Baragwanath Seeks to Fully Carry Out his Tasks, Urges More Lebanese Lawyers to Join STL

President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Sir Judge David Baragwanath is keen to fully carry out his tasks in order to achieve the purpose behind the formation of the tribunal, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.

Sources told the daily that Baragwanath stressed during his meetings with senior Lebanese officials on the independence of the tribunal, slamming any attempt to exploit it.

General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza told al-Joumhouria that the STL president didn’t tackle with him the tribunal’s work, saying: “The required work is done silently; we talk about it when it’s necessary.”

Baragwanath, who was accompanied by his deputy Judge Ralph Riachi, met on Wednesday with Mirza at the Justice Palace.

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

Head of the Bar Association in Beirut Nuhad Jabr told the daily that his meeting with Baragwanath was plainly a protocol, as the gatherers discussed general issues.

According to Jabr, the STL president urged more Lebanese lawyers to participate in the STL’s defense office.

Baragwanath arrived in Lebanon on Sunday and held separate meetings with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and several other officials.

He 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.