Report: Bellemare not Fransen Controlling Release of Indictment

Special Tribunal for Lebanon spokesperson Marten Youssef has reiterated that the court hasn’t set a maximum time limit for judge Daniel Fransen to confirm the indictment in ex-premier Rafik Hariri’s assassination case.

STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare filed an amended indictment on Friday based on further evidence in the probe into the 2005 killing of Hariri, the second such amendment since the first indictment filed in January.

The indictment, which is being kept confidential, has to be examined by Fransen, who has the responsibility of confirming it before arrest warrants or summonses are issued.

"It is anticipated that this will be completed in the coming months," the STL press office said.

But As Safir daily on Tuesday wondered why the tribunal has anticipated the completion of the process in the coming months without setting the previously announced timeframe of six to ten weeks.

It said this move hinted that Bellemare was monopolizing the date of the indictment’s release by referring amendments to Fransen whenever he saw that the time or the political circumstances were not ripe to release the indictment.