapegoat that is blamed for Hizbullah's actions. Chidiac said that the same surveillance methods used against her prior to a Hizbullah attempt on her life were employed against Slim leading up to his assassination. Chidiac was a victim of an assassination attempt in 2005 that left her severely injured. For more about May Chidiac, see MEMRI TV clips Nos. 2022, 1982, 1190. For more about Lokman Slim, see MEMRI Special Dispatch 6568 and MEMRI Research and Analysis Series No. 938.

Interviewer: "Who killed Lokman Slim? Can anyone say..."

May Chidiac: "Politically, I blame Hizbullah. There is no doubt. Who stands to gain...?"

Interviewer: "Do you have decisive proof?"

Chidiac: "In French, we say 'a qui profite le crime?' Who benefits from this murder? Who used to threaten Lokman Slim? I saw the joke that was going around on social media..."

Interviewer: "Which one?"

Chidiac: "Beware of threatening or criticizing Hizbullah, lest Israel will kill you!"

Interviewer: "Is it inconceivable that there is a third party?"

Chidiac: "You need to convince me. Let's assume, for the sake of the argument, that it's not them. There are cameras all along that road, which is located in an area under (Hizbullah's) security control. When it suits them, even a bird can't fly there without them knowing it. But when they want, such a murder takes place, and they know nothing about it? In addition, I remembered that there were cars following him. Sometimes, they had "security" written on them. Whatever. Maybe these cars were for real and maybe they were fake. The same kind of cars used to follow me when I was going to dinner, to visit friends, or to the ATM, right before the bomb went off. Their surveillance methods are clear.

[...]

 "The Israeli scapegoat on which they pin all their actions and sins in Lebanon does not exist anymore. Fine. Israel is an enemy, but couldn't it find anyone else to kill except for Lokman Slim?"

Interviewer: "What about other scenarios?"

Chidiac: "We don't need other scenarios. Other scenarios could cover up the truth, because the truth is difficult and painful..."

Interviewer: "So there is no need for investigation?"

Chidiac: "On the contrary, I support an international investigation. I wish that an international investigation would prove me wrong. I would apologize."