Report: Fifth Suspect in Hariri Murder Indictment is a Politician
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare has named a fifth civilian suspect in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s Feb. 2005 assassination, informed diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.
The sources told al-Liwaa daily that the suspect is a politician and not a party militant or a member of a secret security service.
Bellemare will name the new suspect in an amended version of the indictment that was issued last year accusing four Hizbullah members of involvement in Hariri’s murder, an international judicial source said.
Bellemare thanked the Lebanese in an open letter released Monday, just over a week before he is to resign from his position. U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon hasn’t yet named a new prosecutor.
Al-Liwaa’s report came after al-Akhbar daily quoted sources close to the prosecutor’s office as saying last Friday that Bellemare referred a new indictment to Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen in the assassination attempts of MP Marwan Hamadeh, ex-Defense Minister Elias Murr, and the murder of former Communist party leader George Hawi.
The three attacks have been linked to Hariri’s assassination.
21 February 2012, 08:39
152
Anything they will say, just to ignite Lebanon. And it will work.
21 February 2012, 09:10
19
As if the lebanese are not ignited since the creation of lebanon
21 February 2012, 23:25
20
as if your 'realist' view helps change lebanon by repeating the obvious for others to read
22 February 2012, 20:01
00
i was replying to jc, meaning we should really simmer down the idea of "conspiracy", that we do not need a conspiracy to ignite us and we should quit throwing our garbage and internal conflicts on others. The assasins are from the same house and the conflict is over a 1000 years old between sects before the creation of israel. We hope the STL can be an incremental push towards a more civilized political environment where assasination is no longer a political tool.
21 February 2012, 09:22
85
Let me change my comment since it is not realistic. When we find out the names of the killers. Lebanon will prosper. All the problems will be gone. Disney will be putting a new theme park. Hizballah will be integrated in it as employees carrying roses to greet visitors. What else can I say. It will be a wonderful life.
21 February 2012, 09:59
16
So JC what do you really suggest ? What is relistic ? Do we not try bring some sort of normality and Justice to this country or do we continue to live with out trying to improve our current situation.
So plainly your suggesting just let these criminals go, this is Lebanon,what change will it make ?
This is not the mentality of a person who would like to see Lebanon prosper.
21 February 2012, 13:19
32
I am not against the tribunal. Let us say Nasrallah did it, then what? Problems are solved. Already people had been speculating who done it 7 years ago. Or better yet, let us say Bachar did it, what is the difference in the outcome for Lebanon right now.
21 February 2012, 10:03
25
I have never heard anyone suggest that the reason for criminal law is that it will create a "wonderful life" of peace and prosperity. Criminal law holds people accountable for their actions, and that's pretty much it.
21 February 2012, 13:12
23
dear mowaten,
First let me tell you that I myself am on neither side.
But I would like to share something about the legal justice system in the west is different from the legal justice system in the Middle East. In the west, the courts are not biased, but the juries are. The lawyer or law-firm with the most convincing arguments for the jury, wins the case (and often, the richest side is able to hire the best lawyer/law-firm, and wins because of that).
21 February 2012, 13:12
05
As for courts in the Middle East, they are usually under the mercy of political authority because of brute force or money. That does not mean that the western court system is more just in the end than that of the Middle East, but only that the game is played in the form of arguments for the jury, whereas in the Middle East a political power can force the outcome of a court case, or even nullify it after its outcome. For the STL issue, this means that the STL is not something the US can manipulate by forcing the outcome they want, but that the outcome depends on the best arguments which are brought by the best lawyers which money can buy. But in the end, in Western courts, people are innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubts. This means that any circumstantial evidence is just decoration and cannot 'prove' beyond reasonable doubt that the accused has committed the crime.
21 February 2012, 13:13
16
I say fight the STL in court, get brilliant lawyers, and if innocent, you will win, because the court is on your side simple because of 'innocent until reasonable doubts'.
21 February 2012, 13:33
22
@FlameThrower is right. Why the suspense, or they are afraid to reveal the name or they are avoiding problems for Lebanon. Well I speculate it is Bashar, they are waiting for his people to hang him and problem solved.
21 February 2012, 19:02
14
The real perpetrators are your masters ya mowaten Irani and indeed they are laughing it off. You know this, the world knows and I know this but you will continue to say wasn't us, wasn't me, wasn't them long after they are put on trial, convicted and executed. This is the nature of brain washing...we expect no less of you.
21 February 2012, 08:43
26
We have the Iranian thread via the Hizbullah suspects..Let's bet this time the Syrian thread is going to comme to the surface, and that the infernal menage_a-trois will comme clear before everyone eyes!
21 February 2012, 09:00
32
Oh geese... There is plenty of them so called "phony politicians" and are nothing but third rank foot soldiers for the murdering Ali Baba of Damascus and his mob family... Walid Jumblatt has such a notorious "creature" that is very annoying and pathetic to look in his backyard which for some odd reason he still allows to breathe... There is also that one whose last name translates into what Ali Baba used to light up his cave... And I am sure the culprits are money but these two would top my list...
