Madi Denies Prosecutor's Office Behind Leaked 'STL Witnesses' List

General prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi denied on Tuesday that his office was behind the leaked information on the alleged witnesses in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's Feb. 2005 assassination case.

A statement released by his press office said Madi told visiting STL President Judge David Baragwanath and his accompanying delegation that “his bureau was not responsible for the leaked information because it was not in its possession.”

The website of al-Mustaqbal newspaper, which is owned by Hariri's family, was hacked last week and its front page was replaced with the alleged names of the “secret witnesses in the STL” by a group calling itself “Journalists for the Truth.”

The STL confirmed that it has requested the assistance of “Lebanese authorities and others in this matter so that appropriate measures may be taken if necessary.”

It condemned the publishing of the list of alleged witnesses as an “attempt to interfere with the proper administration of justice.”

“Any attempt to knowingly and willfully interfere with the judicial process, including disclosure of confidential material or threatening, intimidating, or otherwise interfering with potential witnesses, is taken very seriously by the four organs of the Tribunal,” it warned.

Also Tuesday, Baragwanath held talks with the head of the Higher Judicial Council Judge Jean Fahd.

The STL president held separate meetings Monday with President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

The STL was set up by the United Nations at Lebanon's request. It seeks to try four Hizbullah members for the attack that killed Hariri in a powerful bombing on the Beirut seafront.