Tribunal Indictment Date Continues to Baffle Lebanese

A high-ranking source hinted on Wednesday that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would issue the indictment at a time when the Lebanese cabinet reached a positive stage by engaging in consultations to draft its policy statement.

“Every time we reach a positive stage, they brandish us with the indictment. This has happened in the past and is taking place today after the formation of the government and the start of consultations on the policy statement,” the source told As Safir.

He said Lebanese personalities held telephone conversations in the past hours with the Lebanese judges that have traveled to The Hague. The officials received information that the indictment would be issued within a few days, the source added.

Ex-general Jamil Sayyed said, however, that the travel of the judges is not linked to the indictment. They were summoned to participate in a hearing that Tribunal President Judge Antonio Cassese had called for to prepare a response to Sayyed’s complaint.

Sayyed maintains that his detention for four years without charges in Hariri’s case was illegal and politically motivated and has commenced proceedings with the STL, which ruled that he was allowed to see tribunal documents relating to him.