Samaha to Stand Trial on April 20

The Permanent Military Tribunal reportedly decided to separate the trial of former pro-Syrian Information Minister Michel Samaha from that of Syrian security chief General Ali Mamlouk.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper published on Saturday, Samaha will stand trial on April 20.

A judicial source told the daily that the trial will not be adjourned anew over the failure to summon Mamlouk.

Samaha, who is considered close to the Syrian regime, was arrested in August 2012 for planning attacks in Lebanon along with two Syrian officials.

His trial includes Mamlouk and a Syrian colonel identified only by his first name Adnan.

The trial kicked off in June 2013 but has been adjourned on several occasions for failing to summon Mamlouk and Adnan.

The former minister and two Syrian official were indicted "for transporting explosives from Syria to Lebanon in an attempt to assassinate Lebanese political and religious leaders."

The Lebanese judiciary sent Syria a formal notification of the warrants and charges, but received no response.

In the event of a non-response, Lebanese law allows for the trial against Samaha to proceed with Mamlouk being tried in absentia, but the court has not so far suggested it would take that approach.

H.K.

D.A.