World

UN files charges in Hariri murder

(China Daily)
Updated: 2011-01-19 08:00

Lebanese army troops patrol central Beirut on Monday amid rising tensions in the city after dozens of young men appeared on the streets prompting fears of violence, following the announcement that the prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon filed his indictment on Tuesday for the 2005 murder of former premier Rafiq al-Hariri. Joseph Eid / Agence France-Presse

US President Obama says he welcomes the indictment

BEIRUT - The prosecutor of the UN-backed tribunal issued a draft indictment on Monday over the 2005 killing of statesman Rafiq al-Hariri, a long-anticipated move that has touched off a Lebanese political crisis.

Last week, the militant Shiite Hezbollah and its allies toppled the government of Saad al-Hariri, the slain man's son, and the group said it would not back Hariri for another term.

The escalation in political tension has alarmed regional leaders, who met in Syria on Monday in efforts to try to overcome the deadlock and prevent it from turning violent.

US President Barack Obama said on Monday he welcomed the filing of an indictment over the killing and that the UN-backed tribunal for Lebanon must be allowed to continue its work.

"This action represents an important step toward ending the era of impunity for murder in Lebanon, and achieving justice for the Lebanese people," Obama said in a written statement.

"I know that this is a significant and emotional time for the Lebanese people, and we join the international community in calling on all Lebanese leaders and factions to preserve calm and exercise restraint," he said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday reiterated his call on all parties to "refrain from any interference or influence in its work".

"The secretary-general reaffirms his strong support for the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon," said a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson.

The contents of the draft indictment, which will now be reviewed by pretrial judge Daniel Fransen, were not revealed. Details of the charge sheet may not emerge for another six to 10 weeks, when Fransen is expected to decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.

But Lebanese officials and Western diplomats have said they expected the court to accuse members of Hezbollah of involvement in the assassination. Hezbollah denies any such role and has described the tribunal as an "Israeli tool".

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said last year he will not allow the arrest of any of the group's members. The group had asked Hariri to renounce the tribunal, withdraw the Lebanese judges and freeze Lebanon's funding of it.

Hariri's rejection of the demands triggered the resignation of 11 ministers from Hezbollah and its allies last week.

The political turmoil has stoked sectarian tension and ratings agency Moody's said it could jeopardize Lebanon's projected 5 percent economic growth in 2011, hitting profits of the country's banking industry.

Reuters-Xinhua

(China Daily 01/19/2011 page11)