May 10, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Cassese says STL aims to “reach any criminal”

LBCI television reported Monday that during a conference in the University of Saint Joseph in Beirut, President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Antonio Cassese said that the foundation of the tribunal’s work is to “reach any criminal” involved in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri no matter what position he/she holds.

Cassese also commented on Lebanon’s detention of the four generals allegedly connected with Hariri’s murder, saying the country lacked the evidence to charge them with crimes.

The generals were originally detained on August 30, 2005 at the recommendation of former investigator of the UN International Independent Investigation Committee Detlev Mehlis. However, the STL asked the Lebanese authorities in 2009 to release them.

Cassese reiterated that “the tribunal’s task is purely judicial and its work won’t be affected by any political ideology.”

Cassese also said that the tribunal has always abided to the international legal framework and has demonstrated its ability to work on one of the most difficult cases overseen by the International Criminal Court (ICC), referring to the STL’s investigation into Hariri’s killing.

The STL is staffed by qualified judges and lawyers, he added.

-NOW Lebanon