Hezbollah will kidnap more Israelis to secure the release of Lebanese prisoners if necessary, the movement's leader warned on Thursday.
Speaking at a mass rally to welcome 21 Lebanese prisoners freed by Israel hours earlier, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said his guerrillas could capture more Israelis to bargain for the freedom of Lebanese still held in Israeli prisons.
Turning to a huge poster of a guerrilla ambush in which three Israeli soldiers were captured in October 2000, Nasrallah said: "This is a choice."
The soldiers' bodies were part of the major exchange of prisoners and remains of fighters that was effected between Israel and Hezbollah on Thursday through German mediation.
Shortly before Nasrallah spoke, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned Hezbollah against more kidnapping.
Speaking at a memorial service for the three dead soldiers in Israel, Sharon said: ``Israel will not allow any enemy or terror group to turn kidnapping and ransom into a system. There are means we have not yet used. If, heaven forbid, the circumstances are changed, we will not hesitate to use them.''
Nasrallah told the rally it was "foolish" for the Israeli government not to have released Samir Kantar, the Lebanese citizen who has been held the longest in Israel.
"Because they didn't do that, I assure you that they will regret it in the future," he said.
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