New stage in fact-finding
THE indictment the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) released on June 30, 2011, accusing four members of Hezbollah group and 22 others in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri was a declaration of a new stage in the fact-finding mission.
The court mentioned in its statement that ‘this is not a verdict of guilt and an accused in presumed innocent unless his or her guilt is established in a trail.
’International reports said thorough investigations were conducted in many countries, including Lebanon and the surrounding countries, to find the political motives that led to the decision to kill Hariri and how the plans for the assassination were made and implemented, besides the steps taken to cover the traces left behind by the assassins.
After his speech on July 1, 2011, Hassan Nasrallah vowed that the four members of his group indicted by the STL will never be arrested.
He fully denied the role of the court, rejected all charges against the group and raised doubts about the competence of the court.
No doubt, there will be lots of challenges for the Lebanese government in the coming stage.
It had initially requested the UN to establish a tribunal of an international character to try those who are responsible for the attack on Rafiq Al-Hariri.
Now, it must serve the indictment in 30 days or the court will publish the indictment in the local media.In fact, the court might proceed with the trial against the suspects in absentia or decide to re-draft the indictment like how it happened in Jan 2011.It can show many doubts in the evidence to make sure that the court will have enough to rely on to go for trial against the above-mentioned suspects or any others in the whole issue.
Email: Labeed.abdal@gmail.com
By: Labeed Abdal
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/171141/reftab/36/t/Hezbollah-and-Special-Tribunal/Default.aspx
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