Daily Star - May 4 deadline for preliminary motions challenging STL jurisdiction, April 17, 2012

BEIRUT: The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced Monday that it has set May 4 as the deadline for the defense to file preliminary motions challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

In a press release, the court said that Pre-trial Judge Daniel Fransen made the decision last week to set the deadline “in order to ensure the preparation of a fair and expeditious trial.”

The STL’s decision in February to begin in absentia proceedings against the four men accused in the 2005 assassination of statesman Rafik Hariri paved the wave for the defense counsel to file preliminary motions, including ones challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

STL President David Baragwanath has said that if the court finds it does not have jurisdiction, its work would be brought to an end. The deadline to submit other preliminary motions will be decided in due course, the statement added.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Apr-17/170461-may-4-deadline-for--preliminary-motions-challenging-stl-jurisdiction.ashx#axzz1sINlFV7B