STL: Alleged List Aims to Intimidate Witnesses

Special Tribunal for Lebanon spokesman Marten Youssef stressed on Thursday that the publishing of an alleged list of witnesses in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's murder case aimed to intimidate the witnesses.

“The publishing of the names of people who are allegedly witnesses in the court is an attempt to intimidate the witnesses,” Youssef told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Such a move “neither serves the course of justice nor Lebanon's cause,” he said.

The “irresponsible” publishing of such names could put the lives of the alleged witnesses in danger, Youssef warned.

The website of al-Mustaqbal newspaper, which is owned by Hariri's family, was hacked on Tuesday and its front page was replaced with the alleged names of the “secret witnesses in the STL” by a group calling itself “Journalists for the Truth.”

In January, the STL condemned media reports claiming to reveal the identities of the individuals who may be called to testify before the court as witnesses.

The tribunal did not confirm whether the content of the news reports were accurate, but said that “publicly identifying individuals as potential STL witnesses may endanger these individuals.”

“Persons who disclose confidential information from the STL may be in direct contravention of judicial orders and be subject to judicial proceedings for contempt,” it warned.