Beirut: Officials from UN-backed tribunal reportedly hands over indictments; Lebanese media: Arrest warrants for 4 Hezbollah members.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERSRafik Hariri billboards 311 R(photo credit: Ali Hashisho / Reuters)
Officials from the UN-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik Hariri met Lebanon's state prosecutor on Thursday. Lebanese media reported that four arrest warrants had been presented, and that they were for Hezbollah members.Neither state prosecutor Saeed Mirza nor the delegation from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon commented immediately after the talks, but officials said the delegation had either handed over indictments, or arrest warrants for people the tribunal wants to question as a step towards issuing those indictments.RELATED:Hariri tribunal prosecutor amends indictmentOn Monday, London-based Asharq Alawsat had reported that five high ranking Hezbollah officials were expected to be indicted by the special tribunal. The report added that once the indictments are released, the identities of the accused will be kept secret for a short period in order to allow the Lebanese government to investigate and arrest them.Also Thursday, Lebanon's interior minister was quoted as saying that the indictments are "a big deal."“Why the big deal? It’s just an indictment and not a final verdict. So why all this hubbub?” Lebanese Interior Minister Marwan Charbel asked during a Voice of Lebanon interview, according to The Daily Star.Charbel said that he hoped the Special Tribunal for Lebanon decision would "satisfy" the Lebanese people.
