Acting Spokesman: Bellemare is ‘Away from STL Seat’ but ‘Work Continues at Full Speed’

The acting spokesman of Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare confirmed to Naharnet that the judge is currently away from the STL seat but stressed that he is following up the work of his office.

“As a matter of policy we do not discuss details of the health of staff,” Gregory Townsend, the senior legal officer and acting spokesperson of Bellemare’s office, told Naharnet.

“We can confirm that the prosecutor has been away from the seat of the STL in Leidschendam, Netherlands, due to health reasons,” he said.

However, Townsend stressed that “Bellemare is in constant contact with his staff and the work of the office of the prosecutor continues at full speed.”

The acting spokesperson’s comment came after pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported that Bellemare is suffering from an advanced stage of diabetes.

Bellemare has isolated himself in a room in Canada away from the people’s sight over his “serious illness,” it said.

When asked if the prosecutor would attend a hearing at the STL next Friday, Townsend did not comment.

Last month, the tribunal announced it would hold a hearing on November 11 to discuss whether to try four Hizbullah members in absentia.

Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi and Assad Sabra are wanted for the massive February 14, 2005, suicide car bomb attack in Beirut that killed ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others, including the suicide bomber.