Wednesday 22 December 2010

Something Cooking at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon

Something is cooking at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, now more than two years old but without an accused. That's almost as slow as the International Criminal Court.
Today's Irish Times says an indictment against Hizbullah leader Mustafa Badreddine is likely. Badreddine is the brother-in-law of Imad Mugniyah, the man alleged to have masterminded a series of attacks in the 1980s, including the 1983 bombing of the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut which killed 241 US servicemen.
A few weeks ago, the registrar of the Tribunal, Herman von Hebel, said the first indictment of the Tribunal would be issued soon. The Tribunal may issue a sealed indictment, and indeed the first indictment may already have been made.
According to today's Jerusalem Post, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri will ask the Special Tribunal for Lebanon - created to prosecute the murderer(s) of his father, Rafik Hariri), to stop its activities and to leave the country. The Post cites the Lebanese newspaper Al-Diyar as its authority. Hariri is quoted saying he would resist any indictments: 'I have sacrificed a lot and cannot sacrifice more.'

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