Baragwanath Meets Mirza, Thanks Lebanese Govt., Judiciary for Cooperating with STL

The President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Sir Judge David Baragwanath held talks on Wednesday with General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza at the Justice Palace, reported the National News Agency.

Baragwanath thanked the Lebanese government and judiciary for their cooperation with the tribunal, starting with the initial investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

The STL president was accompanied by his deputy Judge Ralph Riachi.

For his part, Mirza thanked the president and his team for their cooperation in the investigation.

The officials were then given a tour of the general prosecution’s wing dedicated to the tribunal.

Baragwanath had arrived in Lebanon on Sunday.

He held separate talks on Monday with President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

NNA had reported that Suleiman discussed with Baragwanath at the Baabda Palace the progress of the STL’s work and the previous indictments it had issued.

Baragwanath was elected STL president after Judge Antonio Cassese stepped down in October 2011 on health grounds. Cassese later passed away.

The tribunal, set up by the U.N. Security Council at the request of a past Lebanese government to try those responsible for the assassination of Hariri in 2005, announced in February that it will put four Hizbullah members on trial even though they have not yet been detained.

Arrest warrants have been issued for the four members -- Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra.