July 14, 2010 - Now Lebanon - Sakr: STL works lawfully

Lebanon First bloc MP Okab Sakr said that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) works lawfully, Akhbar al-Yawm news agency reported on Wednesday.

This comes after the STL on Tuesday held a public hearing on former General Security head Brigadier General Jamil as-Sayyed’s request for files related to his detention in Lebanon from 2005 to 2009.

“Tuesday’s public hearing showed how the STL works,” Sakr said, adding that the tribunal does not hide anything.

He also said that Tuesday’s joint parliamentary commissions’ disagreement on the draft Lebanese-French security cooperation agreement is related to details and not content. The agreement addresses bilateral cooperation on all security levels, including fighting terrorism.

The issue of the draft security deal caused tension in the parliament on Tuesday when Hezbollah MPs walked out of the session and prevented a quorum.

“These details can be resolved by adhering to Interior Minister Ziad Baroud’s proposal to define terrorism based on the Arab Convention Against Terrorism,” the MP said.

According to the convention held at the Arab League General Secretariat’s headquarters in April 1998, all violent actions serving criminal ends can be labeled a terrorist activity.

Sakr commented on Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s upcoming Sunday visit to Syria, saying that Hariri’s main concern is to resolve all issues with Damascus.

The MP said that the visit serves Lebanon’s interests