21 February 2012, 09:58
511
@jcamerican
Another great comment of yours...
Soooo.... what do you propose exactly? Forget about the murders? ...or maybe put up a "Lebanese" trial ;)
You're the one living in Disney Land my dear...
In any case, #5 might have trouble hiding...unless he is already...
21 February 2012, 13:24
51
True, I am living in Disney World. But you guys are banking too much on this. JFK got killed and no one knew the real people behind it. I am not saying let the criminals free.
21 February 2012, 19:10
15
FlameThrower there is only one circus, the one playing out in your head where you will wake up tomorrow, there would be no Israel, all the Palestinians have gone home. GMA is president of Lebanon, the USA is invaded by China, IRAN is the new super power and your friends the folks in Da7ieh started paying for electricity.
Keep smoking that crack cocaine dude and may the circus live on forever in your mind.
21 February 2012, 20:07
13
pfff...same as jc... no alternative proposed... it's a circus because so far the outcome doesn't suit you... and the 4G are not aquitted... and I don't know the truth, but nothing is spared to have the best experts from all over the world working on this case, and if the result does not please you you will reject it... typical!
21 February 2012, 10:57
513
have kept quiet for a long time, sick of the crap from jabal amel and the such, bc the truth is near as bashar is soon to be fallen, but: this politician is either Sleiman Franjieh or Wiam Wahhab, the former most likely. No way it is big guys like aoun or berri.
21 February 2012, 13:27
51
My point exactly, no need for this tribunal here, already we know who are the criminals.LOL
21 February 2012, 12:18
42
ya 3youni ya thinker ... think a bit harder and you will realize that you have just puked stupidity. Bahdaltna with your analysis!
Sleiman Franjieh is above these practices and should not be mentioned in the same sequence as the other traitors and thieves you mentioned in your post.
21 February 2012, 12:31
52
This tribunal has named about 40% of the world's population as suspects. It's just about named everyone, organization, regime, country, religion....all but the real murderers!
21 February 2012, 12:41
16
Flame thrower to one day be electricity payer
What major crime has Lebanon ever solved ?
21 February 2012, 12:43
48
Whoever it is, if convicted, should be hung after he fully confesses and gives us the names of the true perpetrators which I suspect to be Nasrallah and Assad.
21 February 2012, 19:33
15
Ya mowaten IRANI your kuds force is much better at terror and interogation...the best of the best.
22 February 2012, 08:31
01
sameer qintar came back from israel very healthy and earned a degree in jail, just imagine what he would look like coming back from syrian jails?? when are we gona be honest with ourselves. When are we gona stop throwing all our garbage on the enemy? how can we free palestine when we are enslaved at home? something to think about mowaten.
21 February 2012, 12:50
24
Unconfirmed reports from as early as 2005 said that Wiam Wahhab came with thinly veiled death threats to former PM Hariri on behalf on his syrian master Assad. Now we are about to know more. This time its not a low key Hizbollah operative who can live his whole life in Dahiye. The lebanese pro-Assad government will have a real challenge at their hands trying to avoid arresting whoever this politician is.
21 February 2012, 13:10
52
How come Der Spiegel and Le Figaro missed this latest "confidential" STL secret and Naharnet and other Hariri Out-of-this-World Newsmedia conglomerate didn't? Reading the comments of the hopeless hopefuls above, one can easily tell that they not only prefect the art of predicting precisely when the Assad regime has fallen? or will fall? but also the art of predicting the names (because the STL joke will go on until everybody who must be named is named (Wiam Wahhab, Nouhad Qal3i, Sleiman Franjieh, Michel Aoun, Said Aql, Chouchou, Ghaleb and Nasser Qandeel, Emile Lahoud, Ziad Rahbani, the four innocent generals again, Oum Kalthoum, Michel Samaha, Imada Marmal, Ghawar al Tochi, Akhwat Chanai...) of those suspects. walla 3an jad m3alla2in bi 7ibal al hawa. EWEEEEEEHA
21 February 2012, 13:14
15
First time I contribute to this site, but care to rebuke the claim made by Mr. Flame Thrower.
Sleiman Franjieh sent the trucks himself.
Sleiman Franjieh approached bkerke shortly after (when the 4 heads were locked in jail) to strike a deal immunising himself.
Last, SF has taken a strong staunch against the tribunal and has hampered its progress.
Now I am no expert and read the same new you all do, but why would an innocent person attempt the above (all widely reported).
just my thoughts, that's all.
We all went to university (judging by the eloquence of the commentators) and all benefit from some extend of critical reasoning. One has to question Franjieh's behavior todate?
Why not wahab? because he is just incapable. The guys has an IQ of 20, how could engineer a complex deal such as this...
21 February 2012, 14:02
13
politician.. non shiite... from the north. and it will not make any problem for lebanon.
21 February 2012, 19:38
16
Kindly do not prounounce the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for your amusement. Nobody is mocking your prophet here are they?
Can't people ever be civilized?
21 February 2012, 15:44
01
To Mowaten
What Invisible Witnesss???
