LOC18:30
15:30 GMT
BRUSSELS, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- The Pre-Trial Judge of the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) Monday asked the Trial Chamber to determine whether proceedings
in absentia against four accused persons should be initiated in the Hariri
murder case.
The STL in a statement said that according to its rules if the accused have
not been arrested within 30 calendar days of the public advertisement of an
indictment, then the Pre-Trial Judge can request that the Trial Chamber
initiate proceedings in absentia.
According to the Pre-Trial Judge's ruling, this period of public
advertisement started at the latest on 15 September 2011 when a wanted poster
displaying the pictures of the accused, their personal details and the counts
against them were published in major Lebanese newspapers.
The Trial Chamber will now have to determine whether the required
conditions have been met in order to start the proceeding in absentia whilst
preserving the rights of the accused.
The UN-backed Tribunal based in the Hague is investigating the
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005.
Last July the STL released the identities of the four men accused of the
crime.
The four accused are Salim Jamil Ayyash, Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Hussein
Hassan Oneissi and Assad Hassan Sabra all Lebanese nationals. (end)
nk.mt
KUNA 171830 Oct 11NNNN