U.N. Extends International Tribunal Mandate

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The United Nations on Wednesday extended the mandate of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The tribunal faces strong opposition from Hizbullah, but in announcing the three-year extension of the inquiry, U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon said he was determined to "send a message that impunity will not be tolerated.”

The work of the STL has now been extended for three years from March 1, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement.

The tribunal was set up by the U.N. Security Council in 2007 and has announced that it will put four Hizbullah members on trial even though they have not yet been detained.

The four -- Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Anaissi and Assad Sabra -- have been charged for the February 14, 2005 car bombing in Beirut that killed Hariri and 22 others, including a suicide bomber.

Warrants have been issued for the four, but authorities in Lebanon, where the government is dominated by the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hizbullah, have failed to arrest them.

The United Nations is preparing to announce a replacement for the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Daniel Bellamare, who will leave at the end of the month.

"The secretary general reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to the efforts of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to uncover the truth regarding the terrorist attack" that killed Hariri "so as to bring those responsible to justice and send a message that impunity will not be tolerated," said the U.N. statement.

Comments 7
Thumb primesuspect 22 February 2012, 22:12

The cell's heating system is already on, awaiting its first tenants. Milosevic and other war criminals are feeling lonely and long for the Assad brothers and Nasrallah. They said they are willing to learn new languages too... !

Missing wanabqua 22 February 2012, 22:57

I want to visit syria to urinate on Bashar Assad's grave after they hang him. That is why I am now drinking lots of water.

Thumb joesikemrex 23 February 2012, 03:05

lol, you and million others.

Thumb joesikemrex 23 February 2012, 03:04

Justice will be served

Default-user-icon Skyfall (Guest) 23 February 2012, 08:48

I used to believe in the STL but now it is turning into a joke more than anything else, when is justice going to be served? in 50 years? they will keep extending it, and now it is proven to be playing a political game and not beeing objective...

Default-user-icon Marc Y (Guest) 23 February 2012, 09:05

why is Habal defending bashar el assad that much? did he forget what he did to ALL LEBANESE of ALL SECTS?

Missing realist 23 February 2012, 09:56

So why did M8 topple the hariri government again?? STL was FUNDED and mandate RENEWED.