Hariri Lauds STL Trial: Gloating over Refusal to Turn in the Accused is Pointless

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri described on Thursday the launch of the trial of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon as an historic day for Lebanon.

He said from The Hague: “The course of justice will not halt and there is no point for some sides to continue gloating over their refusal to hand over the accused.”

He made his remarks in reference to Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah assertions that the accused in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri will never be found.

The STL had accused five Hizbullah members of being behind the February 2005 assassination.

Hariri continued: “The refusal to hand over the accused to the STL is an additional crime to the assassination.”

“Justice will take its course and there is no point after today to attempt to halt it,” he stressed.

“We could not have believed that there are some among the Lebanese who could have assassinated Rafik Hariri and sold themselves to the Devil,” he stated from the Hague where the STL trial kicked off on Thursday.

“This is a harsh truth, but it is the reality,” he lamented.

The former premier asserted that the STL has “opened the first pages of real justice” and will pave the way to end impunity and political assassinations.

He also thanked all those who contributed to the launch of the trial, as well as the various Lebanese authorities that cooperated with the international investigation team.