The Daily Star - Judge convenes STL Trial Chamber - September 09, 2011

BEIRUT: The president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Judge Antonio Cassesse, Thursday issued an order convening the Trial Chamber for the first time.
The U.N.-backed court in June indicted four Hezbollah members in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others.
No progress has yet been made in efforts to arrest the suspects – Salim Jamil Ayyash, Mustafa Amine Badreddine, Hussein Hassan Oneissi and Assad Hassan Sabra. It is not known whether or not they remain in Lebanon.
The Trial Chamber, a statement from the STL said, will decide whether or not to hold the trial in absentia. It may also meet before the trial starts, the timing of which will be decided by the court, to discuss various matters, such as holding an initial appearance with any of the accused, if one is in custody, and to rule on preliminary motions.
The judges of the Trial Chamber are Judge Robert Roth of Switzerland, the Presiding Judge of the Chamber; Judge Micheline Braidi of Lebanon and Judge David Re of Australia. Judge Janet Nosworthy of Jamaica and Judge Walid Akoum of Lebanon are both alternate judges.
Alternate judges are present at each stage of the proceedings and may pose questions during hearings, but do not vote during deliberations.
They can replace Judges of the Trial Chamber if the voting judges are unable to continue sitting.