What Invisible Prooff???
The Trial hasn't started yet - There is no Witness & No Proof to talk about yet. It is still in the preparation of indightment phase
When the trial starts, then the Prosecutor will bring forth the witnesses & proof, and the defense will have plenty of time to review and cross examine their testimonies and validity.
You are too eager to dismiss the trial before it has even begun...
21 February 2012, 16:11
02
Find out who ordered the cleanup of the scene of the blast before the evidence was collected and you get your answer.
21 February 2012, 16:47
01
Of course the suspect will run and hide in Dahye. This should prove to be very interesting.
The question what will the M8 government do? They must act with responsibility or face big problems.
They say be careful what you wish for because you might just get it. M8 wanted a coup so they could take the government.....they got it.
21 February 2012, 18:03
02
How about we send him to Syria ya Mouwaten ya Fitih inte?
in Syria no tortures !!!!!!!!
She3let zaka ou feltene inte mouwaten
21 February 2012, 18:12
02
no not as simple as you think moooo.
They did it and it s clear for everyone to see apart from few brainwashed ppl who up till now they cant even acknowledge crimes committed by the Syrians.
Any kidnapped in Syrian jails?Of course not.
Coucou land not Disney land
21 February 2012, 18:28
02
SHN - August 10, 2006: "I would not deny that HA's wish is to establish an Islamic Republic system one day, because we believes that establishing an Islamic government is the only way to bring stability to a society and is the only way to settle social differences, even in a society that is composed of numerous minorities."
21 February 2012, 18:53
04
I have no proof whatsoever and this is only a guess: EMILE LAHOUD
21 February 2012, 18:54
23
Who cares! - when are they going to get to the Pierre Gemayel File!!!
When the STL confirms the killers of Pierre Gemayel - expect Lebanon to become a war zone.
No one cares about Hariri or the others enough.. they were sucking Lebanon dry anyways...
Remeber the international plan against Lebanon is to remove the Christians and everything stems from that!
21 February 2012, 19:00
20
Wish the tribunal give us the name of rafic s killer so we know at least who is this guy or state that drove the occupiers out and freed the Lebanon of syrians
The killer should be judged and later we should honor him for liberating our country
21 February 2012, 19:42
15
Go back and read the booklet the Hzb of El Kzb & Erhab released in the early 80's. Until your leadership denounces these stances and revoke this booklet, these truths remain self evident....ah whatever, I forgot I am talking to the poster child of IRANIAN brain washing experiments.
21 February 2012, 19:49
13
It could even be you ya mowaten IRANI right?...The only problem with that theory is it would mean your masters didn't pay you for the job and that is the only reason you're wasting your wonderful talents typing away at us from your luxury suite in the sewer beneath Da7ieh and just a stone's throw away from your master's underground palace, otherwise you'd be after him for non-payment.
21 February 2012, 19:56
15
for Pierre Gemayel it is clear: quawmieh with support from hizbushaitan.
21 February 2012, 20:59
01
Most of March 8th politicians are nervous now. I hope they delay the indictment for a while to keep those so called politicians on the edge.
I personally think it is Emile Lahhoud.
21 February 2012, 21:53
13
justice is coming and idiots will continue to post on here. the same idiots who have no concern or mercy for the syrian blood being spilled right now!
21 February 2012, 22:43
02
Flame thrower one day will become electricity payer
Between 2005 & 2010 who obstructed the govt.
Finally regardless of the year when did Lebanon ever solve. A major crime
22 February 2012, 00:21
02
@ Mowaten, very personal question: Have you ever lived outside Lebanon. I am just curious if we can have the same view of international justice when we have some experience living in a civilized country? In my opinion (and sorry if it sounds insulting and arrogant) your view is very distorted.
22 February 2012, 02:56
02
It's clear that Hezbollah is THE accessory in Hariri's murder. Perhaps even the mastermind. During the Cedar revolution, we kicked out the Syrians. Then, Hezbollah felt the heat, hence vulnerable. They initiated the war of 2006. Their display of 'power' was no more a way to legitimize their own existence in Lebanon. May 7th 2008 against the other Lebanese factions (after a 17month-long political crisis/sabotage).Since then, they toppled the Hariri Gov, and they are now in power fighting for its survival because it still feels threatened. I do hope the STL will dig deep enough to unveil the truth!
22 February 2012, 08:36
02
the war of 2006 was a miscalculation on hizb's part and thus the "law kuntu a3lam" , the reason behind it was to fend off all the lebanese calls for surrendering the arms, the 2006 was meant to keep some room for resistance maneuvering and thus arms legitimacy. That has all evaporated after 06 and the law kuntu a3lam. The hizb had a much much easier time convincing the lebanese about resisting israel (rightly so) pre-2000 when you barely heard any propaganda about keeping arms etc. it has currently sadly transformed to the equivalent of jaish mahde in iraq, the hizb now openly boasts about iranian support, something unheard of in the 90's.
22 February 2012, 04:17
02
My guess its Sleiman Franjieh who cooperates with all Syria and Hizbollah's dirty work
