STL Sets Status Conference on Merhi Counsel Preparations, Pending Issues for April 10

The Trial Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will hold a Status Conference in the Ayyash et al. case on April 10, announced the STL in a statement on Thursday.

The hearing, which is the second Status Conference since the Trial Chamber temporarily adjourned trial, will cover preparations of the counsel for Hassan Habib Merhi for the resumption of the trial, including filing of their Defense pre-trial brief and the date of resumption of the trial.

It will also tackle submissions on the deadline for counsel for Merhi to file any notice under Rule 161 (B) of the Rules of Procedures and Evidence.

The status conference will also cover the Lebanon's cooperation with the STL and any other pending motions.

The hearing, which will be public, will begin at 2:15 PM (Central European Time).

The Trial Chamber may decide to go into closed session if confidential matters need to be discussed.

The in absentia trial of four Hizbullah members accused of murdering former Premier Rafik Hariri in February 2005 opened at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague on January 16.

The trial sessions were adjourned until at least early to mid-May to allow Defense counsel for Merhi adequate time to prepare for trial and to conduct their own investigations.

The February 14, 2005 seafront blast killed 22 people including Hariri and wounded 226, leading to the establishment by the U.N. Security Council of the STL in 2007.

The court in 2011 issued arrest warrants against Mustafa Badreddine, Salim Ayyash, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra all members of Hizbullah.

The four suspects were indicted in 2011 with plotting the attack, but have not been arrested. A fifth suspect, Merhi, was charged late last year in the case and is also still at large.

M.T.

H.K.