Bellemare's Office: Investigation Will Continue, Violence Won't Deter OTP from Pursuing Its Mission
The Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Wednesday denounced "the use of violence," after a group of women charged at U.N. investigators at a Dahiyeh gynecology clinic and snatched a briefcase containing documents from them.
"The investigation into the Hariri attack will continue and this incident will not deter the OTP from pursuing its mission," STL's press office stressed in a communiqué.
The Office of STL Prosecutor Danielle Bellemare "takes this incident very seriously and is currently gathering the facts. The Lebanese authorities have launched an investigation," the communiqué went on to say.
It noted that on Wednesday morning "two investigators from the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and an STL interpreter attended a pre-arranged meeting at a doctor's office in Beirut as a legitimate step in their ongoing investigation."
"The process leading to the visit was handled professionally and in accordance with legal safeguards. The visit had been approved by the Lebanese authorities."
The OTP noted that the investigators were accompanied by members of the judicial police and the army.
"The doctor, having received approval from the Beirut Order of Physicians to meet with the OTP investigators, had agreed to the meeting," the OTP added.
"The session with the doctor was conducted in a respectful manner. During the meeting, a large group of people showed up unexpectedly and violently attacked the investigators and their female interpreter. Several items belonging to OTP staff were stolen during the attack."
The Lebanese army extracted the three staff members and brought them back safely to the STL Beirut Office where they were provided with medical attention, according to the OTP.
The U.N.-backed STL was set up by a 2007 U.N. resolution to find and try the killers of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in a massive Beirut bombing on February 14, 2005.
Lebanon is facing a full-blown crisis over the tribunal as unconfirmed reports indicate it is set to accuse members of Hizbullah.
Hizbullah has confirmed several of its members, both male and female, have been interrogated in connection with the Hariri murder.
The Syrian- and Iranian-backed party has also accused the United Nations of interfering in Lebanese affairs and warned such an eventuality will have repercussions in Lebanon, calling instead for a local investigation.
Saudi-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri, son of the slain ex-premier, has meanwhile vowed to see the tribunal through.(Naharnet-AFP)
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