FRI 29 - 3 - 2024
 
Date: Aug 24, 2011
Source: The Daily Star
Bellemare hails inclusion of 3 similar cases into STL’s jurisdiction

By Patrick Galey
BEIRUT: The prosecutor in the U.N.-backed court investigating the 2005 assassination of ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri hailed Tuesday the inclusion of three similar cases into his jurisdiction as “a new chapter” in the life of the international tribunal.


Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare confirmed that the attacks on slain Communist Party Leader Georges Hawi, former Deputy Prime Minister Elias Murr and former Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh would now be investigated by his office.


“The pre-trial judge’s decisions mark a new chapter in the Office of the Prosecutor’s work,” a statement from Bellemare’s office said.
“As a result of the deferral decisions, the prosecutor’s office will have exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute these cases.”


Bellemare himself, in a rare public statement, also addressed the relatives of victims from the Feb. 14, 2005, car bomb attack that killed the statesman and 22 others, as well as injuring more than 200.


“My thoughts are with each and every victim and their families who have been affected by the violent acts of terrorism that have plagued Lebanon,” Bellemare said. “You have shown patience and dignity in the face of so much pain and suffering. My team and I will continue to work tirelessly in the pursuit of justice.”


Last week STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen ruled that Bellemare had gathered sufficient prima facie evidence to request from Lebanese authorities the case files of the three attacks. The STL’s mandate states it is allowed to investigate crimes that are possibly related to Hariri’s killing from Oct. 1, 2004 to Dec. 12, 2005, although it may request permission from the U.N. Security Council to expand jurisdiction to similar crimes after those dates.


Bellemare in June issued his first indictment in the Hariri case. A spokesperson for his office said that the opening of three new cases did not mean that the investigation into the Feb. 14 bombing had stopped.
“The prosecutor’s preparations for trial are ongoing, and they will not be adversely impacted by concurrent investigations into connected cases,” the spokesperson told The Daily Star.


The spokesperson added that Bellemare would file additional indictments in these cases “if the evidence supports the filing of indictments.”
“Please also note that if another indictment in a connected case or cases is filed and confirmed, the rules authorize the prosecutor to request joinder with the Hariri file if warranted by the facts and if it’s in the interests of justice,” the spokesperson added.


Hawi was killed in a car bomb attack on June 21, 2005. Murr and Hamadeh both survived attempts on their lives. The two survivors and Hawi’s family were visited earlier this month by court investigators and informed that their cases could be investigated by The Hague based tribunal.


Bellemare named four individuals he believed were responsible for the attack on Hariri, all of whom are members of Hezbollah. The party has denied any involvement in the crime and has called the STL an “Israeli project.”

 



 
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