Syria’s Ambassador Denies STL Delegation Visit to Damascus: Court Lost Credibility

Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali denied on Friday media reports that a delegation from the international tribunal will head to Damascus next week to hand over to Syrian authorities arrest warrants in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder case.

Following talks with Premier Najib Miqati, Ali told reporters at the Grand Serail that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon “lost its credibility” over leaked information on the arrest warrants.

The ambassador said that he congratulated Miqati on the formation of the government, adding that he has an open invitation to visit Damascus.

A three-member delegation from the STL handed over to General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza four arrest warrants in the 2005 assassination of Hariri. The suspects are Hizbullah members.

Informed Lebanese sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that a delegation from the STL is expected to travel to Damascus next week in a mission similar to the task that it carried out in Beirut on Thursday.

Unconfirmed judicial information obtained by Future News television also said the international tribunal has issued arrest warrants for Syrian nationals accused of involvement in Hariri’s killing.

An STL delegation will head to Syria to inform the authorities there of the names of the accused Syrians, Future News said.

U.N. sources told al-Liwaa that more arrest warrants would be issued during the summer. The warrants would include names of people accused of planning Hariri’s murder.

After Hariri was assassinated, suspicion immediately fell on Syria, since the former premier had been seeking to weaken its domination of the country.

Syria has denied any role in the murder.