Bellemare Hints he Would Summon Lebanese Officials to Stand Trial

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is exerting strong efforts to guarantee the cooperation of Lebanese authorities with his investigations into ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s Feb. 2005 assassination.

According to information received by Naharnet, Bellemare is currently adopting the policy of “carrot and stick” to avoid an “overt confrontation” with Lebanese authorities.

But the STL prosecutor is convinced about the need to raise the level of pressure on the authorities in Beirut to push them towards cooperating with him amid signs they are attempting to gain time and procrastinating in meeting the requests of the tribunal.

Informed sources believe that Lebanese authorities should ready themselves in the next few days for new requests from Bellemare’s office to hear the viewpoints of security, military and judicial officials on the “seriousness” of the cooperation with the prosecutor.

Bellemare has hinted in a document he delivered to the tribunal about his intention to summon Lebanese officials and maybe party members to the court to question them on whether they are incapable of arresting the four suspects indicted in Hariri’s assassination or they are refusing to do so.

The four are Hizbullah members. They are Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra.

If the prosecutor goes ahead with his decision, then the Lebanese cabinet, which is constitutionally the decision-maker, would find itself in a new crisis that goes behind the fear of being targeted by international sanctions over any rejection by the government to fund the STL.

Bellemare’s move could furthermore lead to a direct accusation to top Lebanese personalities of not only obstructing the course of international justice by rejecting the STL funding but also of collaborating with the suspects and the parties that are protecting them, which is a crime punishable by law.

Meanwhile, Bellemare’s office is shying away from responding to questions about reports that the prosecutor is suffering from a serious illness.

When asked about the reports and Bellemare’s alleged recovery abroad, his staff continues to repeat the same answer: “The prosecutor’s office has no comment at this stage.”

But the calm prevailing in his office seems to be the result of a firm policy and not confusion. All indications reveal that the work of his staff is continuing at full speed on more than one front.